Arknights: I became an NPC in the online game

This was Kristen's decision to make, and hers alone. Felix, though a shareholder with some say, spoke not as an investor issuing orders, but as a friend standing at her side. He wanted Kristen to walk forward without guilt, and he hoped that, in the future, there would be no rift between her and Saria.

Terran experimentation was a topic that no one in Columbia's scientific world could escape. On the surface, decorated scientists basked in honor and awards; in secret, many drifted between labs, using Infected as tools for their so-called research.

They were scientists driven to madness for the sake of the future. Yet Felix would rather slow down than see Kristen lose the original heart that had once made her a scientist.

"Felix~ You're back!"

Muelsyse's water clone appeared outside the Chief's office without warning, breaking the heavy air lingering in the room. Kristen blinked back into focus, then smiled faintly at Felix and said, "Muelsyse mentions you almost every day."

"I do not!"

Caught off guard by her friend's betrayal, Muelsyse flushed, stomped her foot, and turned toward Felix. "I'm in the Ecological Garden—come find me later."

Too flustered to stay, she dissolved into a pool of water that seeped into a nearby flowerbed.

Kristen and Felix exchanged a smile. He waved casually and left, while she remained behind. For a long moment she hesitated, then returned to her desk, staring at the documents in her hands.

Felix's words had left her in rare silence. Her once unwavering resolve was shaken. If she were the Kristen of the past—the Kristen who had sworn alongside Saria to reform Columbia's scientific community—she would have chosen differently.

Somewhere along the way, she realized, she had become the very image she once despised.

Biting her lip, she picked up the phone and instructed Yara to dispose of the recent military files.

Felix stepped into the Ecological Garden. It seemed larger than before. Lush plants filled the space, accompanied by avian beasts and several small creatures whose names he didn't even know. He remembered Muelsyse once telling him these animals were carefully chosen, each one beneficial to the ecosystem.

"Welcome back, Felix."

Muelsyse approached, wearing Rhine Lab's research uniform. In her hands she carried a flowerpot, where a rare blossom was blooming.

"I'm back. You go on with your work—I'll wait."

"Alright~"

She answered with a cheerful smile before returning to her task. Between them lingered an unspoken closeness, like a thin sheet of paper neither had yet pierced. Still, both knew what mattered most now: the work before them.

Felix respected Muelsyse's duties, and she respected his in turn. Neither would interrupt the other once work was underway. It had become their unspoken pact.

Even Mostima respected this part of Felix. She understood what he needed. Unlike most Sankta girls her age, who delighted in romance and playfulness, Mostima carried a rare maturity.

Felix sat in Muelsyse's chair, holding Rhine Lab's tablet terminal as he skimmed through recent orders and items that could be acquired through its channels… among them was a transport aircraft.

Aircraft were expensive, fuel even more so. Truth be told, unless someone was constantly on the move, a truck was far more practical for both players and himself. But with several destinations to cover this year, Felix couldn't afford to waste half his time on the road. Naturally, the idea of purchasing a transport aircraft had crossed his mind.

When Muelsyse finished her work, she came to his side. Noticing what he was looking at, she leaned close, her face nearly brushing against his.

"Transport aircraft are really pricey. Unless it's to move rare plant samples, Rhine Lab usually doesn't buy them so early."

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen many of Rhine Lab's planes around."

"That's because they're hardly needed these past two years."

Muelsyse lowered her voice. "You know the Chief's family, right?"

"I know. The Wright family. Her parents were flying through the skies when tragedy struck, leaving Kristen alone."

It was homework Felix had done long before entering Rhine Lab—or more accurately, information that players in his past life had dug up. "But what does her family have to do with this?"

"The Wrights aren't particularly famous in the scientific world, but they are still a family. And families have ties. Though those ties weakened after her parents' accident, Kristen's prominence in recent years has brought many old allies back to her side."

Muelsyse's voice softened. "Among them are families that specialize in industrial production. Buying an aircraft through them would come with discounts."

"I see."

That explained it.

"Felix… did you come to Columbia just to buy a plane?"

Hands folded behind her back, Muelsyse paced a few small steps. Her eyes gleamed with laughter, but deep within them flickered a trace of expectation, even unease.

"I came to see you."

Felix spoke from the heart.

"Hehe, I missed you too."

"How was your day?"

"Nothing special—until you showed up."

She patted the chair, motioning him to make space. When Felix shifted, the girl nestled in beside him with a soft sigh.

"You take forever to come back each time."

"You can't leave here, so all I can do is come back to see you."

Muelsyse carried countless feelings and thoughts, but she never set her work aside. It was tied not only to her people's future, but also to the Horizon Ark Project Kristen had entrusted to her long ago. These were her responsibilities.

Felix respected that—so he never asked her to leave. And Muelsyse, in turn, understood what Felix had to do, so she never pleaded for him to stay.

"Mostima came this time too."

At that, Muelsyse's body stiffened. She shifted awkwardly in Felix's arms, her voice muffled as she muttered, "Doesn't matter. I'm just an older water Elf with no charm anyway…"

"Muelsyse…"

Her slender arms rested on his shoulders. Strands of pale green hair fell, carrying with them a faint fragrance—the scent of nature itself. Flowers, grass, earth, the song of birds, the hush of wind through leaves. For a moment, it was as if Felix were lying on a forest meadow, bathed in the gentle breeze.

Chu.

The kiss was warm and lingering. By the time she came back to her senses, Muelsyse's cheeks were flushed rose, the tips of her pale ears burning red. She buried her head deep against Felix's chest, her legs kicking restlessly like a shy girl trying to hide her embarrassment.

He hadn't expected to be stolen a kiss again.

Felix gave a helpless smile. Stroking her hair, he began recounting everything that had happened during his travels—Lungmen and Kjerag, the bustling prosperity of Lungmen, the fervor and faith of Kjerag. Muelsyse listened intently, absorbed in his words. Even though she had visited those places before through her water avatars, hearing Felix's own experiences carried a freshness, like hearing an entirely new story.

"Next time, let's go together. Just listening must get boring."

Her softness nestled in his arms, Felix's voice was calm and gentle.

"Mm… should I go in person, or send a water avatar?"

Muelsyse hesitated, torn.

"If you go in person, then once we're at the hotel, we could… rest like this."

Rest, how? Realizing her current position, her face flushed again. She pressed her head tighter against Felix's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "You're right… if it's just a water avatar, I couldn't do something this close."

And they couldn't share the same bed either. After all, Muelsyse couldn't maintain her avatars while asleep; once she drifted off, they would collapse into water. She certainly didn't want Felix waking up to find himself lying in a puddle.

"It's still too dangerous for you to go in person."

Felix's tone was firm.

"I'm not some caged canary. As long as I don't get exposed to serious infections, or come into direct contact with highly contaminated Originium, I'll be fine."

Her voice softened. Even here in Trimount, the city teemed with Originium devices. As a hub of research, its industries made such things commonplace—yet she could still live and commute freely. It wasn't as dangerous as he feared.

"I'm more worried Yara will blow a fuse if I take you with me."

Felix sighed. After a pause, he gently patted her head. "The blueprint for Horizon Ark Project is already a quarter finished. In about a year, maybe a year and a half, the entire design will be complete. I'll need your help then."

Many of Muelsyse's plants would be moved into the Ark to test whether they could survive in extreme conditions. In truth, part of the project was being built with her in mind.

"How long will you stay this time?"

"Mm… about a month. I'll need to head back to Lungmen once after."

"Alright. But… now that Mostima's here too, will the house you bought still have a room for me?"

Her gaze turned quiet and searching. Cold sweat ran down Felix's back. He coughed. "Of course. When I bought it, I set aside plenty of guest rooms…"

"Then… can I sleep with you?"

"…"

Avoiding his eyes, Muelsyse fidgeted, her small hands twisting nervously with nowhere to go. Felix took them firmly in his own.

"This time, I came back because I want to tell you what's been on my mind."

Muelsyse bit her lip, then lifted her gaze with courage. She waited, heart trembling.

"I've always asked myself—what's the meaning of me being in this world? I've walked this long road, changing for the sake of change itself, for the anger and ambition in my heart, for the sake of being terran, for the injustices I couldn't ignore. I kept moving forward, never stopping—because I knew if I paused, I'd be left behind by this era."

Muelsyse gripped his hand tightly, her teeth pressing lightly together. Yes… she had never truly seen Felix's real face. He was always so playful and relaxed, never seeming to tire. Being with him brought such ease, such security, as though nothing could ever shake him. But who did he lean on?

"Along the way, I found comrades. I found partners-in-arms. And I found someone who made my frozen heart beat warmly again. Thank you… for making me believe that on this fractured, despair-filled land, there truly exists something beautiful. Muelsyse, you embody everything I've ever dreamed of."

For two lifetimes Felix had been alone. The fact that his first true confession hadn't come out clumsy or awkward felt like a blessing.

"In the years I have left, I want to give all the gentleness in my heart to you."

Her golden eyes grew misty, shimmering with a fragile light. In that moment, the lonely elf seemed to have finally found her anchor—a trunk to lean against, a clear pool where she could rest without fear. Her lips parted slightly as she pressed her weight into him. For the first time, she was no longer alone.

After a long kiss, Muelsyse traced idle circles on Felix's chest, whispering, "That gentleness in your heart… it belongs to Mostima too, doesn't it?"

"I suppose that does make me sound like a scoundrel," he admitted, "but my feelings for you and for her aren't weighed against each other. Neither is lesser."

"Only her?"

She stole another quick, playful kiss at the corner of his lips. "Besides Mostima, there are plenty of others who like you, you know."

"Who?"

Felix thought for a moment. None came to mind.

"Heehee."

Her slender finger tapped his lips. "That's a secret. You'll find out when the time comes."

Their brief warmth lingered. Though she still seemed reluctant to part, work awaited them both. Muelsyse helped him up, fussing over his uniform, smoothing out the creases she herself had made.

"Will you come pick me up after work today?"

"I might need to work overtime. The workload in Mechanical Dynamics is heavy, and I've still got forging to do."

"Then I'll come pick you up," she said with a mischievous smile.

At the door, she rose on tiptoe again, leaving him with one last, purest touch of affection. Looking at her now, so much like a sweet, devoted girlfriend, Felix felt only warmth. For so long he had walked Terra's game-like world alone. Romance had always seemed like a luxury. In his past life, when he'd been a self-styled chuunibyou, he once dreamed about crossing into another world to build a harem. But after arriving here, survival became his only goal. Compared to that, everything else was fleeting smoke.

Leaving the Biopark, Felix calmed himself. Straightening his clothes, he set his mind back on track and walked toward the Mechanical Department.

The automaton, Clever… it was time for it to be unveiled.