Reincarnated as a Background Character — Boss Fell in Love With Me
Chapter 1: The Boss, the Books, and the Background Guy
She radiated warmth.
This was the first detail that pierced through the chaos swirling in Raze's mind. It wasn't the scorching infernal heat that one might expect from a being of her stature, nor was it the oppressive weight of a final boss's malevolent aura. No, this sensation was profoundly different—it was genuine warmth. The kind that emanated from a living, breathing human being.
Velzeria, the Empress of Ash, stood as the most formidable entity in the sprawling realms of Eternal Elysium. Yet now, she lay unconscious and vulnerable in his arms, her regal figure crumpled against the cold, hard stone of a forgotten library—dust motes flickering in the dim light from ancient, stained-glass windows overhead. The scent of aged parchment mixed with the earthy aroma of the worn carpets beneath them, a testament to the countless tales bound in the very walls surrounding them.
Her head rested gently against his shoulder, her ebony crown fractured, a stark contrast to her otherwise imposing presence. Dark lashes quivered slightly with each shallow breath she took, as if struggling against the weight of unconsciousness that held her captive.
"This can't be happening," Raze—no, Kazuto—murmured quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, almost as though uttering a prayer into the void that surrounded them. But the familiar system interface remained stubbornly silent, offering no reassuring notifications—no respawns or loading screens to grant him a reprieve from this dire situation. There was only the faint warmth of her skin against his and the unsettling reality of her peril.
With great care, he lowered her onto a patch of threadbare carpet, his heart heavy as her magnificent wings twitched and instinctively curled around her like a protective barrier, still regal even in a state of vulnerability.
[Quest Updated: Shelter the Empress (Optional)]
[WARNING: Velzeria's life is in critical condition]
[Failure Condition: Her death. World balance collapses.]
"Well, of course," he murmured to himself, staring upward at the ancient library's soaring ceiling that appeared to stretch into infinity. "Even in this bizarre reincarnation, I somehow get side quests." The weight of the responsibility pressed down on him heavily, and he knew there was no avoiding it. With determination coursing through his veins, he scrambled to his feet and hurriedly began to yank books from the towering shelves, frantically searching for anything that could help—healing scrolls, potions, elixirs—anything that might save her life.
Yet, as he rifled through the spines of countless tomes, a disheartening realization sank in. Nothing worked. The system denied all his desperate inputs, leaving him powerless. He lacked the class clearance necessary for any spells or potions. His stats were woefully inadequate, insufficient even to lift her as easily as he would have liked. In that moment, he felt like nothing more than a background character—a mere observer in a world far too grand for his abilities.
But then, something extraordinary occurred. As his fingers brushed against her arm a second time, he felt an inexplicable surge, a connection that couldn't be explained. Her breathing began to steady, almost as if responding to his touch. And then, to his astonishment, a soft glow enveloped her—a delicate, ethereal light that flickered gently, appearing faint but undeniably present. Her wounds, once oozing crimson onto the stone floor, began to clot, and the violent tremors wracking her body began to dissipate.
[Passive Trait Activated: Anchor of Narrative Stability]
[Effect: Calms destabilized fate-bound entities. Works only with proximity.]
"What...Huh?" Kazuto blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in dynamics.
Anchor of what now? He didn't recall such a mechanic from the original game he had played—this was entirely new territory.
Velzeria stirred at last. Her crimson eyes fluttered open, and instantly, the atmosphere thickened as if gravity itself had intensified in the room. Her gaze locked onto his with an intensity that made him feel as though she could see directly into his very essence.
"...You're still here," she said, her voice a whisper that cracked like old parchment, yet it was infused with an undeniable power that resonated through the silence.
"I figured you'd be gone," she continued, slowly beginning to push herself upright, her regal demeanor flickering back to life. "They always run."
"I'm not 'they,'" Raze replied, striving to keep his voice steady despite the chaotic whirlwind of thoughts racing through his mind. "And technically, I live here. I think."
Velzeria blinked, confusion evident in her glowing eyes, as if piecing together a puzzle she never anticipated. "You're the library assistant. NPC #112," she said finally, her demeanor shifting slightly but still veiled in a mysterious reserve.
Raze offered a half-hearted thumbs-up, forcing a smile. "At your service."
She scrutinized him for what felt like an eternity, her expression unreadable. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed—a sound that was neither maniacal nor cruel, but rather genuine and amused.
"Of all the souls in this cursed realm," she whispered, her voice threading through the air, "fate binds me to a clerk."
With a tentative movement, she reached out toward him, her fingers hovering in the air before she paused, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features.
...Do you fear me?" she asked quietly, vulnerability seeping into her tone.
Raze felt a moment of hesitation grip him. The correct and perhaps safest answer would have been to confess his fear—after all, everyone feared her, even the gods that roamed these realms. But in that instant, as he gazed into her tired eyes, framed by her wings curled protectively around her, and heard the weariness etched in her voice, he replied, "No."
Her eyes widened, and for what felt like the first time in recorded game history—she looked genuinely surprised.
A long silence enveloped them, stretching on like an unending tapestry where neither knew quite what to say. Then, almost hesitantly, her voice broke through the quiet once more, softer this time:
"You're... not like the others."
"And you're not what I expected either," Raze found himself replying, his curiosity piqued more than he would have anticipated.
Another pause followed, thick with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Then, Velzeria spoke up again: "...You will let me stay here?"
He exhaled sharply, weighing her words as the reality of the situation sunk in deeper. "For now. But I have two rules."
She tilted her head, intrigue flickering in her crimson orbs as she leaned closer, awaiting his stipulations.
"Rule one: no incinerating visitors without warning. Rule two: please, for the love of all that's good, don't eat any of the books."
Velzeria cast him a withering look, one so imperious it could have curdled milk. "I do not eat paper."
"Good. That's rule three." He quipped back, the air thickening with their shared absurdity.
[NEW QUEST: Coexistence Protocol – Empress Integration Arc]
[Objective: Maintain peaceful cohabitation with Velzeria for 7 days.]
[Bonus Objective: Earn her trust.]
[Penalty for Failure: Extinction-level world event.]
"What kind of game is this?" he muttered to himself, disbelief washing over him as he absorbed the situation.
And thus commenced Raze's first day as an unwitting NPC harboring the world's most dangerous woman—an Empress waking to a reality far different from the nightmare she typically commanded. He knew he possessed no powers, no stats, and certainly no plan to navigate this uncharted territory. Yet amidst the uncertainty, something stirred within him—a flicker of possibility.
For the first time since stumbling into this strange existence, he realized with growing clarity: he wasn't merely a background character anymore. In this moment, he had the chance to become something far greater. A chance to intertwine their fates in a world teetering on the brink of chaos.
To be continued...