Reincarnated as a Background Character — Boss Fell in Love With Me
Chapter 2: Tea with the Final Boss, and Other Terrible Ideas
Morning arrived without the herald of a sunrise, an unremarkable beginning that felt more like a continuation of the night than the start of a new day.
The library, an ancient sanctuary of knowledge and silence, lay enveloped in a gentle, sepia-toned twilight. It was as though time itself had drifted into a daydream, neglecting to acknowledge the existence of this hallowed space. Light, muted and diffused, crept through the intricately crafted stained-glass windows, conveying a kaleidoscope of fragmented hues that danced across the towering stacks of dust-covered books and the cobweb-laden shelves. Each beam of light seemed to whisper stories of forgotten ages, echoing the wisdom and mysteries that resided within these walls.
Raze sat cross-legged next to a small table, intently watching as water began to boil over a diminutive arcane burner he had cleverly salvaged from the staff room. Its flickering flame cast soft shadows around the immediate area, creating a cozy yet surreal atmosphere that felt almost magical.
Across from him, the embodiment of majesty and danger, Velzeria, remained utterly still on the tattered couch where he had gently placed her the previous night. Even in her slumber, there was an inherent regal elegance about her, her wings tucked in repose like delicate silk curtains framing a beautiful yet haunting portrait. Her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and rhythmic, as though she existed in some tranquil dreamscape, far removed from the chaos that often accompanied her presence.
But Raze did not share in the luxury of sleep. How could he? Just hours ago, he had been engaged in a delicate balancing act, nursing the Empress of Ash back to a state of stability. All of this had unfolded without the aid of magic, without any specialized skills, and yet somehow, he had managed it simply by being there beside her, offering an unwavering presence.
And now, the Empress was an unexpected guest in his library, a sanctuary he had always cherished, now filled with the weight of her power and potential destruction.
[Day 1: Coexistence Protocol – Active]
[Remaining: 6 days]
[Status: Empress resting. Do not provoke.]
"Yeah," Raze muttered to himself as he poured tea into a chipped, mismatched cup that bore the scars of time, "provoking her sounds like a brilliant way to hasten the end of the world."
He took a sip of the brew, only to be met with an overwhelmingly bitter taste. Too much wormleaf, he noted internally, glancing at the chaotic assortment of herbs strewn across the table. He made a mental note to improve his blend—assuming, of course, the library survived long enough for him to perfect his tea-making skills.
Suddenly, a groan fractured the silence that had wrapped around him.
Velzeria stirred, her movements slow and deliberate, as she sat up, stretching her magnificent wings with the kind of grace that seemed to awaken echoes from ancient parchment. The soft rustling sounded almost like whispers from another world.
Her eyes fluttered open gradually, first bleary and unfocused, then sharpening as they zeroed in on him with an intensity that felt like daggers aimed directly at his heart.
He raised his teacup in a mock salute. "Good morning, your apocalypticness."
For a heartbeat, she simply stared at him, her expression inscrutable.
Then she spoke, her voice low and laced with disbelief, "You did not flee."
"Nope," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Still here. Still woefully unqualified for literally everything. Still inexplicably calm."
Velzeria blinked slowly, processing his words. "...You're either brave or profoundly stupid."
"Those two traits are not mutually exclusive," Raze countered, gesturing to the teacup in his hand. "Tea?"
She hesitated momentarily, a flicker of wariness flashing across her face, hinting at her underlying struggles.
With the cautious grace of someone who had only ever received kindness with a hidden agenda, she accepted the cup and took a tentative sip.
And then time seemed to freeze.
Raze held his breath, his heart racing in anticipation.
"...This is awful," she declared, setting the cup down with a look of unconcealed disappointment.
He exhaled the breath he had been holding. "Good. I was genuinely worried you'd melt if you enjoyed something."
A faint smile—barely perceptible, but unmistakably present—pulled at the corners of her mouth.
Achievement unlocked: He made the final boss smile without dying.
After a few moments of shared silence, an almost palpable bond began to materialize between them, born out of the absurdity of their circumstances.
Velzeria began to survey her surroundings more thoroughly now, taking slow, deliberate steps as she moved through the library's aisles. Her fingers traced the spines of books like she was handling relics from a long-forgotten age, brushing a thin layer of dust from the corner of a particularly ancient tome.
"This place…" she murmured contemplatively, "hasn't changed in centuries."
"You've been here before?" Raze asked, a hint of curiosity coloring his voice.
"Once," she replied, her tone strangely somber. "Long ago, when I was still… learning what it meant to be feared."
There was no trace of pride to be found in her voice, only a deep, gnawing exhaustion that seemed to anchor her spirit.
Raze studied her intently. Her once cold gaze had thawed, revealing a profound fatigue that was not merely physical but rather a weariness that echoed through the very core of her being—a kind of tiredness that only someone centuries old could carry.
"I can imagine fear can be a lonely companion," he ventured, trying to connect despite the chasm of their differences.
Velzeria's sharp gaze slid over to him, scrutinizing him as if trying to discern his intentions.
"I have burned cities to ashes," she stated, her voice steady yet laced with the weight of history. "I have shattered heavens with a mere gesture. I did not wear the title of Empress as an entitlement… it was a warning to all who would dare to cross me."
He took another sip of his bitter tea, considering her words. "And yet, here you are, sipping terrible tea in my library."
The silence that followed stretched on, as both of them grappled with the absurdity of their situation.
Then, almost begrudgingly, she admitted, "It is… strangely calming."
[Relationship Progression: +1]
[Velzeria's hostility toward Raze has diminished.]
Raze blinked in surprise. "…That's a stat now?"
The interface glaringly remained unresponsive, as expected.
Of course it didn't.
As the day wore on, Velzeria wandered deeper into the cavernous interiors of the library, taking slow, deliberate steps as she navigated the labyrinth of shelves, her fingers delicately tracing the spines of countless books that held the weight of history and knowledge. Raze trailed a few paces behind, observing her like a curious child, noting how she scanned the titles with caution, as if they might spring to life and bite her.
"I do not require a chaperone," she stated flatly, annoyance lighting up her features.
"Maybe you should," he shot back lightly. "Especially after you incinerated the front door yesterday."
"It was locked," she retorted indignantly.
"It wasn't," he replied, tapping his fingers lightly on the table beside him for emphasis.
A flicker of impatience crossed her face as she cast a glance over her shoulder, her wings barely rustling behind her. "I am refraining from incinerating this place out of courtesy."
"Which I deeply appreciate," Raze said, feigning a sincere grin. "But if you're going to be living in my library for an entire week, we need to establish some boundaries. A few simple rules to make this coexistence… less catastrophic."
With the specter of destruction lingering in his mind, Raze braced himself for her response, uncertain of what a week spent under the same roof as an ancient and powerful being could truly entail.
She halted in her tracks, a sudden shift in her presence as she pivoted on her heels, her silhouette now looming larger than life.
"I do not subscribe to the concept of 'boundaries,' mortal," she declared with a voice that resonated like thunder.
He crossed his arms defiantly, his expression unwavering. "Then let us frame it differently. Consider it 'territorial lines drawn out of mutual threat deterrence.'"
Her head tilted slightly to the side, lips curving into a bemused smirk. "…That sounds profoundly sinister."
"Everything sounds sinister when it escapes your lips," he replied, a hint of playful sarcasm coloring his tone.
As their conversation wrapped around them like a veil, they eventually made their way to the center rotunda — a magnificent, sprawling chamber crowned with a grand dome. The expansive ceiling shimmered with glass panes, each one meticulously painted with the intricate patterns of constellations gleaming against a backdrop of midnight blue. Velzeria paused beneath the stellar display, her ethereal wings faintly glimmering with the reflected golden star motifs, casting a soft light that danced across the polished marble floor.
For just a fleeting moment, under the weight of the ethereal dome, she appeared... small.
Then the silence broke, and her voice emerged like a whisper in the void.
"Why did you choose to stay?" she inquired, her gaze piercing through the dim light.
Raze opened his mouth, ready to respond, but found himself swallowing back the words. He shut it, hesitating as his thoughts raced through his mind.
Why had he, against all reason, stayed?
He could have easily fled, escaping the harrowing quest that had entangled them both. He could have taken the chance to elude the turmoil, hoping that somehow the world would reset itself, moving on without him. Yet, something intrinsic and compelling in her — the fragility with which she had fallen, broken and betrayed — had obliterated the boundaries that had defined their relationship. No longer was she merely a boss character or a formidable monster to vanquish; she had transformed into something distinctly human.
"I suppose... you appeared as someone who didn't deserve to endure such a fall into loneliness," he ventured, his voice steady, revealing the depth of his empathy.
Velzeria's eyes widened slightly as she processed his words, a swirling mixture of surprise and contemplation flickering across her face.
Then, with a graceful turn, she faced away from him, her expression a study of complexity.
"…Fool," she murmured, almost beneath her breath. But there was no hint of malice in her voice.
Instead, it carried a tone that was almost... grateful. In that moment, the air between them shifted, thick with unspoken understanding, binding them in an unexpected connection forged in the echoes of their shared solitude.
To be continued...