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Chapter 117 - I Became the Narrow-Eyed Character in the Little Prince Game

I Became the Mastermind Who Betrays the Heroines,but characters keep taking an interest in me.DBT,Korean,Novel,Translation,NEPG,Academy,Fantasy

Kingdom (3)

Only after the commotion had subsided could I hear what had happened to the fox.

Irene explained the whole story with her arms crossed.

Her hair, which had burned a deep red, had now returned to its orange hue.

Had she gained experience in the meantime?

Despite the surprising situation, the girl maintained her gaze without a single waver.

The atmosphere was such that if you touched her the wrong way, you'd get your throat ripped out.

This is a bit cool.

Waiting until the explanation was over, I inadvertently added a word when the fox finished speaking.

It was a soliloquy mixed with half-praise and half-teasing.

"That's unexpected."

"Why? Did you think I was going to get kidnapped again?"

"Honestly, I was hoping for it. Kidnapping is your specialty, Irene."

"......Are you sure you're not seeing me as too much of a nuisance character?"

"It means I care about you that much."

"Hmm."

The girl made a strange expression.

I expected a prickly response at this point, but the fox wore a relaxed smile instead.

Her lips parted slightly and she said.

"Unfortunately, I won't let it happen again."

"Hmm?"

"I heard somewhere that a heroine who's a burden to the protagonist isn't popular."

"That's true, but... where did you hear that?"

"I read it in a book."

"A book? It must be a genre novel. They are quite fun, aren't they?"

"At first, I was taken aback by the overly explicit descriptions... but I got used to it later, and it was quite readable."

"......What kind of novel did you read?"

"It's a secret."

[T/N: Is this the breaking of the 4th wall?]

The fox-eared girl whispered meaningfully, placing her index finger in front of her lips.

It was a smile that truly bewitched people.

'Another failure.'

I clicked my tongue softly.

A few months ago, she was fun to tease, but lately, she hadn't even flinched at my jokes, which was disappointing.

Instead, she was increasingly counterattacking.

Her black eyes had a bewitching glint.

Was she secretly planning to devour her master?

She was truly an ungrateful fox.

"You've grown a lot."

"I've learned a lot from someone."

"That's not important."

I brushed off the trivial chatter.

Then I turned my head to the side.

At the end of my gaze, yellow hair shimmered.

She was the culprit who had attacked the fox a few hours ago.

"Hing, hiiing..."

She knelt on the hard floor, her hands raised above her head.

Her arms and legs seemed to be reaching their limits.

The girl's hands slowly lowered due to gravity, but when she met my eyes, she startled and straightened her posture.

She was so surprised that even her sobs went down her throat.

The frail creature suppressed her breath, prostrating herself before the predator.

"Hik, hiiik..."

The girl's shoulders trembled like an aspen tree.

Tears fell like dew.

Judging by the situation, she was clearly the perpetrator, but her appearance evoked a strange sense of pity.

The fox standing next to me glared at her and asked.

"Why is she shaking like that?"

"She looks pitiful."

"She seems to be afraid of you, judging by her reaction. Do you know her?"

"Haha... Let's just say there's a bit of a story."

I forced an awkward laugh.

There was nothing else I could say.

Unfortunately, I did know her.

I looked down at the small girl.

"......It's been a while."

I greeted her, not entirely pleasantly.

The identity of the girl kneeling before me was none other than 'Injustice'.

One of the five negations under the Monarch.

I had encountered her during the [Usurpation War] that shook the underworld of the Empire three years ago.

And we were on opposing sides.

'It's always awkward to see old faces.'

It was a time when my personality was particularly messed up.

Back then, even the big shots who ruled the underworld couldn't meet my eyes 30% of the time, and the remaining 70% who dared to meet my gaze were already in their graves.

Those were intense days filled with the stench of blood.

It was a memory too painful to be packaged as a mere recollection.

My brow furrowed involuntarily as I recalled it after a long time.

"Hikkup...!"

Perhaps sensing my displeasure, the girl's complexion turned pale.

Was she going to faint again?

I wanted to avoid a troublesome situation, so I erased my killing intent and put on a smile, like when dealing with children.

I asked kindly.

"Shall we hear your story first?"

"......."

"You need to explain the current situation in a way that makes sense. As you know, I'm not very patient in these matters."

"Y-Yes, yes...! I-I'm sorry... Ah, no! I'll answer diligently!"

"Good."

I smiled faintly.

In the past, I would have dealt with her without listening to any story, but now that the war was over, I had some leeway.

Besides, her youthful appearance made me reluctant to lay a hand on her.

I let out a small sigh.

Even so, Injustice was still rubbing her hands together obsequiously.

Irene let out a chuckle, as if she couldn't believe it.

"She felt quite strong when we fought... Did I really use my flames against someone like her?"

"She's a big shot in the underworld, despite her appearance."

"A big shot...?"

"Her youthful appearance is due to her unique constitution. Sometimes, the interaction between mana and the body is unstable, causing various side effects. In her case, the more accumulated mana she consumes, the more her body temporarily reverts in age."

"I thought she was getting younger as we fought."

The fox nodded in understanding.

She seemed to be staring at Injustice indifferently, then poked her in the side with her scabbard.

She looked like a predator showing interest in something unfamiliar.

"By the way... how did she infiltrate the academy? The security didn't seem lax."

"She has the ability to do so."

"Ability?"

"She's one of the few spatial mages on the continent."

Spatial mage.

A wielder of an ability possessed by fewer than a thousand people across the entire continent.

The fox asked as if she remembered something from my answer.

"We have one of those on our side, don't we?"

"That's right. We have Miss Lena."

Lena and Injustice.

Their abilities were similar in that they were spatial magic.

But there was a clear difference between them.

Lena's ability was the concept of [Portal], which tears two designated coordinates and creates a passage connecting the gap, while Injustice's was closer to the concept of [Blink], which leaped to a place imagined in her mind.

In terms of basic utilization, the latter's ability was far superior.

[Portal] could easily transport hundreds of people, while [Blink] could only move a dozen or so at most.

Of course, Blink had its own advantage of being faster to cast...

So what?

Our people are still the best.

"Hehe... In the end, ours is much more capable. The distance it can travel is also far greater."

"You sound like a doting parent."

"Well, I'm the one using her."

There's nothing wrong with having pride.

I shrugged lightly.

I shook off the stray chatter and now began the interrogation of Injustice in earnest.

The girl was so terrified that she spilled everything.

"T-This is all I know...!"

Injustice declared, pressing her forehead to the ground.

Listening to her story, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Ha... So, in conclusion, it's like this."

She received an order from her master to bring me.

But she wasn't confident in persuading me, and even less confident in overpowering me, so she tried to lure me by kidnapping someone close to me.

However, her plan failed due to the fox's unexpected strength.

After that, she was captured without being able to do anything.

"And now we're here."

"T-That's right...!"

"I don't understand."

I furrowed my brow.

"Why would your master want to see me?"

"I-I don't know that either... He didn't give me any specific instructions other than that he had something to tell you in person..."

"Something to tell me in person."

Nothing came to mind.

After all, I hadn't interfered with them since the war.

Except for the Unclear incident during the last school trip.

'Or.'

Was he finally senile?

Otherwise, there was no explanation for why he was provoking someone who held his life in their hands.

Was he acting out because he didn't have much time left?

I would have to meet him in person to find out the details.

"......I guess I'll have to go there."

It was sudden.

But if it was related to the Monarch, it was better to deal with it quickly.

It shouldn't reach the Vice captain's ears back at headquarters.

'He'll just complicate things.'

I needed to deal with this quickly.

I turned to the fox behind me with a faint sigh.

"Miss Irene?"

"Yes."

"I need to step out for a moment."

"......Can't I come with you?"

The fox grabbed my sleeve.

We had a similar situation last time, so she seemed to be feeling more hurt this time.

Her black eyes were filled only with the image of the blond boy.

"I've gotten a lot stronger... Am I still not enough for you to rely on?"

"Oh, dear."

The girl's eyes wavered.

The anxiety of not being helpful.

And the disappointment of not proving her usefulness to the other person.

I couldn't easily open my mouth.

'This is troublesome.'

It wasn't that I underestimated Irene.

It was just that this destination was a place filled with memories... I was worried that my old personality might come out, and I didn't want to show that side of me to the people I cared about.

Everyone has a shameful past they can't erase.

I stroked the fox's head.

"Please bear with me just this once."

"......."

"In return, I'll tell you something about me when I get back. About my past that I've always avoided talking about."

"Didn't you say you didn't want to talk about it...?"

"We're not strangers anymore. You can think of it as a sign of trust."

"That's not fair."

A breath slipped out.

Then, the silent girl held out her finger as if making a promise.

"......Promise."

"It won't take as long as last time."

"You better keep that promise."

"Hehe, of course."

I slowly took a step.

As I approached Injustice, who was huddled in the corner, a faint voice suddenly brushed past my ear.

It was a worried voice.

"Don't get hurt."

"I'll try my best."

I answered with a short smile.

After that.

I spoke to the girl kneeling at my feet.

My voice was low and cold.

"Lead the way."

"Y-Yes...?"

"Didn't you say your master called for me? I'll play along this time."

"Ah... Yes! I'll lead the way immediately!"

As if afraid I might change my mind.

She quickly got up and spread mana around her.

She carefully reached out her hand towards me.

When I took her trembling hand, a yellow mana enveloped the two of us.

In the midst of the swirling light, the girl's lips moved.

"Blink."

-Fzzzt!

With a light popping sound, my vision blinked.

And the next moment.

"We-We've arrived...!"

When I opened my eyes again.

I was standing in a city covered in a thick darkness.

I muttered, recalling old memories.

"It's been a while since I've been here too."

The Kingdom.

The largest underground city in the Empire.

A space that had long been the center of the underworld, and a den of evil where countless criminal organizations were based.

We had set foot on the Monarch's land.


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