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

"Everyone. Fulfill your mission."
At the chilling echo, the strangers reminded themselves of the essence of their task.

It was for only one purpose.
‘To bring down the academy.’
The mission was simple.

Infiltrate the academy without being detected and make contact with the designated target.
Afterward, the seed of destruction was to be re-sown.
The target to be sacrificed was as follows.

"Target... Rezia Fillets."
Rezia Fillets.
A girl known to summon dragons as her familiars.

Samples related to dragons were incredibly rare.
Moreover, it was said that once fully matured, she would become nearly omnipotent.
The cult was after such power.

This mission was not a kidnapping.
After making contact with the target, the ritual was to be performed on the spot.
The ritual that injects dark magic into the target, staining their essence with darkness.

It was a process commonly known as [Corruption].
Once the weakened target was subdued and the ritual was forced upon them, their tainted essence would soon transform them into something monstrous.
In short, the plan was to inject dark magic and turn the target into something akin to a chimera.

‘If that happens…’
A corrupted dragon.
Such a calamity could be summoned right in the heart of the academy.
The dead dragon sealed in the underground temple... perhaps an even more terrifying being could be called forth.

The reason Rezia had long been targeted by the cult was exactly because of this.
The sample of a dragon held infinite possibilities.
Especially now, when the familiar had not yet fully awakened as a mature being.

For the cult, this was the perfect opportunity.
‘Today... Galimar’s lineage will be severed.’
The reason for such obsession with the academy was simple.

Since the great war that left a deep scar on the empire, the academy had become a symbol of peace.
Dark magic is a discipline that feeds on fear.
Whenever people lose hope and learn despair, the aura of evil grows clearer.

For the cult, the reason to destroy both the academy and the cathedral was precisely this.
To bring an end to their long-held ambitions.
"Only. For His. Resurrection."

The gravekeeper muttered in prayer.
He had never entertained the thought of failure.
He had moved according to a thoroughly prepared plan.

This mission had even involved external assistance.
‘The businessman, and Vanity.’
The two forces had cooperated.

Standing beside the gravekeeper were the "hounds," the direct forces of the businessman.
Moreover, within the academy, there were also agents planted by Vanity.
They had been monitoring the academy’s security and the target’s schedule, informing them of the most opportune moment for execution.

Thanks to this, the mission proceeded without any hindrance.
The gravekeeper tore open the scroll he had taken from his possession.
Scree-!

With a sharp tearing sound, the parchment split.
Immediately, the forms of the strangers disappeared.
It was a spell that erased the presence of the designated target entirely.

It was an artifact found in a corner of the labyrinth, one imbued with ancient mysteries.
It had been a treasured item, saved up for years, for the execution of today’s operation.
The strangers crossed through the academy grounds.

"Time. 17 minutes."
There was only about 20 minutes of grace.
If they exceeded that limit, faculty members who sensed something amiss would come rushing.

No matter how strong the gravekeeper was within the cult.
If the number of faculty members exceeded ten, victory could not be guaranteed.
At least within 15 minutes, the mission needed to be completed and they had to leave.

It wasn’t a lot of time, but it wasn’t a problem either.
There was enough time to corrupt a subdued student.
The gravekeeper moved forward.

His gaze was directed towards the opposite alley.

Step, step-.
The footsteps grew closer.

Soon, the strangers' eyes caught sight of pink hair.
The target was on her way back to the dorm after finishing her training.
The gravekeeper, who had been trailing behind, signaled.

"Perform the funeral."
In a strangely ominous voice.
The shadows lying along the roadside began to move in unison.

***
Meanwhile.
Having finished her training, Rezia was on her way back to her dorm.

The training had been so intense that it had drained all her energy.
As a result, the girl's steps were dragging, like a sickly chicken.
The desire to collapse onto her bed was overwhelming.

The driver sighed softly.
"Haah... It's still tough."
Recently, Rezia had been pushing herself harder than usual.

She had been driving herself to the limits of her abilities.
As a result, it was common for her to be too exhausted to walk after finishing her daily schedule, just like now.
There was a reason for her obsession with training.

It was because of a certain boy.
'Yuda Snakeus.'
To Rezia, he was like a savior.

After seeing him sitting in a wheelchair, the girl had been strongly motivated.
She longed to become strong enough to protect someone.
At the time when the boy had been continuing his fight somewhere, she hadn't been able to stay by his side.

She never wanted to feel that kind of frustration again.
She wanted to be someone who could be trusted by her opponents and relied upon.
That was why she had worked hard.

"······But it was worth it."
Perhaps a response came from her proud heart.
Rezia was definitely getting stronger.

Her bond with her familiar had become stronger, and she had mastered most of the basic magic.
Now, if her condition was good, she could even overwhelm the professors.
The girl smiled a little with a sense of pride.

"Hehe..."
Her fingers moved habitually.
Rezia fiddled with the ring on her left ring finger.

The faint light made her cheeks turn slightly red.
As she was lost in these thoughts, turning down the alley...
"······?"

A cold sensation ran down her spine.
It wasn't that she could feel someone's presence.
However... an indescribable sense of discomfort was tickling the back of her neck.

Rezia quietly turned her head and ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) looked around.
The surrounding scenery was nothing out of the ordinary for the academy.
The approaching spring, the fresh colors of the bushes, and the sunlight filtering through the tree branches.

The sky, painted with blue and red hues as dusk slowly settled in.
And...
The strange silence that had descended upon the entire alley.

"······."
No sounds could be heard.
The chirping of birds that had been merrily singing just moments ago.

The rustling whispers of the bushes that occasionally stirred.
The clinking of everyday objects heard from afar.
All of it, gone.

'Something...'
Something was wrong.
The girl hurriedly began to scan her surroundings.

But by then, it was already too late.
A whip, flying from somewhere, bound the driver’s body.
At the same time, a reddish light isolated the area.

Ssssshh!
 
"Ugh...?!"

Ropes tightened around her arms, legs, neck, and waist.

Rezia struggled and tried to resist, but strangely, her body wouldn't respond.
No matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn't summon her mana.
This was because of the 'Dispel' magic coating the whip.

Because of it, the girl couldn't even use her specialty, summoning magic.
"Ugh, ugh...!"
Rezia struggled in vain.

Normally, she would have managed to free herself, but right now, she was completely drained.
Her powerless movements soon caused her to collapse to the ground.
Standing before the girl were strange figures.

A chilling murderous intent lingered around them.
‘This is dangerous.’
There was no way out.

She tried to call for help outside the alley, but her voice couldn't travel.
Rezia's voice was muted by the barrier.
Step-.

As she wore herself out with futile resistance, a man approached.
Judging by his attire, he seemed to be the leader of the group.
In his tattered clothes, something sticky was dripping from his hand.

It was none other than dark magic.
"Offerings. Destruction. Will now. Be fulfilled."
The voice was filled with malice.

The shadow cast by the man extended his palm, now filled with dark magic, toward the girl.
The horrible stench and terror consumed the entire alley.
The spreading shadows aimed directly at the girl.

There was no way to escape.
Rezia unknowingly closed her eyes.
Screech-!

However.
The hand the man had extended was forcefully pushed back.
A spark, coming from somewhere, shook off the dark magic.

‘The Ring of Fate.’
The accessory, sensing the danger, activated an instant defense.
The ring, which had been worn on her finger, broke apart.

Being a consumable item, it vanished immediately.
As the greenish fragments crumbled into dust, a voice brushed past her ear.
You’ve been wearing the ring... all this time.

Please always keep it. Don’t forget it, and don’t lose it.
One day, it will protect you, Rezia.
 

The light disappeared from Rezia's eyes.
Though she had miraculously blocked the attack, nothing had changed.
She was still in a state where she couldn't even retaliate.

The opponent before her, after shaking his numb hand, began to spread dark magic again.
The time the ring bought her was only about 10 seconds.
The girl felt powerless as death loomed closer.

"Calamity. Dragon. Be reborn."
Following the incantation, the sky gradually darkened.
Soon, the ring had completely vanished, leaving no trace behind.

Just 10 seconds.
"Hey, you guys."
But.

That 10 seconds was enough time for someone to intervene.
At the end of the alley, a shadow flickered.
A red line sliced the air.

Swish-!
 
Before there was any time to react, a strike was made.
The man quickly ducked.

Unlike some of the others, who reacted swiftly, a few in the group lost their heads.
They hadn’t been able to dodge in time. The clean cut sent chills down their spines.
The man performing the ritual turned slowly to look behind him.

"······."
"What are you doing to our girl?"
There, standing, was a fox.

Clad in deep crimson flames, the fox was pointing a sword at the man.
She glared at him with a fierce gaze.
The fluttering flames dispelled the darkness.

"Stop messing around and get lost."
Reinforcements had arrived.