'The World Seen by the Little Prince.'

It was an action RPG game based on the famous fairy tale. The creators seemed to have used many motifs from the original to preserve its unique feel.

There were various details like settings, abilities, and names, but what stood out the most were the 'characters.'

The primary and secondary characters from the original fairy tale were reinterpreted and transformed into fantasy-style personas. This fresh take received critical acclaim and applause.

Among these characters were:

- **Regia Pylorz**, the pilot.
- **Charlotte Litt von Staufen**, the Little Prince.
- **Selena Drunkard**, the drunkard.

As the names suggest, these characters adhered obsessively to their original concepts. The 'fox,' whom I had come to rescue, was no exception.

Her name was **Irene Foxis**.

A rare fox beastkin and one of the supporting characters. Her swordsmanship talent was extraordinary, and later in the game, she eventually reached the level of 'Sword Saint.' She was a powerful character with great utility, to the point where she was affectionately nicknamed 'a reliable dish' by players.

But right now, she was still an 'unripe grape.'

Irene had yet to awaken to her talent. At this point, she was merely a weak fox beastkin. Helping her out now would build favor and trust for the future.

My goal was to see this world’s happy ending and to get close to the main characters. As a passionate fan of the original game, I wanted to befriend them all.

"Well then~ It's time to make a move, isn't it?"

After waiting long enough and growing bored of watching the auction, I felt it was time for the highlight to begin. With a leisurely sigh, I stood up from my seat.

Irene's current location was in the basement of the auction house. She was likely locked behind cold iron bars, waiting for her turn.

"Tonight’s going to be a long one."

A sly smile spread across my face as I readied my power, and then I walked into the darkness.

---

Meanwhile, in the building’s basement.

A cold and gloomy prison, where only despair lingered beneath the laughter and noise from the auction hall above.

Where there is light, there are shadows. The brighter the light, the darker the shadows become, as seen in this reality.

Those basking in luxury and indulgence reveled in their joy, while those beneath their feet could only groan in suffering. Life was pain for them, but even in suffering, some had it worse than others.

There were the upper classes, untouched by pain, and those at rock bottom, without even a glimmer of hope.

"…"

Those trapped in the basement were the latter. Whether they were born into this miserable fate or were pushed here by the harsh world, it didn’t matter. They were less than refuse, not even worth comparing to discarded street scraps.

"What went wrong?" muttered a girl among them, stuck in the same miserable situation, her long, tied-up hair falling loose around her shoulders.

Her reddish-orange hair, dark lifeless eyes, and the animal ears atop her head made it clear she was not human.

The girl’s name was **Irene Foxis**, a fox beastkin.

"Next auction! Bring out the wolf beastkin!"

"Handle them carefully! Any damage will lower their value!"

"Don’t mess up, or the boss will lose it!"

The noisy voices around her buzzed in her ears. Irene bit her lip. Around her, she could see the shadows of about a dozen others, all fellow beastkin locked in the same cell. Like her, they had been kidnapped or sold by slave traders.

'Damn it.'

What was going to happen to her? Searching for hope seemed pointless. She already knew how this would end.

Fox beastkin were extremely rare, especially prized in the black market. Fox slaves were considered the pinnacle of luxury, sold at exorbitant prices. Nobles used foxes for various purposes—labor, sex slaves, even turning them into taxidermy trophies.

'Whichever it is... it’s all the same hell.'

She silently cursed under her breath, imagining her bleak future. But just then, she heard an unfamiliar noise.

*Clang!*

The sound of metal hitting the ground. Turning her head toward the sound, Irene spotted a bundle of keys rolling in front of the bars of her cell.

"...What?"

Did a guard drop them? The keys were within arm’s reach. After a moment’s hesitation, Irene quickly snatched them.

Her heart began pounding. This might be her only chance to escape.

Without a second thought, her hand moved swiftly to the cell’s lock. She felt a faint glimmer of hope.

*Click!*

The lock clicked open. Irene gently pushed the door ajar, letting out a shaky breath.

'I need to be careful.'

The guards were fewer than usual, likely busy with the auction setup. If she was going to act, it had to be now. There wouldn’t be a second chance.

Irene took a deep breath. She quickly rallied her fellow captives, preparing for a quiet escape.

"Don’t worry, I’ll protect you all," she whispered, forcing a reassuring smile as she addressed the others. Most of them were children, trembling in fear.

Irene couldn’t abandon them. She picked up an old, rusty sword lying in the corner. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

*Eeeeeek…*

The cell door creaked open as the fox beastkin began cautiously slipping out of the prison.

Irene's sharp mind raced. She threw the key bundle toward a distant cell where the bear beastkin were held. If they caused a commotion, it would distract the guards, giving her more time.

'Just a little distraction, and we can make it.'

Among beastkin, bears were known for being particularly fierce. If they found the keys and caused chaos, the guards would be lured away.

'I can handle any guards who remain here.'

She had trained in swordsmanship from a young age. Though her body was exhausted from her time in captivity, she steeled herself for the escape. Like a fox evading a hunter, she crouched low and waited.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the direction she had thrown the keys.

*ROAR!!!*

Irene knew her plan had worked. She quickly led the children, urging them to run.

"Don’t look back, just run!"

They sprinted through the prison, the sounds of animalistic cries and the stomping of heavy feet shaking the floor behind them. Any guards that blocked their path were swiftly cut down by Irene's blade.

A brutal dance of slaughter, her sword painted red without hesitation. She knew she had to kill or be killed.

"Haa, haa…!"

Her breath grew ragged, her body tiring quickly. But the escape was going smoothly. The bear beastkin’s rampage had bought them precious time.

Irene managed to steady herself, pushing through the pain. The exit was just ahead—a tunnel that led to the stairs to the surface.

'Almost there.'

Her eyes gleamed with hope. Despite the risk, it seemed her reckless plan was going to succeed.

But then, a voice echoed from behind her.

"Aha~ You all seem in quite a hurry to escape, don’t you?"

Irene’s body froze, her spine prickling as an icy chill ran down her back. She knew instantly that had she not stopped, she would have been dead.

"..."

"I knew if I waited here, I’d run into you!"

What was this overwhelming presence? Just sensing the figure behind her filled her mind with excruciating pain.

Slowly, Irene turned her head, her wide, terror-stricken eyes landing on the boy standing behind her.

"Hello there!"

Golden hair reminiscent of a wheat field, narrow eyes, and a sinister smile. He looked like an ordinary boy, albeit with a strange appearance. But Irene, whose senses were heightened by the intensity of the moment, knew the truth.

This thing was no human. It merely wore a human's skin.

"You probably don’t know how much I’ve wanted to meet you."

The oppressive atmosphere crushed the entire space. Just looking at him made her feel like her limbs were being torn apart.

A 'monster' wielding terrible power.

"Hah."

A hollow laugh escaped Irene's lips. This monster had finally revealed its true nature, making its way toward her and the others.

"Fuck."

The oppressive air weighed down on her as she muttered under her breath. It was all over.

---

"I’ve wanted to meet you for so long," I said, my voice filled with joy as I gazed at the trembling girl in front of me.

Her long tied-up hair, glowing red with a hint of orange, contrasted with her black eyes. The scars beneath her chin and the animal ears and tail marking her as a beastkin made her unmistakable.

**Irene Foxis**, the fox from the original game, stood before me.

I suppressed the thrill bubbling up inside me. After Regia, it was now Irene. Seeing a character I had loved in the game come to life was quite emotional—enough to bring tears to my eyes, if I were to exaggerate.

I couldn’t help but smile.

"Haha."

The joy was overwhelming, my grin refusing to leave my face. Keeping my laughter in check, I posed a meaningful question to the girl.

"Did you enjoy the stage I prepared for you?"

Her black eyes wavered miserably as our gazes briefly met. Her exhaustion was palpable, and I could see the realization dawning in her eyes.

She’d figured it out. The entire situation had been orchestrated from the start.

'She’s quick on the uptake, I’ll give her that.'

The foxes had successfully escaped, or at least, they thought they had.

The guard who "accidentally" dropped the key, the conveniently placed rusty sword, and the oddly low number of guards—it was all part of the plan. The foxes had believed it was pure luck, but that was far from the truth.

"You followed the script I laid out perfectly."

Unfortunately for Irene, everything had been orchestrated by me. The things she thought were blessings of fortune were nothing more than elements I had carefully arranged.

As I wandered through the auction house’s underground area, I happened upon one of the guards and used my ability to manipulate him.

- "I’ll need you to do a few things for me."

I’d instructed him to subtly drop the keys in front of the prison and to leave a sword that Irene could use, though it had to be old and rusted to avoid raising suspicion.

Everything had gone according to my design. Even though I had come up with the plan on the spot, I was quite satisfied with how it played out. It was a success, even if the output of my *Lies* ability had been stretched thin.

"This way, please."

I had already put the remaining guards to sleep, using my ability to thoroughly fill their minds with lies. There was no need to worry about them for a while.

Now, it was truly time for their escape. I elegantly extended my hand to Irene, inviting her to join me. I was offering to help her get out of here.

For a moment, she seemed to hesitate, but then she sank to the ground, collapsing in place.

What was this? Was she exhausted from the tension?

As I tilted my head in confusion, watching her, Irene suddenly spoke.

"You… you’re planning to kill us, aren’t you?"

"Excuse me?"

"It all seemed too smooth. This was all a trap to toy with us from the very start."

"Huh?"

Her question caught me off guard. I quickly shook my head to deny her words and explained my true intentions.

"Haha~ Why would you think that? I’m just here to make sure you all leave safely!"

"…"

Irene’s face hardened, her expression unreadable. Sensing her deepening misunderstanding, I flashed her a bright smile, trying to reassure her.

"Don’t worry. I promise, it won’t hurt at all."

Well, maybe I’d have a bit of fun along the way.