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

"You… what do you think of my sister?"
A sudden, out-of-nowhere question.
I didn’t understand the intent behind it, so I could only answer with silence for a moment.

Perhaps sensing my subtle wariness, Lusca muttered as if asking me to lower my guard.
"It means nothing."
"I didn’t mean to sound suspicious—it's just that the question caught me off guard."

"Even if it’s awkward, bear with it. I’m only here to exchange a few trivial words."
"…Hearing you say that just makes me more suspicious, honestly."
I tilted my head.

Even so, those blue eyes continued to look at me in silence.
I couldn’t help but wonder.
‘What is this?’

Did he eat something weird?
He suddenly shows up and wants to chat?
Back when we first entered the academy, after the argument he had with Emilia because of me, this guy had been so petty that he wouldn’t even speak a word to me.

He even avoided ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) lectures where we’d be in the same room, just so we wouldn’t cross paths.
And now, the very guy who acted like I gave him hives was sitting across from me. What kind of wind blew him here?
I could guess the general idea… which only meant things must be going very badly on his end.

Even as I calmly organized my thoughts, I kept my ears open.
The boy, silent for a while, soon spoke again.
"…So, what’s your answer to the question?"
"Let’s see."

I paused briefly.
If he meant there was no hidden meaning behind it, then he wanted a sincere answer.
Though I still wasn’t sure why he was asking,

My mouth didn’t hesitate to respond.
"She’s someone admired by many."
Emilia was like a star.

A star that drew everyone’s gaze.
She herself seemed unaware of it, but she was a role model to many students.
In some ways, she was even more adored than the imperial princesses.

Her pride and beauty were undeniably genuine.
‘A true all-rounder.’
That uniquely wintry aura.
Her youthful yet mature appearance.
Her exceptional talent, one of the best of her generation.
The heir who would one day stand at the center of her ducal house.

To others, she was like a flower blooming on a cliff.
A camellia blooming proudly in a field of snow.
"And at the same time, she’s warm."

The villainess’s path had deviated from the original.
She shattered the fate that should’ve ended her early and carved her own story.
Even becoming best friends with the protagonist she once opposed.

And more than anything—
– Commoner, run outside right now.
– I’ll try to buy some time here… you need to get out alive.
– I won’t be able to hold out for long.
In the moment she was pushed to the brink, she made a new choice.

She was the one who gave me the certainty that even this world could change.
She became the reason I believed in saving all those thousands of bad endings.
So I smiled faintly.

"To me, more than anything… she’s someone I’m grateful to, and someone precious."
"……"
A sincere answer, spoken honestly.

After hearing it, Lusca fell silent once more.
His gaze sank low, as if weighed down by something.
A spring breeze passed just then, rustling his blue hair.

Only then did the boy speak again.
"If that’s the case…"
It was like a frost crept into the air.

A cold pressure spread.
"If my sister were to fall into danger—what would you do?"
A very direct question.

But I answered without hesitation.
Sincerity requires no room for doubt.
"I’d stand by her. I’d be her strength."

"And why’s that?"
"Because, like many others, I admire her."
"…I see."

An unreadable expression.
Lusca sat in a long silence.
As if walking the line between deep inner conflicts, his blue eyes wavered again and again.

That determined silence finally broke when he stood up.
He rose from the bench.
"Right…"

A faint murmur brushing past my ear.
The boy’s voice barely audible.
"I’m the same."

The same.
What did he mean by that?
Before I could ask, the boy quietly walked away, leaving the park behind.

I found myself watching his retreating back as it melted into the fading season.
The blue-haired boy, disheveled and lonely.
***

A somewhat unexpected conversation with Lusca.
It was something that lingered on my mind.
Because I still didn’t know the source of his turmoil.

Since I needed clues to speculate, I arranged a brief one-on-one meeting with Emilia.
We sat side by side in the now-empty dormitory.
The faint presence of one another reminded us that we were not alone.

Clink—
It had been quite a while since it was just the two of us.
Ever since she became close with Regia, they had practically been inseparable.

Though recently, she did seem to be keeping a bit of distance, for some reason.
The blue-haired villainess softly opened the conversation.
"…You’re curious about Lusca?"

"That’s right."
Her pale blue eyes blinked as if unsure of the reason.
Then her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

"Did he say something to you?"
"Nothing particularly special."
"Specifically…?"

"He asked what I thought of you."
"What? A-And what did you say?"
"I told him you’re someone I’m grateful to—and someone precious."

"Pre-Precious…?"
Her cheeks flushed softly.
I held back a teasing remark and gently patted the prideful girl’s head.

She flinched, but quietly accepted the gesture.
With her face flushed, she tried to steady her breath and gave a small cough.
"Ahem…! Lusca’s a good kid."

"Just a good person, huh."
"He gets a bit difficult when it comes to family matters… but deep down, he’s a clean-hearted boy."
"He certainly seemed to care about you. Though I’m not sure about 'clean-hearted'..."

"He might not show it, but he has a surprisingly innocent side."
A soft laugh slipped from her lips.
Before long, Emilia’s gaze had grown distant and reflective.

As though she were reliving something from the past.
"Lusca used to really love hero stories."
"Hero stories?"

"Just like it sounds. Wandering knights, back-alley mages, adventurers of the land… If it was about a hero, he loved it. I used to tease him for being childish."
"A taste completely opposite of his cold demeanor."
"Maybe it was Father’s influence."

The former Duke Vanity, who had led countless wars.
Apparently, Lusca grew up admiring heroes while listening to tales of his father’s valor.
Being the son of a great mage and frost sorcerer, he once aspired to be a hero himself.

So much so that his childishness used to be a real concern.
Seems he was quite the troublemaker as a kid.
‘But…’

Around the time he turned fifteen, his demeanor took a drastic turn.
It must’ve been because of the sudden death of the duke and duchess.
They were lost in an unexpected accident.

It had already been four years since then.
The boy had changed with the passage of time.
"A lot has changed."

Emilia’s expression darkened.
After a moment’s hesitation, her lips moved again.
"You probably already know, but… the recent attack wasn’t just the work of the cult."

"You knew as well, I see."
"There’s no concrete evidence, so they aren’t suspects yet… but I suspect my family was involved behind the scenes."
"I won’t deny it."

"That’s why I’m scared. Scared someone close to me will get hurt because of me."
"Why blame yourself? It was a tragedy beyond your control."
"It was supposed to be my family to lead. This happened because I lacked the strength."

"Just because you couldn’t control it doesn’t mean you have to shoulder the entire blame."
"Regia, Irene, and even you… you all nearly went through something horrible."
Rarely did she refer to the pilot and the fox by name.

Even if she didn’t show it, the emotional shock had clearly been deep.
Perhaps that’s why she’d been unconsciously distancing herself from everyone.
The prideful girl looked up at the blue sky with a complicated gaze.

Beyond the surface shimmered rising emotions.
I quietly asked her:
"May I ask… what exactly is going on inside the Vanity family?"

"……"
"Would you consider asking for help from outside?"
"That’s not possible. We can’t escape."

Her answer was bitter, almost sorrowful.
Even a hint of resignation clung to her slender voice.
As if resistance no longer mattered.

So I asked, as if to refute her:
"If it’s all meaningless, then why did you choose to tell me?"
"I don’t know… I’m not even sure myself."

She toyed with the teacup in her hand.
Beyond the surface of the tea, now long cold, only the girl herself remained.
A ripple shattered the thin mirror of calm.

And the words that followed were just as faint.
"Just… if it’s you…"
Her voice sank into a murmur.

Reduced to nearly nothing.
"Maybe… you could save us from this hell."
It was a promise once made.

The words spoken when we hooked our pinkies and swore I would be on her side.
I stared at her trembling shoulders.
Emilia, her expression blank for a moment, shook her head as if regretting saying anything.

A subtle emptiness shimmered in her eyes as she tried to brush it off.
"Forget I said anything. That was just nonsense."
"It wasn’t."

I reached for her.
"If that’s what you wish… then I’ll act without hesitation."
Because that was the promise between you and me.

That we’d give each other our best.
That I’d be your greatest ally.
And so, I would protect you.

I gently took her hand in mine.
"Just… quietly."
Our fingers interlaced softly.

Though her eyes showed confusion, she didn’t shake off the warmth between us.
Instead, she relaxed—as though needing someone to lean on.
Before we knew it, we were sitting close, almost in each other’s embrace.

Our breathing blended, the space between us small enough that even our scents seemed to melt together.
Where our skin touched, the tension only deepened.
I deliberately brought my lips to her ear.

Letting the whisper melt into my breath.
"You only need to trust me."
"……"

Her eyes lost focus, drifting faintly.
Emilia didn’t respond, only falling into a soft silence.
As if briefly entranced by a whisper.

I smiled toward the girl like that.
"Don’t worry."
I’ll make sure your misfortune never comes.

A serpent’s whisper, sinking into the moment.
I held the trembling villainess for a long, long time.