episode_0001

Three years had passed since my transmigration. A time that felt both short and long. I wandered aimlessly in this world where I had suddenly fallen. —Maybe, if I just wait a little longer, I can go back…? At first, I harbored such hopes, but eventually, I had no choice but to accept reality. The original story’s event dates were rapidly approaching. Yes, that was exactly it. Transmigration is cold. So cold, in fact, it was perfect for freezing to death.

‘I liked games, but I never wished for life itself to be a game.’ A persistent, overwhelming feeling of disillusionment. I couldn’t stop the sigh that suddenly escaped me. As I stood there, quietly pinching the bridge of my nose, I saw shimmering blond hair in the mirror.

“……” I silently gazed at my reflection in the mirror. Softly shimmering blond hair, half-lidded eyelids, and a subtly scheming smile. It was the appearance of a typical ‘squinty-eyed’ character.

Yuda Snakers. That was the name of the body I had transmigrated into. Why, of all people, did I have to transmigrate into him? He was the mastermind who played the role of the final boss in every route, and a deceiver who betrayed the protagonist’s party in every route. He was always the central figure who led the ending to ruin.

I had pressed the play button 1,943 times just to try and clear this bastard’s route. I couldn’t count how many frustrations I had faced. On my last try, I miraculously defeated him, but then I was dragged in without mercy. I couldn’t even see the ending I had waited so long for. Damn it.

“Heh heh… This isn’t a very pleasant feeling.” I definitely intended to spit out some curses, but what came out was a ridiculous way of speaking. And my voice was so calm. It was impossible to see it as the reaction of an angry person. This was all because of this damned body.

—Ding! [Trait ‘Smiling Mask’ is activated.] [Composure is maintained in any situation. Basic dignity is not lost, and inner emotions are not outwardly expressed.]

A blue screen appeared before my eyes. It was the status window. It looked exactly like the UI from the game. I let out a short hum and glared at the words. Of course, perhaps due to the trait, it was replaced by a humming sound and a profound gaze.

‘Trait: Smiling Mask.’ Always maintaining a relaxed smile and a cunning demeanor. I supposed it was a setting meant to emphasize the ‘squinty-eyed character’ vibe. Low-dignity speech and actions were automatically censored, and behaviors that deviated from the character’s personality were suppressed. Just like now.

“Oh my goodness.” =Damn it. “Good heavens.” =This sucks. “Hmm, how unbelievable.” =Damn it, what a shitty situation this is. It was roughly like this.

The strange formal speech mixed into my tone could also be attributed to the trait. Not only did I transmigrate into the final boss, but I was also prevented from swearing. ‘This is so unfairly sad.’ I couldn’t say ‘damn it’ out loud, nor could I say ‘shit’. Wasn’t this how the hero Hong Gildong felt too? I shed tears inwardly.

As I suppressed my frustration and tidied my clothes, a call came from beyond the door. —Young Master, it’s time to leave. It was a servant attending to me. I gave a casual nod of acknowledgment and finished getting ready.

Today was a special day. It was the day I would leave the Snakers Count’s family, where I had lived for the past three years, and head to the academy. How much I had lived cautiously during that time. A mansion completely devoid of human warmth. It was like a desert at night, perhaps. A cold, dark, and lonely space. Finally, the day had come to escape this damned household and go to the academy, brimming with hope.

‘Well… even if I say this, it’s still something to have transmigrated into a noble’s child, isn’t it?’ If I had transmigrated into a street beggar or a slave, wouldn’t I have died quickly, adaptation or not? Not that transmigrating into Yuda was good, though. I casually brushed away such thoughts and walked towards the waiting carriage.

“Please have a safe journey.” The butler saw me off with a brusque greeting. His mechanically bowed back showed not a hint of warmth. He was simply devoid of color. I stood still and gazed at him. If I left for the academy like this, I wouldn’t be able to return for at least three years. There was no sign of worry or regret whatsoever. It was the same for the other servants. Not a single person treated me with kindness.

‘…The Count didn’t even come out to see me off.’ A mansion that was strangely cold. Servants who harbored no warmth. The Count, who didn’t even come out to see off his only child as he departed. It was a harsh place. Having been born and raised in such a place, it was no wonder the child wasn’t normal. Perhaps Yuda had his own story, too? I clicked my tongue silently and turned my gaze away.

“Then, I’ll be off.” It wasn’t really my concern. The mastermind’s reason for destroying the world. I wasn’t curious about such things. The gazes that looked at me with cold eyes. Perhaps they resembled winter itself. I deftly navigated the frosty glare. Such chilliness was familiar to me. I simply boarded the carriage.

***

‘The World Seen By The Little Prince.’ It was a game that once swept the globe with a craze, and the title of the work I had transmigrated into. It was even considered the undisputed top in the action RPG genre. Outstanding hit feeling, magnificent artwork, and attractive female characters. It was a work with many charming points, but the most highly praised part was the story.

A story that reinterpreted a familiar fairy tale in a fantasy style. The reason I first played the original was precisely because of this fresh concept. —What is this…? The Little Prince? —Everyone says it’s fun. Shall I play it just for kicks? At the time, I didn’t know. That I would become a gaming addict who even uploaded strategy videos online. I even went crazy trying to find hidden endings, frantically searching, and ended up transmigrating. If I could go back to that time, I would quietly press the cancel purchase button. It was already spilled milk.

“How regrettable.” =Life sucks. I mumbled to myself, shaking off distracting thoughts. Before my neatly placed steps stood a massive main gate. It seemed I had arrived at my destination while lost in various thoughts. I surveyed my surroundings. Tall walls, beautifully decorated pathways, majestic buildings. Only after taking in that scenery did it slowly begin to feel real. Scenes I had only seen beyond a screen were now unfolding before my very eyes.

‘Gallimard Academy.’ The original story unfolds with this place as its setting. The plot expands, centered around the daily life and events that occur at the academy. A slight childlike wonder stirred within me. My heart felt warm and fuzzy. It was an unavoidable reaction. Although the reality of transmigration was grim, I was still a huge fan of [The World Seen By The Little Prince], after all. It was these small things that drew me in.

“Heh heh… It’s a much more magnificent place than I imagined.” The continent’s finest educational institution. Its splendor certainly lived up to that name. The academy’s scale was also overwhelmingly vast, reportedly resembling a small city. I walked, recalling the sentences I had read in the lore book.

Near the main gate, quite a crowd was bustling about. Presumably, they were all gathered for today’s scheduled academy entrance examination. I quietly stood and listened. —So, what do you think this entrance exam will be like? —Of course, I’m confident! —Hmm… there are a lot of competitors this time. —Indeed. There are too many children from prestigious families, so it seems it will be tough. —Ah~ I’m hungry!

The children held their own murmurs. A tremor steeped in half worry, half excitement. It was a scene exuding a cozy, harmonious scent. Perhaps it was because I had lived only in the desolate mansion until now. Simply being immersed in the conversations I heard made me feel a sense of stability.

‘Yes, this is what a place where people live is like.’ I gently curled the corners of my lips upwards. Though it had transformed into a somewhat dangerous and cunning smile due to my trait, I decided to just let it be. Just as I was passing the time like that.

—Do you even know whose path you dared to block?! —You commoner girl, you dare…! A noisy atmosphere brushed past my ears. A nervous, echoing voice. When I turned my head to find its source, I saw a spot where gazes were particularly focused. There, a girl had fallen.

—I, I’m sorry… I was walking distractedly and bumped into you by mistake. It was clearly a quarrel from the looks of it. Piecing together the conversations, it seemed the girl had collided with the child of some noble.

—What if the Young Master had gotten hurt?! —I’m sorry… hiccup… Actually, the one who suffered damage from the collision was the girl. She was the one rolling on the ground, she was the one who got injured, and she was the one holding back tears. But when do ruffians ever care about such things? They were probably just acting up because she bothered them. I scratched my head indifferently. It was better not to get involved in such matters. Troublesome events were definitely not welcome.

Just as I was about to dismiss my interest with such thoughts, the girl’s previously obscured face came into view. “……Oh?” Pink hair reaching her waist. Shimmering green eyes, moist with tears. A cute, puppy-like impression, and a firm physique with graceful curves. It was someone I knew.

“Regia Filers…?” Regia Filers. The main character who drives the story in the game [The World Seen By The Little Prince], and the character with the highest importance. In other words, the protagonist of the original story. I recognized her instantly, thanks to her distinctive attire. As she was modeled after the ‘pilot’ character from fairy tales, she wore unique equipment. A somewhat rustic-style jacket, worn leather gloves, and flight goggles hanging around her neck. Only one person wore such a fashion.

“This is why commoners are so utterly inferior!” “Ugh, hiccup… I’m so sorryyy…” I moved my steps as if enchanted. Towards the girl who was continuously bowing her head, tears dripping down.

“I, I didn’t do it on purpose, the Young Master suddenly ran up to me….” “How dare you blame me now?” “B-but… I was clearly, s-standing still.” “This insolent girl!!” “A startled cry…!”

The Young Master was being unreasonable and threatening the girl. It seemed he was completely off guard, perhaps trusting in the strength of his escort knights. I, who had somehow ended up standing behind him, raised my foot. “Oops~ Excuse me!” And then, I immediately kicked him square in the behind.