Ch.5Fox (1)

“The Little Prince’s World.”

An action RPG game based on the famous fairy tale.

The original work it was based on. Whether they tried to capture its unique feel or not, it’s clear they borrowed many elements as motifs.

Background, setting, abilities, names… various details exist.

But what stands out most are the “characters.”

The main and supporting characters from the original fairy tale.

They’ve been adapted or reinterpreted, transformed into fantasy-style characters.

It received much applause, with critics praising its freshness.

The Pilot, Lezia Pillots.

The Little Prince, Sharlotte Little von Staufen.

The Drunkard, Selena Drunkard.

As their names suggest, they’re characters meticulously faithful to their concepts.

And this applies to the “fox” I’ve come to rescue as well.

“Irene Foxis.”

Known as a rare fox beastkin, she’s one of the supporting characters.

Her talent with the sword is unparalleled, and by the late game, she even reaches the realm of “Sword Saint.”

A character with excellent performance and versatility.

She was even called a staple character, but…

“It’s like an unripe grape, isn’t it?”

The fox hasn’t yet awakened to her talent.

Since this is before her awakening, she’s currently just a fragile fox beastkin.

At times like this, creating a debt will stack up favorability points.

My goal is to see this world’s happy ending.

And to become friends with the protagonist’s group.

As an ardent fan of the original work, I wanted to build camaraderie with them.

“Well~ shall we get started now?”

I’ve waited long enough, and I’m getting tired of watching the auction.

I want to move on to the highlight.

I stood up from my seat, leaving my leisurely monologue behind.

The fox’s current location is the basement of the auction house.

She’s probably waiting for her turn, locked behind cold iron bars.

“Tonight’s going to be a long one.”

A smile tinged with wickedness.

Gathering my swirling lies, I walked into the darkness.

***

Meanwhile, in the building’s basement.

A prison where only cold air flows.

Below the auction house filled with laughter, there lies a sticky sanctuary of despair.

Light creates shadows.

The more brilliantly the light burns, the darker the shadow becomes.

This truth represents reality perfectly.

People immersed in luxury and pleasure.

Proportional to their joy, those beneath their feet groan.

They say life is suffering just for being born, but there are individual differences.

While some in the upper class enjoy life without any pain,

Others at the bottom live without even a glimmer of hope.

“……”

The people trapped in this basement were at the bottom.

Whether they were born with such a fate or pushed down here by the dirty world, the difference hardly matters.

They were worse than discarded items on the street.

Among these trash lives, trying to distinguish rank only added to the misery.

“…How did it come to this?”

The muttering girl was no exception.

She was swimming in the wretched depths.

Following her lamenting state, her waist-length tied hair becomes disheveled.

Vermilion hair.

Quietly dead black eyes.

The animal ears on her head reveal that she is a different species.

The girl’s name is Irene Foxis.

She was a fox beastkin.

-Next auction coming up! Bring out the wolf beastkin!

-Handle them carefully. If they get scratched, their value drops.

-If they get hurt, we’ll get hell from above.

The surrounding noise reaches her ears.

Irene bit her lip tightly.

Around her, about ten shadows can be seen.

They were her kind, trapped in the same cage.

The beastkin with fox ears and tails were all trembling in fear.

All of them had been kidnapped or sold to slave traders.

‘Damn it.’

What would happen to them now?

She tried to find hope in her anxiety, but it wasn’t particularly meaningful.

The outcome was all too predictable.

Fox beastkin are a rare species.

Especially in the underworld, fox slaves are said to be worth whatever price is asked.

In short, they’re treated as luxury items of the highest grade.

The ways nobles use foxes vary widely.

Some make them work, others use them as sex slaves.

She’d even heard rumors that some nobles have them stuffed and displayed in their mansions.

‘Either way… it’s all fucking terrible.’

The girl silently chewed on curses.

While imagining such a miserable future, an unusual sound reached Irene’s ears.

Clang-!

The sound of something metallic falling to the floor.

Following the sound, she turned her head to find a bundle of keys rolling in front of the bars.

“…Huh?”

Perhaps a passing guard had dropped it.

Within arm’s reach.

After a moment’s hesitation, Irene quickly snatched the keys.

Her heart beat rapidly.

Perhaps the only chance for escape she’d be given.

The girl didn’t hesitate. Her quickly moving hands fiddled with the lock on the iron bars.

A hopeful chance.

Click-!

Soon, she felt the lock opening under her fingertips.

Irene grabbed the slowly opening door.

A soft breath escaped between her lips.

‘I need to be careful.’

Fortunately, many guards had left to set up for the auction.

If she was going to do something, now was the time.

There wouldn’t be a second stroke of luck.

Irene took a deep breath.

She calmly gathered her kin and quietly prepared for escape.

“Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll protect you all.”

The girl smiled, hiding her trembling.

Because there were people she needed to protect.

Most of those in the cage were children.

Seeing the sobbing little ones, Irene couldn’t bring herself to flee alone.

“Just stay quiet… and follow me, okay?”

She picked up a sword lying in the corner.

It was rusty and in poor condition, but certainly better than nothing.

Irene quietly raised the sword’s tip.

Creeeeak-

Behind the faint noise, the iron cage opened.

The foxes began to leave the prison with careful steps.

Irene thought calmly.

The girl suddenly threw the key bundle toward a distant cage.

According to her memory, that’s where the bear beastkin were locked up.

‘If they can buy us even a little time…!’

Bears were particularly fierce among beastkin.

If they discovered the keys and drew attention, it would surely create an opening.

It would drive the guards in the opposite direction.

‘I can handle the few that remain here.’

She had trained in swordsmanship since childhood.

Though her body was weakened from long imprisonment, she had to grit her teeth for escape.

Irene lowered her posture and held her breath.

Like a fox evading a hunter.

After some time passed like this, a violent echo was heard.

-Grooooar!!!

From the direction where she had thrown the keys.

A mighty roar. Sensing that her plan had worked, Irene led the children forward.

“Everyone run without looking back…!”

The foxes ran.

Behind them, animal cries raged and the floor shook with heavy footsteps. Still, they didn’t look back.

Occasionally, guards blocked their path.

Each time, Irene cut them down roughly.

A desperate sword dance of slaughter.

There was no hesitation in her blood-soaked blade.

She knew that if she didn’t kill, she would be killed.

“Haa, haa…!”

Her breath came rapidly.

Given her poor physical condition, fatigue was accumulating quickly.

Irene steadied her staggering balance.

Fortunately, the escape was progressing smoothly.

The bear beastkin’s resistance was more fierce than she had anticipated. Thanks to that, they had gained much time.

“Hup…!”

With a short battle cry, she subdued another guard.

Perhaps because she was pushed to her limits, her senses felt extremely heightened.

A strange trembling circled her entire body.

Her vision flashed white.

Odd sparks were even flying from the sword’s surface, but Irene ignored them.

There was no time to be distracted.

“Don’t stop, everyone! Once we pass this corridor…!”

The exit was right in front of them.

She had analyzed the surrounding structure during her imprisonment.

She had studied it in preparation for a possible opportunity.

Thanks to that, Irene could advance along the most ideal escape route.

‘We’re almost there.’

A narrow tunnel-like corridor.

Beyond this was a staircase leading to the surface.

A light of hope crossed Irene’s pupils. Though it had been a reckless plan, they had finally succeeded.

Yes, that’s what she thought.

…Until a voice came from behind her.

“Ahaha~ Everyone’s in quite a hurry to escape, aren’t they?”

Suddenly, a chilling sensation licked her earlobes.

A coldness that pierced through her lungs. Irene could only freeze in place.

Her body reflexively froze.

Irene sensed it.

If she hadn’t stopped just now, she would have died.

“……”

“I knew if I waited here, we’d meet.”

What could it be?

What was this terrible presence?

Just by recognizing the existence behind her, a pain like her brain being crushed washed over her.

Her vermilion eyes pulsed wildly.

As her head slowly turned, Irene’s gaze reached behind her.

“Pleased to meet you.”

Golden hair resembling a wheat field.

Narrowly opened eyes.

A lewd smile on his lips.

On the surface, he appeared to be just a boy with somewhat unique features.

But Irene, with her senses honed to the limit, could tell.

The “thing” before her was not human.

It was merely wearing human cloth, but its essence was completely different.

“You probably can’t imagine how much I’ve wanted to meet you.”

An ominousness filling the entire space.

Just looking at him gave the feeling that her limbs might be torn off.

He was a “monster” with terrible power.

“…Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her lips.

Because such a monster was approaching the foxes, openly revealing his killing intent.

“Fuck.”

The air pressed down venomously.

Irene muttered dejectedly.

It’s all over.

Her eyes, which had sparkled with hope, were now dyed with pitch-black despair.

***

“You probably can’t imagine how much I’ve wanted to meet you.”

A voice full of joy.

I was looking at the girl before me with a broad smile.

Long hair tied up.

Black eyes visible through vermilion hair.

A scar below her chin.

Animal ears and tail, characteristic of beastkin.

‘The fox, Irene Foxis.’

One of the characters from the original work was standing before my eyes.

I quietly contained my excitement.

First Lezia, and now Irene.

Seeing a game character I had loved come to life was quite a moving scene.

Almost to the point of tears, if I exaggerate a bit.

I quietly smiled.

“Hehe.”

I’m happy.

My smile wouldn’t leave due to the intense pleasure.

Gathering my upturned lips, I asked the girl a meaningful question.

“Have you enjoyed the stage I’ve prepared for you so far?”

Black eyes trembling pitifully.

Our gazes briefly meet.

What’s contained in that momentary exchange is a sense of futility.

It seems she’s realized.

That the situation we’re facing now was planned from the beginning.

‘She’s quite perceptive indeed.’

The foxes had luckily succeeded in escaping.

Keys accidentally dropped by a passing guard, a rusty sword conveniently lying on the floor, the strangely small number of guards.

The foxes thought they had caught an opportunity to escape by divine providence.

…At least that’s what they thought until just now.

“You’ve followed the provided script admirably.”

Sadly, everything was by design.

My hand was behind all those things the girl thought were luck.

As I wandered through the basement after leaving the auction house, I happened to encounter one of the guards and placed him under mind control.

-You’ll need to do me a few favors.

What I instructed was to casually drop the keys in front of the cage.

I also requested a sword that Irene could use.

Since a well-maintained weapon might raise suspicion, I asked for something old and rusty.

The situation flowed exactly as I intended.

It was a script I came up with on the spot, but I was quite satisfied.

The output of my lies was a bit precarious, but this much could be considered a success.

“Come this way.”

I’ve put the other guards on duty to sleep.

I’ve spread my lies quite thickly, so there’s no need to worry for a while.

Now, it was truly time for escape.

I elegantly extended my hand.

It meant to take it, and I would get them out of here.

Irene seemed to stagger at such a gesture, then soon collapsed in place.

What’s this? Did the tension finally get to her?

As I tilted my head, looking at the fox…

“You’re… going to kill us, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“I thought it was too smooth. It was a trap to play with us from the beginning.”

“Whaat?”

An unexpected question flies at me.

I hurriedly denied the girl’s words and conveyed my purpose.

“Haha~ Why are you saying this? I’m just trying to help you all leave comfortably!”

“……”

Irene’s face hardened.

I gave her a fresh smile so her misunderstanding wouldn’t deepen.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”

Well, I do plan to have a bit of fun.