I Became the Narrow-Eyed Character in the Little Prince Game-Chapter 122: What Winter Left Behind (4)

Life Is Always About Finding a Place to Stay.

Whether it’s a physical dwelling or a psychological refuge, the concept of a home is second only to people in importance.

We purchased a mansion nearby and settled there.

Until now, I had been living by snatching brief rest in the depths of sewers, but with someone to care for, that lifestyle was no longer an option.

Fortunately, thanks to extracting various resources from the Lord, we lacked nothing financially.

Our first real home.

We stayed there.

Truthfully, the girl resisted at first, refusing to go, but once in my grasp, she had no choice but to follow.

Perhaps her fear of the outside world was still overwhelming.

Even as we walked through the streets, her pale complexion betrayed her terror.

Given her repeated episodes of rampage, some of which ended with people injured or dead, it wasn’t surprising that a young girl would be afraid of herself.

Would her existence cause pain to others?

The fear, born from such a compulsion, led her to reject others.

I wasn’t an exception.

"Miss Neria."

The girl wouldn’t open her heart.

She didn’t respond when I called her name, and if I tried to approach, she would retreat into a corner.

It was like dealing with a cat, one whose defenses were on high alert.

A deeply wounded cat.

At first, I could barely hear her voice.

She didn’t speak at all.

It seemed she wasn’t ready to accept a new life.

I offered her a warm bed, good food, and soft clothes, but she seemed uncomfortable with such unfamiliar kindness.

She even slept on the floor, claiming the plush bed was too unsettling.

The sudden peace only filled her with anxiety.

Her physical condition was no less dire.

Her body bore vivid marks of past violence, some of which had festered and become infected.

Moreover, perhaps due to the starlight in her body, she frequently suffered from high fevers.

Nearly every night.

"Haa... haa..."

Her rough breathing and cold sweat.

Whenever I heard someone sobbing in pain during the early hours, I stayed by the feverish monster’s side throughout the night.

I kept watch.

I knew it would be difficult.

The curse she had carried since childhood, the life ruined by unwanted power, the nightmares of abuse and brainwashing.

The scars accumulated over her life couldn’t heal overnight.

With patience, I slowly approached her.

For the girl who continued to cry, I chose to forgive her wandering sins.

I simply stayed by her side.

"I’m here with you."

"It hurts... Stop... I’m sorry... Please forgive me..."

"No one is accusing you of any sin."

"Go away... Because of me, everyone will die... It hurts... I want it to stop..."

"No one will die anymore. You’re just having a nightmare. Try taking a deep breath with me."

"Ugh... Haa..."

"You’re doing well."

Taming.

It’s a process of growing accustomed to one another.

Rather than hastily closing the distance, it’s better to watch from afar, offering only small acts of kindness to convey goodwill, slowly increasing your presence.

So the other can come to accept the stranger in their world.

"Miss Neria."

"..."

"If you’re too wary, you’ll hurt my feelings. Anyway, you must be hungry, right? I brought dinner."

Though it’s a forgotten concept to many, the essence of relationships is rooted in time.

The process of deepening bonds over time.

While some argue that time’s density doesn’t always correlate with volume, even they can’t deny the absolute value contained within that volume.

Relationships built gradually, without rushing, are slow but sure.

Before we knew it, a thread of connection had formed between us.

"It’s time for treatment again today!"

I did my best.

I carefully treated her wounds, using my abilities to mend her flesh and erase the scars marring her skin.

After about a week, her body no longer bore any visible scars.

I still remember the look of surprise in her silver eyes as she examined herself.

I smiled, letting her know the treatment was complete, as if praising her.

But I didn’t stop there.

"Is there anything you’d like to eat? I’m not very skilled, but I’d like to try cooking for you."

I began preparing meals myself.

Though the girl remained wary, she couldn’t hide her wavering before warm food.

She cleaned her plate every time, making the effort worthwhile.

I also made sure she had a proper place to sleep, cared for her when she had fevers, and brought her blankets when she trembled in a corner.

The snake and the monster spent their time together like this.

"Time flies so quickly."

Time indeed flew.

It had been over a month since we moved into the mansion.

The calendar pages of the previous month felt especially distant.

In that time, there had been changes in our relationship.

While the girl still maintained a cold demeanor, she no longer raised her defenses or ignored me intentionally.

We could now have light conversations.

It was a small triumph achieved through persistence.

"Heh."

One morning, as usual, I was serving a meal with my still-clumsy skills when the girl, seated at the dining table, suddenly asked a question.

It was the first time she had initiated a conversation since our relationship began.

I paused as I was setting down a plate.

"Why... are you doing all this for me?"

Her lifeless eyes looked up at me blankly.

The daily kindness laid before her, the time spent together—it must have been confusing for her.

The monster was questioning my devotion.

"I’ve thought about it over and over, but I don’t get it. I mean, there’s nothing I can do for you."

"Hmm."

If I were to answer why...

Honestly, I didn’t know either.

I knew I was putting myself through unnecessary trouble.

I was aware of my excessive dedication.

But—

"Big brother!"

"I Can’t Just Pass By a Hurting Child."

The lingering regret from my past life gnawed at a corner of my heart.

"I should’ve done better back then."

"I should’ve stayed by their side, even just for a moment."

"I should’ve made sure they weren’t lonely."

Perhaps, I was projecting those abstract murmurs onto the present.

I answered with a smile that dismissed any weight of seriousness.

"Because you’re precious."

A clumsy excuse.

Yet, the girl didn’t seem to mind.

She merely nodded a few times and resumed eating the stew in front of her.

I slowly extended my hand to stroke her silver hair.

For the first time, she didn’t flinch away.

The softness of her hair against my fingertips lingered as the morning passed.

***

The girl was curious.

About the sudden warmth that had found its way into her life.

"It’s strange."

The world had always been cold.

Without a hint of kindness.

From birth, she had carried a curse disguised as a blessing, a burden of unearned guilt and tears placed upon her shoulders.

For her, the world was a ceaseless wandering with no place to stay.

It was an obvious truth.

Her existence only hurt others.

And yet, she wanted to live.

"It’s cold."

People feared her.

They called her a monster.

They threw stones at her, shouting for her to leave.

"It hurts."

The old man who had taken an interest in her.

The one who called himself the Lord had only intended to use her.

He shackled her with strange devices, locking her in a prison where violence and brainwashing were endlessly repeated.

From that moment, the girl gave up on life.

She knew her cursed fate would never end.

"I’m lonely."

Her world was an endless winter.

After winter came more winter, and at the end of that winter was yet another winter.

Winter, winter, winter, and winter again.

Her seasons of unrelenting cold and pain consumed her world in a merciless blizzard.

Thus, for eight years, the girl existed in a state of dying.

She believed flowers could never bloom in her world.

But then—

"At last, we meet."

"I’ve come to take you with me."

One day.

An unfamiliar warmth entered her world.

"Shall we go, Miss Neria?"

The boy who suddenly appeared gave her a name she hadn’t asked for.

He reached into the iron cage she had hidden in and pulled her out.

She resisted, not wanting to hurt anyone else by leaving, but his hand was relentless.

She stepped into a world she had never known.

The boy was warm.

He healed her festering wounds until they vanished without a trace. He prepared meals for her every day. When she burned with fever in the middle of the night, he stayed by her side.

As time passed, the girl’s sharp defenses began to soften.

At the same time, questions began to surface.

It was the first kindness she had ever received in her life.

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It was a curiosity born from ignorance.

"Why... are you doing all this for me?"

So, she asked.

Everyone else in the world had hated her, sought to use or control her.

She believed life was nothing but a path filled with wounds.

Why was he, of all people, showing her warmth?

She had to know.

"There’s nothing I can do for you."

Her voice murmured lowly.

The response she received.

It was nothing like the predictions that had filled her mind.

The boy answered with a gentle smile.

"Because you’re precious."

Precious.

It was a word she couldn’t quite grasp.

A riddle that remained unsolved.

But the girl didn’t speak further.

She feared that even opening her lips slightly might cause this hazy moment to burst like a fragile bubble.

The monster simply lifted her spoon.

"Heh."

Afterward.

The soft touch of his hand stroking her hair.

For the first time, the sensation of another’s warmth against her head was unfamiliar.

And yet—

It was warm enough that she didn’t want to move away from the hand resting atop her silver crown.

The girl quietly accepted the clumsy strokes.

"It’s... warm."

For a brief moment.

It felt as though she had stepped out of winter.

***

Yet,

The world beneath the falling stars remained cold to the girl.

She couldn’t even dare to wish for a fleeting moment of happiness.

"So this is where you were, Miss Neria."

"You..."

Amid a backdrop of swirling blood and snow, the golden-haired serpent and the silver-haired monster stood face to face.

Crimson tears streamed down the girl’s pale cheeks.

Her fragile lips moved softly.

"This is my final request. If it’s you, I don’t think I’ll regret it."

That, too, was winter.

"Please... kill me."

Amid the unfolding sorrow, the girl prayed for her final season.