I Became the Narrow-Eyed Character in the Little Prince Game-Chapter 136: Traitor (7)

Kadel approached silently.

With a foreboding smile, he extended his hand toward me.

— Yuda.

— I have something serious to discuss with you.

— It won't take long.

As per his proposal, we had a brief conversation.

A conversation that needed to reach a conclusion.

Just in case there were prying ears, the snake and the professor moved to a secluded area. We faced each other in a chilling atmosphere.

The discussion lasted just under thirty minutes.

To summarize—

— I trust that you understand now.

— I hope you make the wise choice. Consider this an act of mercy from me to you.

The conversation ended with a clear outcome.

Thanks to that, the identity of the traitor had been solidified.

I left the exchange behind me, carrying what was less of a warning and more of a declaration.

Even though I could feel the weight of an ominous gaze lingering behind me, I simply continued moving forward.

There was no need for concern from the start.

Because in the end—

Everything was going according to plan.

There was no reason to worry about a play unfolding in the palm of my hand.

I merely observed from a step away, watching as it all progressed.

With my heart rate steady, I remained silent.

No reaction yet... but once they're cornered, we'll see what happens.

A day passed, filled with idle thoughts.

The next day, a period of rest was granted.

Meetings, testimonies, report writing—I had anticipated being burdened with all kinds of tedious work, but most of the responsibilities were assigned to the professors instead.

Given the sensitivity of the issue, the academy seemed to be handling everything with utmost caution.

As a result, students who were serving as assistant professors were given a brief reprieve.

That included me.

"Hmph."

I spent my time holed up in my dormitory.

With a book in hand, I sat in a sunless room, hoping to quietly kill time.

Of course, the reason I added the phrase hoping to was because—

Life was never so kind as to grant me even that small luxury.

I lifted my head with a wry smile.

My gaze swept across the dormitory interior.

Among the familiar scenery were girls with distinctively colored hair—pink, blue, platinum, red, and orange.

Each one of them stared at me with unwavering determination.

As if no matter what I said, they wouldn't let me go.

"Uh... Everyone? I already told you earlier that I'm fine."

I attempted to reason with them.

"L-Lord Yuda! You need to rest properly when you're unwell...!"

"Stop talking and just sit still."

"Mmm... If you keep acting like this, even you will force us to take action."

"Just accept it quietly. If you think about it, this is your fault."

All I got in return were scoldings from the girls.

Shrinking under their relentless reprimands, I leaned back against my wheelchair and muttered.

"I don’t even feel sick, though..."

That’s right.

I had been confined to my dormitory in broad daylight.

At the hands of none other than the main characters.

I didn't expect them to react this strongly.

I replayed the events in my mind.

The battle against the Death Dragon, just days ago.

The original plan had gone awry, forcing me to push myself far beyond my limits.

Not only did I exceed my standard output, but I also ended up depleting a significant amount of my life force.

Fortunately, it hadn’t reached a level where it would affect my lifespan. However, I had to endure muscle pain and fever for several days afterward.

Compared to what I had suffered back in the underworld, it was nothing.

This is troublesome.

I hadn’t wanted them to worry.

That’s why I had intended to keep my overexertion a secret.

But I had been betrayed by unexpected individuals.

Irene and Charlotte.

The two who had fought alongside me in the dragon subjugation had exposed my condition.

With grave expressions, they had insisted that I needed protection.

— Yuda, you're a patient. You shouldn't push yourself until you've recovered.

— I can't stop you myself... So I thought maybe the others could make you listen.

Since their actions were driven by genuine concern, I couldn't bring myself to reprimand them.

Their sorrowful gazes tugged at my conscience.

In any case—

Because of that, the others had also learned about what had happened that day.

Rezia, Emilia, and Elize.

Their faces darkened as they listened.

And once they heard that I had coughed up blood, they all turned pale and started hovering around me, repeatedly asking if I was alright.

That was the backstory behind my current predicament.

The snake, the pilot, the narcissist, the fox, the little prince, and the rose.

A total of five people, excluding myself, had taken over my dormitory.

Though the room was spacious enough to rival a small mansion, so it didn’t feel cramped or inconvenient—

Still, having them all worry over me made me uncomfortable.

I appreciate the sentiment, but...

Wasn't forcing me into a wheelchair a bit too much?

By now, my life force had started regenerating little by little. It wasn’t even accurate to say I was sick anymore.

Not that arguing would make any difference.

"You say you're fine, but... You already collapsed once. I can't trust your word."

"You really need to rest! The commoner and I put in all this effort to look after you, so stop complaining and focus on your recovery!"

"L-Lord Yuda... sniff... Y-You can't leave us..."

"If you die, everyone will be sad. And so will I."

A flood of nagging voices.

I shut my mouth instinctively.

Rezia, in particular, looked like she was about to cry, staring at me with teary eyes.

If I didn’t cooperate, she might actually start sobbing.

In the end, I surrendered to those innocent gazes and decided to play along.

It wasn’t that difficult, after all.

"Haha..."

As I let out a hollow laugh, the girl sitting beside me—Elize—poked my cheek.

Like me, she was also in a wheelchair.

A mischievous grin played on her lips.

No doubt she was enjoying this situation.

With an unusually amused expression, she spoke.

"So... How does it feel to be in a wheelchair for the first time?"

"I think I understand a little of Your Highness’s frustration now."

"Well then, let’s get along as fellow patients. But just so you know, I won’t allow you to die before me."

"I mean... This is only temporary for me."

"Hmm."

The princess looked particularly delighted.

Did she enjoy the idea of matching wheelchair accessories that much?

She even let out a small hum, sounding quite pleased.

"With that pale face of yours... You really do look like a delicate little flower."

"Not nearly as much as Your Highness."

Honestly, I had brought this upon myself.

The nausea from my depleted life force.

After unintentionally showing signs of dizziness and stumbling in front of the others, they had all become extremely overprotective.

In hindsight, I should have just stayed in bed until my recovery was complete.

To begin with—

If I had dealt with the Puppeteer properly back then, the Death Dragon wouldn’t have resurrected, and I wouldn’t have needed to burn through my life force.

Though, to be fair, there were extenuating circumstances.

I sighed quietly.

Who could’ve predicted that name would be spoken...

A bone-chillingly eerie smile.

The Puppeteer’s eyes had shimmered with nothing but madness and revelation.

I still remembered the slight movement of his lips, the words that followed.

— So it was you, ■■■■.

How?

How had he known that name?

The only ones who should have known that code were me... and the people from that side.

Problems beyond my control always turned into headaches.

I was lost in thought when suddenly—

The sound of a familiar argument between the Rose and the Fox reached my ears once more.

"You sure talk a lot for a mere pet."

"At least pets receive plenty of love from their owners. A patient and a physician, on the other hand, only have a professional relationship."

"Oh my... Have you forgotten? I even received a promise to be made happy."

"How pathetic, boasting over something as trivial as a mere promise."

"And that promise was made while caressing me all over, wasn’t it?"

"How crude... Perhaps your head needs healing more than your body."

"Do you even think you can handle it? Daring to speak that way to an imperial princess."

"I don't care about the petty hierarchies of humans."

"Such a rude beast."

"And you're just a troublesome woman."

At this point, I should be used to it.

The moment their eyes met, they started arguing again.

It never really felt like they hated each other, but with their fiery personalities, they clashed often.

I sighed and pinched both of their cheeks.

The soft sensation pressed against my fingertips, bringing their bickering to a halt.

"I distinctly remember asking you two to get along."

"......She started it."

"I could say the same, you insolent beastkin."

The fox and the rose continued to grumble until the end.

From the kitchen, the sounds of bustling chaos erupted.

"Lady Elize...! T-The stew is burning!"

"W-What? What do I do? It was fine when I practiced alone...!"

"You need to put out the fire first!"

"I-I can’t...! Fire is too scary...!"

"I'll handle it!"

The narcissist on the verge of tears as her plan fell apart.

And the pilot, ever so capable, quickly stepping in to salvage the ruined dish.

"Hah. Everyone seems to be having fun."

Behind it all, the little prince sat with a gentle smile.

It seemed the lively chaos of the dormitory would continue for a while.

Five days after the attack.

The faculty's situation remained the same.

Efforts to uncover the traitor had continued, but no significant progress had been made.

As a result, a cold tension hung among the academy’s higher-ups.

Everyone was watching everyone else.

As an assistant professor, my access to information was limited, so I couldn't grasp the full severity of the situation.

But judging by the sharpened atmosphere, it was clear that confusion was spreading.

I decided to distance myself from the matter.

After all, my path was different from theirs.

Worrying about it unnecessarily would only complicate things.

I can only hope things proceed as planned.

Leaning back into my chair, I let my thoughts wander.

As I did, the fox pushing my wheelchair spoke up.

"So... do you really need to go out first thing in the morning?"

"My mentor is waiting for me."

"Didn’t seem like she was particularly happy to see you last time."

"She’s never liked people to begin with. But despite everything, she’s kinder than she lets on."

"You seem to trust her a lot."

"She’s helped me countless times."

I answered lightly.

The wheels rolled smoothly down the corridor, heading toward the infirmary at the far end.

I was on my way to visit the drunkard.

Selena was currently staying in the academy’s medical ward.

— No. I can’t assist in such a dangerous situation.

During the attack.

She had tried to stop us from heading into the underground tunnels.

After being put under hypnosis and collapsing, she had been discovered by other professors, unconscious on the floor.

Naturally, she had been hospitalized.

There were no lingering side effects, and her lost consciousness had returned quickly.

But strangely, ever since waking up, she hadn't been able to regain her strength.

Because of that, she hadn’t attended a single faculty meeting over the past few days.

That was why I had been visiting her every day.

I need to update her on the meetings.

I also needed her opinion on the traitor.

After all, I was technically under her direct supervision.

It was my job to relay the finer details of the meetings and the overall atmosphere within the academy.

Though... if I were being honest, I also just wanted to see her.

"Professor."

I wheeled myself into the infirmary.

Beyond the door was a white room.

A dreamlike space, devoid of any signs of life.

I instructed the fox to wait outside and moved the wheelchair forward alone.

And then—our eyes met.

As always, the drunkard sat on her bed, lost in thought.

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"......You've come, Yuda."

She forced a pleasant greeting, but the worry on her face remained.

The melancholy that had always lingered in her expression seemed even deeper now.

Her usual hazy, intoxicated gaze.

Strands of violet hair spilled across the blanket.

The dark circles under her eyes made it clear that she wasn’t in good condition.

Had she spent another night without sleep?

"You look even more haggard than before."

"I'm fine... More importantly, let's get to business."

Her expression remained unusually grim.

As she spoke, she took a sip from the bottle in her hand.

I had confiscated her alcohol just two days ago, yet she had already managed to dig up more bottles and empty them.

Given the heavy atmosphere, I decided not to point it out.

With a resigned sigh, I complied with her request and reported the details of today’s meeting.

"It seems like the academy is starting to stabilize."

"I see... This was supposed to be my responsibility, but I’ve been burdening you with it instead."

"It’s not a problem."

We talked for a while.

Even as I continued to relay the information, she never took her eyes off my wheelchair.

It was clear that seeing her student injured was weighing on her.

And considering how battered I looked, it must have made it worse.

I hadn't expected the life force I spent during the dragon subjugation to be used against me like this.

Still, I smiled faintly.

"Professor."

Yes.

This was enough waiting.

Five days had passed since the attack.

Surely, by now, she had come to her own conclusion.

I finally voiced the question I had been holding ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) back.

"I’d like to hear your thoughts now."

"...What?"

"You haven’t given any opinion on the matter so far."

"What exactly do you want to ask me?"

"I want to know who you suspect as the traitor."

"...The traitor."

"It’s an important question."

Selena Drunkard.

She was the headmaster’s protégé.

She had once held the title of senior instructor, a high-ranking position.

A veteran who had spent years within the academy.

Surely, she had already identified the traitor among the faculty.

Perhaps it was the overly incompetent headmaster.

Perhaps it was the highly suspicious Kadel.

Or maybe it was someone we hadn't even considered yet.

Or—

"What do you think, Professor... No."

In truth—

"What do you think, traitor?"

Perhaps it was herself.

My half-lidded eyes lifted fully, revealing stark white pupils as I gazed at her.

A silence formed in response to the words left unsaid.

"......"

The infirmary sank into stillness.

The snake stared.

At his mentor.

At a natural-born educator.

At a scarred woman.

And at the traitor of the academy.

Across the passage of time, I now faced her.

Before long, her lips parted.

Her voice rang clear, devoid of drunken slurs.

"So... you knew after all."

Selena Drunkard.

According to the original story, she was the seed of ruin planted by the cultists.

The woman murmured softly.

"......It’s all my fault."

A reflection on the sins she had committed for so long.