Chapter 3: BPEE

Chapter 3

‘Where is this?’

The ceiling, walls, and floor were all pure white. There wasn’t even a window or a door in sight.

“You’ve been through something rough. I’m glad you’re not injured.”

The boy who approached me untied the rope binding my body.

Now free, I cautiously stepped back and looked at him.

Snow-white, neatly arranged hair. Jet-black eyes like the night sky. A face so perfect it looked like a doll. A pure white robe embroidered with silver thread, and a black cross earring on his ear.

There was only one person in the original story described like this.

‘Well… he wasn’t a kid there.’

The boy noticed my gaze and smiled like a fox.

“Do you like my face that much?”

I reflexively shook my head.

“No. I was just curious about who you are.”

“I see. Then let me properly introduce myself.”

The boy knelt on one knee in front of me, placing a hand over his chest.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness. I am the one who chases the stars—sorcerer Sion.”

Sion.

A supporting character to the protagonist, but someone with a completely black heart. A dangerous man who smiles while stabbing people in the back.

‘…I’m screwed.’

Of all people, I got saved by the one I least wanted to meet.

“Your Highness?”

Sion tilted his head at my uneasy reaction. When I met his jet-black eyes, a chill ran down my spine.

“It’s my first time seeing a mage. This is so interesting!”

I quickly acted innocent to cover my reaction. Sion let out a faint laugh.

“That’s good. At least you accept the fact that you are a princess.”

“Huh?”

“I have come to bring you somewhere safe, Princess Ella.”

The sweetest liar in the original story whispered gently.

Sensing danger, I took a step back.

“You said I’m a princess?”

“Yes. You are the Empire’s only princess.”

Where is this guy selling his nonsense?

“If I were a princess of the Empire, I’d obviously be a vampire. But I’m just a normal human.”

“No. You are a dhampir.”

Dhampir. That word had always followed my name.

Unable to resist my curiosity, I asked:

“What’s a dhampir?”

“A half-blood between vampire and human. One who inherits vampire blood, but cannot use their abilities.”

My eyes widened in shock.

“I’m a vampire?”

“Half of one.”

Half or not, the problem was still being a vampire. In the original story, vampires all end up dying.

‘Wait… why am I believing him so easily? What if Sion is lying?’

Just as I tried to regain my composure, I saw Spam rewriting my information.

[Name: Ella (Half Vampire)]
[Title: Hidden Princess of the Empire]

A bell rang loudly in my head.

‘I… I was on a death timer?’

I had lived thinking I was just a miserable human. And now even that wasn’t true?

“Your Highness, you are in a very dangerous situation.”

“Yeah, I just found that out.”

I answered weakly, and Sion frowned slightly.

“You don’t seem to understand. You are an extremely attractive target for vampires. If you are careless, you could die.”

“What? But I’m a half-blood.”

Sion answered calmly.

“Vampires do not consider half-bloods their kind. They see them as livestock.”

“Livestock…”

“And since you carry imperial blood, you are especially valuable. Everyone will come for you.”

So I’ve reincarnated as premium-grade beef everyone wants.

I nodded solemnly.

“So?”

“Pardon?”

“Why are you telling me something I already know about how dangerous I am?”

After all, it didn’t change how I died.

To me, who already knew how vampires would eventually be exterminated, it wasn’t shocking.

“Your Highness, please take my hand.”

Sion said gently.

“Just say that you will leave everything to me. Then I will take you somewhere no one can touch you.”

If I were a normal eight-year-old, I would’ve agreed immediately. But I was a reincarnator who knew the original story.

“Thanks, but I’ll politely refuse.”

“…And why is that?”

“Because there’s no point in hiding somewhere safe.”

In the original story, the protagonist kills the emperor and destroys the “origin” of vampires.

That leads to the complete extinction of vampires and their followers.

So no matter where I hid, I couldn’t escape death.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I know. I didn’t say it for you to understand.”

I looked down at my worn-out shoes.

I didn’t work this hard just to die like this. I believed that if I endured, someday things would get better.

But after being betrayed by my aunt, almost eaten by wolves, meeting the most dangerous guy in the story, and learning I would die anyway…

And now even finding out I was part of the protagonist’s revenge target…

I was starting to get angry.

‘Now that I think about it… this is really infuriating.’

Why should I, who lived as a model child, die just because of someone else’s revenge?

The rage rising in my chest reached my head.

‘Fine. Screw the original story. I’ll break it all.’

I’ll drag the protagonist back and break his legs if I have to—just to stop this revenge nonsense.

At that moment, a pale hand was offered to me again.

“Your Highness, take my hand now. That is the best option you have.”

“…No, I just thought of something better.”

I grabbed Sion’s hand with both of mine.

Right now, even borrowing a cat’s paw would help me survive. No one was more useful than Sion.

Of course, I had to be careful not to get stabbed in the back!

“Sion, I’m going to become the true princess recognized by everyone. Will you help me?”

“…What did you say?”

For the first time, cracks appeared in Sion’s calm expression.

The reason I wanted to become the princess of the Empire was simple.

‘Because the protagonist is the emperor’s slave.’

The imperial slave was confined to the underground palace for life and could never leave.

In the end, I had to become the real princess just to meet the protagonist.

But unaware of my grand plan, Sion reacted coldly.

“Princess… are you insane?”

“I was sane, but someone keeps scaring me, so maybe not anymore.”

“You are a dhampir with no backing. You’ll only become a laughingstock.”

“I know. Still, I have to do it.”

If I stayed still, I would only die while staying still.

Sion stared at me for a long moment, then pulled his hand away.

“Then I have no choice. I’ll have to lock you up until you regain your senses.”

At that moment, Spam popped up again.

[Web Message]

Convince the angry mage
Special skill: extreme cuteness °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

-Reward: 100 EXP
-Failure: imprisonment

Imprisonment?!

Why is he the one getting angry? I should be the one angry here!

Extreme cuteness °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

‘What cuteness!’

I shoved Spam aside and glared at Sion.

“Sion, me becoming a princess is also for your sake.”

“…What do you mean?”

I didn’t want to go this far, but I had no choice.

I took a deep breath and shouted:

“I’m actually a prophet!”

My voice echoed through the empty space.

“In the future I saw, all vampires are wiped out. And the one who ruins everything is YOU!”

“……”

“In other words, you are the failure of the Magic Tower! The disgrace of your master! The shame of your peers! I’m trying to stop that!”

[Web Message]

Congratulations!
You earned 100 EXP.

Where did the cuteness go? (:0」∠)

‘Did… did it work?’

I cautiously looked at Sion.

But his eyes were cold as ice.

“Princess, once a future is foretold, it cannot be changed. Anyone claiming they can change it is obviously a fraud.”

…He saw through it immediately?!

Sion smiled coldly.

“Then perhaps you can explain something else to me. How exactly did you know I came from the Magic Tower?”