Chapter 4: BPEE

Chapter 4

‘Where am I?’

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

“You’ve been through a lot. I’m glad you’re not injured.”

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

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

Snow-white neatly arranged hair, jet-black eyes like the night sky, a doll-like refined face, 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.’

Sensing my gaze, the boy 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—mage Sion.”

Mage Sion.

A helper to the protagonist, but a man with a pitch-black personality underneath. 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 fascinating!”

I quickly acted innocent. Sion chuckled softly.

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

“Huh?”

“I came to take you to a safe place, Princess Ella.”

The original story’s greatest liar whispered sweetly.

Feeling danger, I stepped back.

“You said I’m a princess?”

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

What nonsense is he selling?

“If I were a princess, I’d 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 is a dhampir?”

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

My eyes widened.

“I’m a vampire?”

“Half of one.”

Half or not didn’t matter—the problem was still being a vampire. In the original story, vampires all die in the end.

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

As I tried to steady my thoughts, Spam suddenly updated my information.

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

A bell rang in my head.

‘I… I was basically terminal?’

I had lived thinking I was just an ordinary human. Even that wasn’t true?

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

“Yeah… I just found that out.”

I answered weakly. Sion frowned slightly.

“You don’t understand. You are a very attractive target for vampires. If you’re careless, you’ll die.”

“What? But I’m a half-blood?”

Sion replied as if it were obvious.

“Vampires do not consider half-bloods their kin. They treat them like livestock.”

“Livestock…”

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

So I had reincarnated as premium-grade meat everyone wants.

I nodded solemnly.

“So?”

“Pardon?”

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

At worst, it just meant a different way of dying.

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

“Your Highness, please take my hand.”

Sion said gently.

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

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

“Thanks, but I’ll politely refuse.”

“…And why is that?”

“Because hiding somewhere safe won’t change anything.”

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

That leads to the extinction of vampires and everyone connected to them.

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 struggle this hard just to die like this. I believed things would get better someday.

But after being betrayed by my aunt, nearly eaten by wolves, meeting the most dangerous guy in the story, and now learning I was basically doomed…

I was getting angry.

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

Why should I die just because of someone else’s revenge?

The anger rising in my chest surged to my head.

‘Fine. Screw the original story. I’ll break everything.’

I’ll drag the protagonist back and make him give up revenge—by force if necessary.

Then a pale hand reached out to me again.

“Take my hand now. That is your best option.”

“…No. I just thought of a better one.”

I grabbed Sion’s hand with both of mine.

If I had to survive, I’d even borrow a cat’s paw. There was no one more useful than Sion.

Of course, I’d have 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?”

Cracks formed in Sion’s calm expression.

My reason for becoming the princess was simple.

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

The imperial slave lived confined in the underground palace and could never leave.

So I had to become the real princess to meet him.

But unaware of my plan, Sion looked at me coldly.

“Princess… are you insane?”

“I was sane until someone kept scaring me. Now I’m not so sure.”

“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 moment, then pulled his hand away.

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

At that moment, Spam popped up.

[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!

Extreme cuteness °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

‘What cuteness!’

I shoved Spam away 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 destroyed. And the one who causes that disaster is YOU!”

“……”

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

[Web Message]

Congratulations!
You earned 100 EXP.

Where did the cuteness go? (:0」∠)

‘Did… it work?’

I glanced at Sion.

But his eyes were cold as ice.

“Princess, once a future is foretold, it cannot be changed. Anyone claiming otherwise is obviously a fake prophet.”

…He saw through it immediately?!

Sion smiled faintly.

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