The Extra's Advent: My Villainess Fiancée is a Yandere

Chapter 180: Interlude: Prince’s Shadow [1]

15 years before the main story.

Somewhere in the middle of the ocean...

A massive vessel drifted across the waves. A colossal ship spanning over ten miles long and a mile wide. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of escort ships hovered nearby like satellites around a planet.

Each was armed, alert, and positioned with precision.

Inside the heart of the main ship, behind layers of steel corridors and security doors, a single room sat sealed.

Inside that room was a little girl. She had jet-black hair and eyes like dark gems. She was quiet, curious, and far too observant for her age.

She walked up to the mirror-paneled door and peered through the glass slit. A guard stood on the other side, stiff and silent.

"Hey, mister," she called out softly. "I’m hungry."

The man turned at the sound of her voice, his stern expression faltering. A moment later, he returned with a tray of food and slid it through the chamber’s secure opening.

Lesley’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the tray.

"Oooh... meat!"

She gasped as her little fingers grabbed the plate eagerly.

"Wow... this is yummy!"

The guard managed a small, guilty smile. No matter how strange the mission was, she was still just a child.

Then the door slid open again with a soft hiss.

A middle-aged man stepped inside. He had a kind face, faintly wrinkled, and wore a pristine white coat. His skin had a warm, yellowish tone, and his hair was tied neatly at the back.

Lesley’s eyes lit up.

"Uncle Rey!"

The man chuckled and said,

"If it isn’t little Lesley. Is the food good?"

"Mhm!" she nodded, her cheeks full.

"Let’s play a game! It’s boring being here all day..."

Rey crouched beside her with a gentle smile. "

We’ll play a game tomorrow, alright? Tonight, you should sleep early."

Lesley tilted her head.

"Promise?"

Rey stood and gave a slow, solemn nod.

"Yes, I promise."

Lesley giggled, curling up with her plate of food.

Rey walked down the corridor, the heavy door hissing shut behind him. In his hand was a sleek black tablet, glowing softly with Lesley’s file.

---

Subject: 5561

Name: Lesley

Age: 07

Parental Status: Eliminated

Elemental Affinities: Lightning and Water

Innate Gifts: Mana Sense, Self-Healing

Project Notes:

Due to the unique combination of dual elemental affinity and the rare coexistence of two innate gifts, subject 5561 is deemed the optimal candidate for Project: The Prince’s Shadow. Self-healing in particular renders her ideal for prolonged exposure and repetitive testing.

---

Rey exhaled slowly, his eyes lingering on the file.

’Yes, Lesley... let’s play a game tomorrow.’

He thought, but those words were heavier than they seemed.

...

Morning arrived.

Rey gently held Lesley’s hand as they made their way through the ship’s long metallic halls. Eventually, they stopped before a large sliding door that opened with a mechanical hiss.

Inside was a spacious chamber lined with researchers, doctors, and soldiers. White lights glared down from above.

As soon as they entered, hushed murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"So that’s her..."

"The youngest to naturally awaken... at six years old."

"Lightning and water affinity. Two gifts, too."

"Tch. Doesn’t matter. She’s still just a test subject."

The whispers were not kind. Most didn’t even try to hide their jealousy.

Lesley heard the words, but they were too complex, too cold. She didn’t fully understand what they meant. But she felt something was wrong. Her small fingers tightened around Rey’s coat.

Rey looked down, meeting Lesley’s eyes.

"Uncle Rey..." she whispered.

"Can we go somewhere else? I don’t like this place."

She looked around, uncomfortable under the dozens of calculating, indifferent stares.

Rey smiled softly, kneeling beside her.

"Just a few more minutes, alright?"

Lesley hesitated, then gave a small nod.

"...Okay."

But the unease in her eyes never left.

"Let’s begin the operation."

Someone said from within the sterile room.

Everyone nodded silently, the air heavy with anticipation.

For the past year, Lesley had received nightly elemental injections, without ever knowing it.

Her self-healing gift repaired the damage before she could feel the pain. To her, it had all been a normal routine.

Sleep. Wake up. Smile. She never realized she was a test subject.

Rey knelt beside her and smiled gently.

"Hey, Lesley. This might hurt a little... but after it’s over, we’ll play so many games. We’ll eat all kinds of food too, alright?"

Lesley tilted her head in confusion, but before she could answer, Rey lifted her into the cold steel chair. The moment her back touched the seat, the locks on her hands and legs were clicked shut.

"Uncle Rey?" she asked, her eyes wide.

But before he could respond, one of the doctors stepped forward.

"I’ll take it from here."

Rey hesitated... then gave a stiff nod and stepped back.

The procedure began. A series of mechanical arms extended, holding long, metallic injectors. They hissed and clicked as they powered up, each one tethered to a pulsating, dark crystal embedded in a containment unit.

The "Black Rock."

Slowly, it began to melt, its liquefied form glowing with unnatural light. And then, inch by inch, it was injected into Lesley’s body.

Rey’s fists clenched at his sides.

’Just a bit more... she’s endured a year of elemental injections. Her mana veins have adapted—rebuilt themselves to be compatible. But this black rock... I still don’t know what it is. No one does. Not its origin, not its true function. Just rumors. Experiments. Guesses. They altered her nervous system too. She won’t feel a thing, even when it should be unbearable.’

Minutes passed. Eventually, the last drop of the rock disappeared into her bones.

Rey didn’t wait. He rushed forward beside her.

"Lesley, are you okay?"

She blinked up at him, then smiled brightly.

"Mhm! That uncle told me to close my eyes and count from one to one thousand!" She giggled.

"He even said I was a good girl!"

Rey exhaled, his eyes soft with guilt. Such innocence. She didn’t know what they’d just done to her.

He gently brushed her hair back.

"Do you remember what I said? That we’d play a game today?"

Lesley’s eyes lit up.

"Yes!"

Rey patted her head.

"Let’s play hide and seek. In this game, you have to run and hide, okay? No matter what happens, no matter what you hear, even if someone calls your name, don’t answer them."

He fastened a silver bracelet around her wrist.

"Until I call you myself... you must not come out. Understood?"

She nodded seriously.

"Good," Rey whispered, then stood up.

"In this game... not just me. Everyone will be looking for you."

He reached into his coat and pressed a small button.

"Now... run."

A sudden hum echoed throughout the facility. Then...

-BZZZZZZZT.

The lights died. Alarms went silent. Every system on the ship began shutting down at once. Red emergency lights flickered weakly before fading.

And in the chaos, the little girl turned and ran.

Rey watched her disappear into the darkness, her tiny feet pattering down the corridor. His lips curled into a bitter grin.

"I did my part. Now where the hell are you... Sir?"