The time in Evendelle is now 3 AM.

  In the Grove…

  Aurelia… Cinderella’s ghostly mother, hovered and wandered beneath the Hazel Tree, her face clouded with worry. She feared that if her daughter was not rescued from captivity very soon… Cinderella might die.

  Aurelia had always wanted to live and stay by her daughter’s side for a long time, but death had taken her too early—nineteen years ago, when Kaj, her husband, murdered her. And now, all she could do was linger, wishing that one day… after Fairy Greatmother examined her grave, she could tell her why she suddenly felt warmth in her chest, even though she was dead.

  Aurelia drifted closer to her grave and thought. “Am I really dead? Can I… still be alive again, and live alongside my daughter?”

  But worry crept in deeper. Because Cinderella was still gone. And if her daughter died while in captivity, then there would be no point to resurrection, even if Fairy Greatmother could make it possible.

  If that happened, Aurelia thought, then she would rather ascend to heaven with Cinderella, and be forever happy with her in a place where they would never suffer again.

  But even the thought of her daughter’s death made her ghostly heart clench with unbearable grief. She was Cinderella’s mother—how could she wish for anything but her child’s long, happy life?

  Deep within her soul, Aurelia wished she could live again as a normal human being—walk in sunlight, breathe air, smile, and live beside her daughter. But right now, all Aurelia could do was pray that Cinderella would be rescued by Ryo and Fairy Greatmother, rather than think about her own resurrection.

  Because right now, she knew—her daughter’s safety mattered more than anything. If it meant Cinderella could live on—safe, free, smiling again—Aurelia would gladly remain dead, a ghost forever.

  After a top-speed journey aboard the Banana Carriage, Ryo’s group finally came to a stop above the grove. Aurelia tilted her head upward, her breath catching as her eyes widened at the strange object before her.

  “Is that… a giant flying banana?” she whispered, stunned.

  The Banana Carriage slowly descended toward the middle of the grove, finally landing near the Hazel Tree where Aurelia’s grave rested. Aurelia watched the scene nervously. A bizarre, enormous banana now stood at a distance, with a coachman and footman sitting proudly at the front.

  The footman stepped down, glancing around without seeming to notice the ghostly Aurelia. Then, with poise, he walked toward the Banana Carriage door and opened it. “Please watch your step,” he said politely.

  Aurelia’s nerves only tightened as the first person to step off the carriage revealed himself.

  Ryo stepped off, greeted. “Good evening, madam—or should I say… good early morning.”

  “Oh!” Aurelia breathed, relieved. “Ryo… good morning. What are you doing here? And what is with the giant banana?”

  Ryo chuckled. “Weird, isn’t it? Well, I thought it’s best to stop by and give you a present.”

  Aurelia blinked. “A present? But how about your investigation in finding my daughter?”

  Ryo didn’t answer, only smiled mysteriously.

  Fairy Greatmother was the next to step off the Banana Carriage, moving gracefully forward.

  “Why, hello again, dear Aurelia,” she said sweetly. “A wonderful weather, isn’t it, this early morning?”

  Aurelia’s confusion deepened. How could Ms. Roselia greet her so casually when both she and Ryo were supposed to be urgently searching for Cinderella?

  Next, Vesmyra stepped off the carriage, offering a polite greeting. Aurelia returned it, still puzzled, as Fairy Greatmother introduced Vesmyra as her daughter.

  Then the animal agents followed, stepping off the carriage and greeting Aurelia in their animal voices.

  Aurelia hovered closer to Ryo, her concern mixed with bafflement. “Ryo, can you tell me what’s going on?”

  Ryo grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “We’re here to make the world’s most hated trope happen. Get ready for millions of tables to be flipped into the stratosphere, madam.”

  Aurelia’s confusion deepened even more. “There you go with those tropes again… especially the table flip. What are they? And did you find my daughter?”

  From inside the carriage, came a voice. “Who are you all talking to?”

  Aurelia perked up, her ghostly form trembling. “Another one? But that voice… it sounds familiar…”

  And then, at last, the final passenger stepped outside the Banana Carriage.

  It was Cinderella.

  Aurelia’s eyes widened, her entire being shaking as a whisper slipped out of her lips, breaking apart.

  “Cinderella… my…”

  Cinderella glanced around, frowning in confusion. “Who is there? Who are you all talking to?”

  “MY CHILD!” Aurelia cried, her voice cracking as tears poured from her eyes. She hovered forward in a rush, her breath hitching with every word. “MY GOODNESS! CINDERELLA, MY SWEET CHILD! MY GOD… OH, THANK THE HEAVENS!”

  She fell to her knees in front of her daughter, sobbing openly, covering her face with trembling hands. Her voice broke again and again, raw with love and desperation.

  “HUUUU!! HUUUUU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU… FOR SAVING MY CHILD!!”

  Everyone in the grove watched in silence, smiles softening their faces at the mother’s overwhelming relief.

  But Ryo’s smile faltered when he noticed Cinderella’s expression. She looked lost—confused. It was as if she couldn’t see the woman before her.

  He remembered Aurelia once mentioning how Cinderella used to visit her grave, speaking to her, yet never seeing the ghost that hovered there.

  Ryo leaned closer to Fairy Greatmother, whispering. “Ma’am, how come everyone here can see Aurelia… except Cinderella?”

  Fairy Greatmother folded one arm across her chest, her finger tapping lightly against her temple.

  “Only fairies and certain animals can see ghosts, my dear.”

  Ryo blinked. “Wait a minute…” He pointed at himself. “Then how come I can see Aurelia?”

  Fairy Greatmother tilted her head, curious. “Now that you mention it… Mr. Detective, has any spirit ever possessed you before?”

  Ryo’s eyes widened. “Eh…?”

  Fairy Greatmother spoke calmly, her words edged with quiet weight.

  “If a spirit has once possessed a human, or if that human has crossed paths and truly interacted with a spirit… then sometimes, they gain the sight to see what others cannot.”

  She glanced back at Aurelia, her voice softening. “Even I was shocked that you could see her the day we first met her.”

  And then—Ryo remembered.

  The Crimson Ancient Reaper.

  Mr. Grim… who had once invaded his dreams, forcing him through a movie-hopping marathon. First came Mr. Grim’s own life in Ancient Egypt, where he suffered before becoming a reaper. Then followed a dark-history reel about the kingdom of Al-Qamar, long before it became Al-Munira… and in it, the villain Malakar played his part.

  “Ahh…” Ryo realized, then muttered, sarcasm so dry it could start a desert, “yeah… a ghost with a shrinking, fading voice once dragged me into an 8D cinema in my brain when I was on the verge of death. Totally normal stuff—one moment I’m in Ancient Egypt, the next in some old version of a hidden land I once visited for a case. The ghost even gave me free VIP tickets with unlimited refills. Full historic tour, bonus nightmare fuel, jump scares included. Honestly? Ten out of ten. Wouldn’t recommend. But hey—at least he didn’t charge me my soul for popcorn.”

  Fairy Greatmother turned her head slowly to him, blinking, baffled at every foreign earthling word.

  Then Cinderella stepped forward.

  Aurelia lowered her trembling hands from her tear-stained face. She stopped sobbing, a hopeful smile breaking through as she stretched out her arms, yearning for an embrace.

  But Cinderella only walked straight through her, her ghostly form untouched, and instead approached Ryo.

  Aurelia’s smile shattered into sorrow. She had always dreamed of holding Cinderella again—the last time she embraced her child was when she was only a baby, nineteen long years ago. Nineteen years without feeling her warmth.

  Now that her daughter had been saved, Aurelia’s heart burned with a single desire: to live again. To take back the years lost, to spend the moments stolen. To walk beside her daughter not as a whisper of memory, but as a mother in flesh and blood.

  Yet she knew revival was absurd—fantastical, impossible. Fairy Greatmother could not grant such a miracle. And so Aurelia’s wish swelled painfully in her chest, caught between desperate hope and the crushing weight of impossibility.

  Cinderella turned to the grave, her voice soft with longing. “Strange foreign man… I appreciate that you brought me here to my mother’s grave.” She smiled faintly at the tombstone. “I truly do miss her. Sometimes… I just wish I could see her. Hug her. And I know this is silly, but… I want to live alongside her… even though I don’t know her well.”

  Aurelia gasped, then spun around, her voice breaking. “ME TOO, MY CHILD! Me too… I want to live and care for you… to watch you grow, to walk beside you… to live together as mother and daughter…”

  She clutched her chest, her voice trembling. “There is warmth in me still… perhaps a chance… but—” her gaze fell to the grass, whispered low, “but I do not know if it is possible…”

  Still, Cinderella could not hear her.

  Fairy Greatmother watched Aurelia, sensing the desperation in her—the longing to live alongside her daughter once more. She understood Aurelia’s feelings, for she too had a granddaughter, Thalirea, who had now renamed herself Carabosse and turned to evil.

  Fairy Greatmother truly wished she could live alongside Thalirea again, but for now, she had to step back, hoping Thalirea would reflect on herself.

  Everything now rested on her daughter Vesmyra, who had adopted Thalirea when she was just a child. Would Vesmyra abandon her completely, leave her temporarily, or choose another path?

  But thinking about Thalirea’s fall was not the time. Fairy Greatmother’s focus was on helping Aurelia, seeking a way to revive her, even if it seemed nearly impossible.

  Ryo, having quietly watched the scene, finally spoke. “Cinderella… do you want to live alongside your real mother as well? From this moment onward?”

  “Eh?!” Everyone froze, all eyes snapping toward him.

  Vesmyra frowned. “But… isn’t that impossible?”

  “Exactly,” Cinderella said gently. “While I do wish it could be… there’s no way my mother could be brought back to life.”

  Fairy Greatmother tilted her head at him. “What are you on about, Mr. Detective? Shouldn’t I first study the magical phenomenon tied to her grave?”

  Cinderella blinked, startled. “Fairy Greatmother… what do you mean by that?!”

  Ryo exhaled, rubbing his temple, then glanced at Aurelia. “Madam Aurelia. You want the revival trope or not? What I mean is… do you wish to come back from the dead?”

  Aurelia flinched.

  Cinderella’s breath caught. “Are you… talking to my mother?” Her head whipped back and forth in confusion. “But where? She should be buried beneath her grave?!”

  Aurelia’s lips trembled. She clenched her fists, her teeth, her very soul, no longer able to contain the flood inside her. She surged forward, hovering straight to Ryo, her voice breaking like thunder and tears.

  “YES! Yes—I want to live again! To walk this world as a mother, not a ghost! To embrace my daughter, to hear her call me ‘Mama’ with her own voice, while I hold her with my own arms! I want to stay by her side, not just in whispers, not just in memory—BUT IN LIFE! To cook for her, guide her, laugh with her, cry with her… to give her the love I was robbed of for nineteen years! I want to live, live and never let her go again!”

  Her words rang with desperation.

  Ryo smiled faintly, nodding. “Then let’s make the impossible… possible. Right here, right now.”

  Everyone stared, stunned. Aurelia began to whimper, clinging to hope—praying that what she longed for was not just a dream, but a wish that could finally come true.

  Fairy Greatmother scratched her head, about to question. “Mr. Detective, what ar—”

  But before she could finish, Ryo leaned toward Fairy Greatmother and whispered everything—how the impossible could be made possible—and mentioned the Fairy Godmother’s Rebirth grimoire.

  Fairy Greatmother gasped. She remembered that the grimoire could turn someone who was ‘on the verge of death—or not completely dead’—into a Fairy Godmother, just like the first ruler of Lunaveth.

  In Aurelia’s case… she wasn’t completely dead. She could still feel warmth in her chest.

  Fairy Greatmother turned to Cinderella with sudden purpose.

  She raised her wand, smiling. “Cinderella, let’s get you all cleaned up… before you can embrace your mother.”

  Cinderella’s eyes widened. “Eh? But—”

  Fairy Greatmother twirled her wand over Cinderella, and golden glitter danced around her. Cinderella’s gray gown shimmered and transformed into comfortable, everyday casual wear. The soot and ash on her skin vanished as well.

  She looked fresh, neat, and tidy.

  Then Ryo ordered Barkface and Barkzilla to dig Aurelia’s grave.

  The two canines saluted and approached the grave—but before they could begin, Cinderella panicked.

  “Wait! Peanuts!” she shouted.

  Barkface perked up and turned around.

  “And you too, Cuddles!” she added. Barkzilla also stopped, tilting his head in confusion.

  Both canines looked puzzled by the sudden mission abort.

  Ryo raised a brow. “What’s wrong?”

  Cinderella folded her hands, worry etched on her face. “Are you really sure about this? Digging my mother’s grave… is my mother really around here? Do you really see her? Is she really beside me?”

  Ryo rolled his eyes and thought. “Really…? This trope… when the character suddenly interferes with something important and drags it out with a ridiculously long emotional speech just to stop me from digging up a body for the long-awaited revival trope. NOPE! No time for that nonsense.”

  He turned to the ghostly Aurelia, gave her a smug grin, and gave her a confident thumbs-up.

  Aurelia blinked, confused by his gesture.

  Ryo’s expression turned serious. “Continue, my agents. The revival trope must happen without delay.”

  The two canines’ eyes sparkled with excitement. With renewed purpose, they dove into the grave, digging fast and deep.

  “EEEEHHHH!!!” Cinderella blurted. This was the first time her animal companions had ignored her.

  Minutes passed. They dug down six feet, until suddenly, tap!

  The canines hit something solid and stopped. Barkzilla brushed the soil away with his paws—and there it was: a glass coffin.

  Everyone peered into the grave, their eyes widening.

  Ryo whispered, awe-struck. “Woah… is that the glass coffin from Snow White?!”

  It was true. As Rosalind had mentioned before, Aurelia had been buried in a glass coffin.

  Aurelia hovered nervously, fear tightening her ghostly chest. She closed her eyes and covered her face with both hands, unable to look at her own body.

  Fairy Greatmother flicked her wand. Slowly, the glass coffin levitated, lifted from the grave, and gently landed on the grass. The canines leapt off the coffin as it settled.

  Dust covered the surface of the coffin. Aurelia’s ghost hovered closer, trembling, peeking nervously through her fingers.

  Ryo took a cloth and a bottle of water from his bag, poured some water onto the cloth, and began wiping the glass coffin—revealing the head first.

  Cinderella gasped.

  There she was… Aurelia’s face finally visible. It had not rotted, as Rosalind had told from her story. She had not aged in nineteen years, her youth perfectly preserved.

  It was like looking at a slightly older version of Cinderella herself—both ghostly and physical Aurelia shared the same face, the same gentle, familiar features.

  Then Ryo slowly opened the coffin. The world seemed to hold its breath as everyone gazed at Aurelia’s body in full.

  Cinderella dropped to her knees, crawling toward her mother, tears streaming freely.

  “Mama… MAMAAAA!” she sobbed, pressing her palms and face against her mother’s chest. “I… I wanted to meet you… I wanted to walk with you, laugh with you, play with you… cook with you… have meals with you… just… just be with you, Mama! I’ve dreamed of this every day for so long!”

  The ghostly Aurelia hovered close, her ethereal arms wrapping around Cinderella’s back. Though she could not fully touch her daughter, she mimicked the embrace as best she could.

  “My child… my beloved child… I wanted to do the same, to hold you close, hear you laugh, feel your warmth, never leave your side… I have longed to be with you, to live for you, to watch you grow… I’ve waited for this moment my whole existence!” Aurelia’s voice trembled, desperation and love spilling into every word.

  Fairy Greatmother and Vesmyra’s eyes glistened with tears at the sight. The animals watched silently, their eyes soft with emotion.

  Vesmyra gently leaned in, placing a comforting hand on Cinderella’s shoulder.

  Ryo examined the linen wrapped around Aurelia’s neck—it was weathered, frayed by time. The burial gown was similarly worn. Yet her body remained untouched by age, youthful and perfect.

  Carefully, Ryo unwrapped the linen from her neck. The slash wound inflicted by Edmund nineteen years ago was gone, healed as if it had never existed.

  He paused, wondering what had caused Aurelia to feel warmth in her chest. Of course, he knew the glass coffin held some kind of magic crafted by the dwarfs. But even now, after Fairy Greatmother had thoroughly examined it, she still couldn’t explain it—the magic of this glass coffin was too mysterious.

  Ryo then politely asked Cinderella to move aside. She obeyed, sniffling and wiping her tears.

  Ryo turned to the ghostly Aurelia. “Madam… would it be alright if I checked your… uhh… chest? I’ve done this before, back in my police days… autopsies. I’ll be careful. May I?”

  Aurelia blushed furiously, and reluctantly nodded. She would allow anything if it meant a chance at revival.

  Ryo gently slipped his hand beneath the chest area of her burial gown, covering it with a cloth with his other hand to maintain her modesty.

  The ghostly Aurelia squealed, embarrassed.

  He pressed carefully, feeling for anything—the warmth she had always felt as a ghost.

  Then, ba-dum… ba-dum…

  Ryo gasped. Not only did he feel a faint warmth, but also a heartbeat. Weak, trembling, but undeniably alive.

  Everyone watched his reaction, curious.

  Ryo then checked her wrist—weak pulse. He moved to her nose and mouth, placing his ear near them.

  A faint breath escaped her mouth, inhalation through her nose. Weak, shallow, but unmistakably life.

  It was as Fairy Greatmother had said: Aurelia was more like asleep.

  This was strange for Fairy Greatmother as well—she swore she hadn’t felt a heartbeat or breath when she examined Aurelia’s grave the first time. So what kind of magic lay within that glass coffin that kept her from detecting life?

  Ryo’s eyes scanned her body, then the ghostly Aurelia beside him.

  A question formed in his mind, tinged with awe and disbelief. “Is she really… fully a ghost?”

  But that’s when Ryo remembered—back in his geeky, internet-obsessed childhood days, he had once read about spirit projection, a phenomenon where a person’s spirit or consciousness temporarily leaves their physical body, while the body remains alive but often unconscious or unresponsive.

  That… that could explain Aurelia’s current state.

  Ryo straightened, turning to Fairy Greatmother. “Ma’am, you may proceed.”

  Fairy Greatmother smiled warmly and nodded. “Very well, my dear.”

  Aurelia’s breath caught, a hopeful gleam spreading across her face. “Eh?! Is it really happening?!”

  Even Cinderella whispered, wide-eyed. “Could it be…?”

  With a graceful flick of her wand, Fairy Greatmother summoned the ‘Fairy Godmother’s Rebirth’ grimoire, floating mid-air.

  She opened it to a precise page, the title shining in gold, ancient letters: “The Birth of the Fairy Godmother.”

  Fairy Greatmother instructed everyone to step back, leaving her alone by Aurelia’s body.

  “Hover above your body, Aurelia,” she said softly, and Aurelia obediently rose, hands folded over her chest, casting a tender glance at her daughter with a soft smile before closing her eyes.

  Then Fairy Greatmother began chanting the revival spell, her voice steady, melodic, and imbued with magic that made the very air shimmer.

  “Hush, O night, and still, O land,

  Bear witness now to a wondrous birth.

  From mortal rest where silence lay,

  A brighter path shall rise today.

  By gentle heart and selfless hand,

  By unseen grace through mortal span,

  Her spirit pure shall rise above,

  Crowned by mercy, bound by love.

  No longer bound by time’s decay,

  But light eternal to guide the way.

  By star’s decree and moonbeam’s art,

  A guardian wakes with timeless heart.

  O kindred soul, take up thy flame,

  Thy gentle will, thy hallowed name.

  Not death, but change, thy fate shall be—

  A Fairy Godmother, eternally free.

  So rise, O spirit, in glory untold,

  Bathed in white, crowned in gold.

  Let all the heavens proclaim her worth,

  The Godmother born, a light to land.

  And let the world in wonder see—

  The birth of magic’s destiny.”

  Aurelia’s body shimmered in pure white, rising gently into the air while still lying flat on her back. White, radiant wind spiraled around her, twisting and dancing like a living aura.

  Her ghostly form opened her eyes, voice barely more than a whisper carried on the wind.

  “Cinderella… my child… I love you… and I always have… even after nineteen long years.”

  Cinderella’s breath caught. She could finally hear her.

  Suddenly, Aurelia’s ghostly form shimmered brighter, turning a pure, glowing white. Cinderella gasped—she could finally see her mother’s ethereal presence.

  “Mama… is that… you?” Cinderella whispered, voice trembling.

  Aurelia smiled softly, eyes shining. “Yes, my child. You can finally see me… I’m here.”

  Cinderella’s lips quivered as tears welled up.

  Aurelia’s ghostly form began to dissolve into luminous particles, drifting gently toward her physical body.

  HHHHHHMMMMMMM… FWWWWOOOOOOOMMMM!… WHHHHHOOOOOOOOSSSHHHH!

  Aurelia’s body erupted in radiant white light. A magical wind swirled around her, twisting into a glowing vortex.

  Slowly, a white robe formed around her, flowing elegantly. A golden crown settled upon her head. Her body straightened, regal and alive.

  A snowflake-tipped wand materialized in her right hand. She drifted down, landing softly on the grass. The glow around her gradually faded, leaving her luminous and fully present.

  Aurelia slowly opened her eyes and blinked rapidly, her vision slowly coming into focus. She touched her arms, her body, her face, her chest… and gasped, whispering in awe.

  “Am I… really… alive?”

  Fairy Greatmother gently tapped her back. “Yes, Aurelia, my dear… you are.”

  Ryo crossed his arms, whistling with genuine awe. “Woah! Never have I ever… seen a real-life revival trope actually happen in front of me. And I’ve seen some weird stuff in my life.”

  Cinderella couldn’t contain herself. “MAMA!” she shouted, running forward, arms wide.

  “MY CHILD!” Aurelia cried, arms mirroring her daughter’s, rushing into a warm embrace. Aurelia’s hands brushed Cinderella’s hair, holding her close.

  Aurelia’s voice cracked, overflowing with joy and relief.

  “OH, MY SWEET CHILD! It’s been so long… far too long… since I’ve felt your warmth, Cinderella! I never imagined I’d be able to hold you like this again!”

  Cinderella’s heart swelled, voice trembling with happiness.

  “ME TOO, MAMA! Even though I was just a baby when we were separated, I always felt… something missing… a warmth I didn’t understand… and now I know it was you, my real mother, all along!”

  They sank to their knees on the grass, sobbing freely, tears streaming without restraint. Aurelia then pulled back and held her hands on both Cinderellas cheeks, and hugged her child again.

  Ryo, hands in his pockets, smiled quietly.

  Vesmyra and Fairy Greatmother’s eyes glistened with happy tears, silently witnessing the long-awaited reunion.

  Even the animal agents sniffled, moved by the heartfelt scene.

  The footman and coachman, pride in their posture, handed out handkerchiefs generously, as if honoring the sacredness of this moment, and then, after serving their purpose, they disappeared—along with the unicorn and banana carriage.

  The grove echoed with cries of joy, love, and reunion—mother and daughter finally, miraculously together again.

  Ryo gave them the time they needed, quietly stepping back as they cried their hearts out. Ten long minutes passed before the tears subsided, and Aurelia and Cinderella finally rose to their feet, wiping away the last tears of joy from their eyes.

  Aurelia turned to Ryo and Fairy Greatmother, gratitude shining in her expression. She thanked them deeply—for rescuing her child from captivity, for reuniting them, and even for granting her the impossible gift of revival. Fairy Greatmother gently reminded her that none of it would have been possible without Ryo’s perceptive eyes, sharp mind, and relentless will; even she would not have realized Aurelia could be revived if he hadn’t mentioned the Fairy Godmother’s Rebirth grimoire.

  Ryo only scratched the back of his head, replying modestly that it was nothing—that he was only doing his job as a detective. Though, he admitted with a crooked grin, he never expected to be wrapped up in the revival trope of the mother of the world’s most famous protagonist.

  Cinderella tilted her head at that, puzzled, and asked him directly why he kept calling her a “protagonist.”

  But Ryo didn’t answer. Instead, he suddenly took out his notebook and pen from his coat pocket, flipping to a blank page. He held it out to Cinderella with surprising seriousness and asked for her autograph.

  The young woman blinked, entirely confused, and asked what an “autograph” even was.

  Ryo explained with pride that it was something he intended to frame and display in his office—a treasured keepsake. More than that, he joked that it would make a certain rat from the “Rodents Cheddar Kingdom” burn with jealousy, because he had met the real-life Cinderella before that rat ever could.

  Still baffled, Cinderella took the notebook and pen, asking what exactly she should write. Ryo instructed her plainly: just her signature, along with a message that read, “I met Ryo Kuroda, the strange foreign man from Japan, and he is a wonderful detective.”

  Cinderella stared at him for a long moment, even more confused than before, but eventually resigned herself to his odd request. She wrote down her signature and the message just as he asked, then returned the notebook to him.

  Ryo’s eyes lit up instantly, sparkling with boyish triumph as he clutched the notebook to his chest. He swore silently that he would cherish this autograph and message forever—that he would display it proudly on the front desk of his office for all future clients and visitors to see, and even brag about it at every chance.

  Of course, what he didn’t yet realize was that many people back on Earth would never believe him.

  And Aurelia, watching the scene, couldn’t help but smile. She was proud—proud of the impact her daughter had, even in this strange “Rodents Cheddar Kingdom” Ryo spoke of. Though she only half believed in his outrageous words, the way he said it with such conviction almost made her want to believe it entirely.

  Then Aurelia asked her daughter. “My child, do you have a wish?”

  “A wish?” Cinderella tilted her head. “What do you mean by that, Mama?”

  “Has there ever been something in your life that made things difficult… something you wished you could remove, so your burdens would be lighter?” Aurelia asked gently.

  “But why would you ask me that, Mama?” Cinderella wondered.

  Aurelia smiled softly. “Because now that I have returned, I carry the role of the Fairy Godmother. I hold the power to grant wishes—sometimes small, sometimes great. And if it eases your heart, I shall grant yours.”

  Fairy Greatmother nodded in confirmation, her tone calm but assured.

  “It is true, Cinderella, my dear. Your mother’s gift is now similar to mine. As once I dressed you in a golden gown on the night of your first royal ball, so too can she reshape your life with grace.”

  Cinderella lowered her eyes to the grass, in deep thought, then lifted her gaze back to her mother.

  “I wish… for my ice powers to be gone forever.”

  Ryo blinked. “Oh? So you’re saying you wanna be fully human?”

  Cinderella gave a faint smile. “Why yes. I want to live my life without fear—without worrying that my ice powers will spiral out of control every time I fall into despair. It’s been such a burden.”

  Her voice softened, almost apologetic as she turned to Aurelia. “I’m sorry, Mama. I know you’re not human, and I carry your blood. That’s why this power rests in me. So… it may sound cruel to say I don’t want it anymore, but…” She clutched her skirt tightly, voice trembling. “Is it too much to wish for that?”

  Aurelia did not hesitate. She slowly shook her head, smiling. “No, my precious child.” She placed a tender hand upon her daughter’s shoulder. “All I have ever wanted is for you to live free… to know warmth instead of chains. Even I once struggled with these powers when I was young. They raged out of my control, hurting those around me, until my old kingdom feared me and cast me into exile. I know how heavy that burden is. And so, I shall grant your wish. Gladly. For no gift is greater to me than your freedom.”

  “Mama…” Cinderella whispered, her eyes brimming. She threw her arms around Aurelia, holding her tightly, gratitude flooding her heart. Aurelia embraced her back, relieved she could finally do something—something truly motherly—for her daughter, even if it was in a magical way.

  Then, Aurelia stepped back, raising her snowflake-tipped wand. With a graceful twirl, frost-like glitter spiraled around Cinderella.

  Cinderella’s body shimmered faintly in light blue. A sky-colored orb of ice emerged from her chest, pulsing once before it cracked and shattered into stardust that dissolved into the wind. The glow around her body slowly faded.

  “How do you feel, my dear?” Fairy Greatmother asked softly.

  Cinderella lifted her hand, rubbing her palm. That familiar coldness was gone. She tested it, letting her mind dip into sorrow—but no frost, no chill, no uncontrolled magic burst forth.

  Her breath caught. “It’s gone… I feel… warmer.” Her eyes widened, her smile bursting with light. She turned to her animal friends, shouting with joy, “Everyone! I feel warmer!”

  The animal agents cheered in their voices and rushed to her, toppling her into the grass. She laughed freely, her joy ringing brighter than ever.

  “Coo cooo!” McPecker cooed, louder than usual.

  “MEW!” Whiskers cried, rubbing his head against her chin.

  Cinderella giggled, rubbing McPecker’s head. “Thank you, Muffin.” Then she snuggled her cheek against Whiskers. “And thank you too, Honeybun.”

  Cinderella was no longer half-Frostreaver. She was simply… human. A normal, happy girl.

  She no longer needed the Glass Slippers to contain her powers, since her icy abilities were gone. She handed the slippers to her mother, who made them vanish with her wand. Fairy Greatmother then gave Cinderella a pair of ordinary boots to wear.

  Ryo, watching with his hands in his pockets, muttered under his breath.

  “Ah, happy endings… the good stuff. Hope those critics who thrive on heartbreak take notes instead of writing angry essays online.”

  He muttered again, smirking to himself. “And maybe next time, they won’t flip their tables so hard they break the legs.”

  The moment Ryo said that…

  Everyone on earth felt it—an invisible finger pointing, mocking, daring them to object. The world erupted into total, unrestrained chaos. Tables flew through the air like guided missiles, chairs spun across rooms, and desks vaulted over office walls. Pens, papers, coffee mugs, and laptops became airborne weapons in the great furniture war. People shoved each other, tripped spectacularly over their own feet, and wildly gestured at invisible insults. Some collapsed dramatically onto the floor, clutching their chests as if the universe had personally insulted them, while others flung chairs with the strength of seasoned athletes.

  One particularly ambitious table rocketed straight into the stratosphere, spinning past planes, jets, and even a launched rocket, nearly escaping Earth’s atmosphere. Onlookers below gaped in awe and terror, unsure whether to scream or salute the flying furniture.

  Meanwhile, another unlucky table—launched with equally insane force—isekai’d itself into a cliched fantasy world, smacking the heroic protagonist squarely on the head. He collapsed unconscious while his harem stood nearby, panicked and tearful, unsure how to revive their fallen hero.

  But the chaos didn’t stop there: yet another table was flung into the same world, hitting the demon lord squarely on the head and killing it instantly. The heroes’ prophecy to save the world was rendered pointless, leaving the goddess who had summoned him utterly stunned, her role seemingly meaningless—all because a single, ordinary table had saved the world instead.

  Back on Earth, the table-flipping frenzy continued relentless. People slammed, kicked, and hurled furniture in perfect, chaotic synchrony. Coffee spilled everywhere, papers rained down like confetti, and some tables ricocheted off walls, hitting unsuspecting coworkers.

  Entire offices, classrooms, and homes became arenas of absurd human fury, each act of over-the-top outrage feeding into the next. Every person on Earth seemed simultaneously furious, helpless, and wildly theatrical—utterly undone by Ryo’s comment, which they weren’t aware of but could feel.

  By the time the dust settled—or at least slowed—millions of tables had been flipped, thrown, or launched into orbit, and civilization collectively realized: nobody had been safe from the chaos unleashed by a single casual line.

  Back in Evendelle…

  Above the village square, two figures floated high, looking down at the village. They were positioned a little apart from each other.

  It was Carabosse and Petyr Pann.

  Carabosse, her fan close to her mouth, glanced to the side and asked. “Little boy… what is with that awful dress and hat you are wearing?”

  Petyr Pann sighed, feeling hurt. “Your Grace… this pirate outfit’s cool. The hat and eye patch—I stole them all from Captain Hook’s ship.” He pouted, arms crossed. “Kinda hurts when you call it ugly. I picked the best ones.”

  Petyr Pann continued, “And besides, I want to look more fashionable for this moment… the most hyped-up moment when we unleash the Vrakuls upon Evendelle.” He backflipped while floating and cheered loudly, fist punching the sky. “YEEEEHHAAAWW!!!!”

  Back in the grove…

  Ryo’s eyes widened, his face darkening. He heard the echoing cheer, and it even reached the grove where his group was. That cheer gave him a bad feeling—it sounded way too familiar.

  Ryo immediately told Fairy Greatmother that they should all return to the village immediately. Petyr Pann and Carabosse were probably there, continuing their chaos. Everyone in the grove gasped and agreed.

  Aurelia said that she would teleport everyone to the village square using her newly acquired Fairy Godmother power. She lifted her snowflake-tipped wand and cast the teleportation spell. The ground beneath them all lit up, and a white magic circle appeared. In the next instant, everyone vanished, and they were teleported to the village square.

  Everyone in Ryo’s group then gazed up and saw the two villains.

  Petyr Pann perked up as he saw Ryo’s group and waved down. “Hey detective! Nice to see you again,” he grinned. “Maaaan, the old lady and the pets sure gave me a blow to the head earlier.”

  Vesmyra, offended, pointed sharply. “DON’T YOU DARE CALL ME AN OLD LADY AGAIN, YOU FOOLISH CHILD!”

  Petyr Pann put his hands on his cheeks, pretending to be horrified. “OH NO! The ‘getting hit because I called her an old lady’ trope is about to happen again!”

  Ryo’s face darkened, serious. “Okay, kid… enough with calling out the clichés. What are you two up to this time? I’m not here to work overtime—I just finished my detective job in this world, finding Cinderella,” he gestured to her. “Look, the protagonist, safe and sound.” He clenched his fist, annoyed, eyes twitching. “So can you both give up and leave?” Then, sounding bitter, he added, “Or I’ll charge you both extra on ma’am’s behalf!”

  Carabosse’s lips curled into a sly smile. “We won’t do that. With the black shards gone, I can’t rule Evendelle by force anymore — so I’ll obliterate it instead.”

  “WOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWW,” Ryo said, baffled. “Not the type to give up just because you feel bitter over losing, huh? HOW ORIGINAL!” He whipped out his gun and aimed at them. “In that case… let’s end this here before you bastards cause any more trouble in this kingdom. I’m not really in the mood to drag out fights.”

  Petyr Pann smirked sinisterly. “Okay detective… but we’re not the only ones you’re gonna face in a shounen battle.”

  Ryo’s voice dropped low, cautious. “What the hell are you on about, kid?”

  Petyr Pann reached into his pocket and pulled out an object.

  Ryo’s eyes slowly widened in horror. He knew that object too well—from his previous case in Al-Munira.

  {The Celestial Compass}

  Ryo’s breath caught. He remembered the compass was thrown into the ‘Gate of Malevolent Spirit’ back in the black pyramid, thanks to Amina and Aladdin’s help. The black pyramid itself had even sunk into the sand, along with the gate, to prevent anyone foolish enough from finding it again. Mr. Grim had made sure of that.

  So why… why is the Celestial Compass with Petyr Pann now? And in this fairytale world? Despite already being sunk into the hidden lands of Al-Munira back on Earth?

  Ryo shouted, furious. “WHY THE F**K DO YOU HAVE THAT WITH YOU?!”

  Petyr Pann then raised the compass, about to chant.

  Ryo gasped and aimed his gun squarely at Petyr Pann before he could speak. If he chanted, the Vrakuls would be unleashed like before.

  But then Ryo froze. What Petyr Pann started chanting left him baffled and stunned.

  Petyr Pann began. “YO GATE OF MALEVOLENT SPIRITS — I’M UNLOCKING Y’ALL. GO OFF, BREAK STUFF, THROW SHADE, SPREAD CHAOS, TREND ON MORTALS, AND MAKE IT VIRAL. NO CAP. #ChaosMode #VillainVibes #WreckItTime #MainCharacterEnergy #EpicAF #MoodForever #BigBrainEvil #IDontDoChill #CosmicDrama #UnleashTheSpirits #AbsoluteMadness #PeakVillain #SendIt #ApocalypseReady #LOLFrFr!”

  Ryo’s group just stared at Petyr Pann, completely speechless at the absurdity of the chant.

  Petyr Pann blinked, lowered his hand, and stared at the compass. “Huh? Why is it not working? I swear I was able to release some Vrakuls last time.”

  Carabosse glared at him and threw her fan. SMACK! It hit him square on the head.

  “OUCH!” Petyr clutched his head in pain.

  Carabosse shouted. “WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU CHANTING, YOU STUPID LITTLE BOY!!!”

  Petyr Pann panicked, fumbling. “B-b-but your grace! It worked last time!”

  “THAT’S THE WRONG CHANT, YOU MONGREL!” Carabosse snapped.

  “Oh! Right! Hahaha…” Petyr Pann laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

  Then Petyr Pann raised his hand and began chanting again.

  Ryo aimed and shouted. “EVERYONE! TAKE HIM DOWN BEFORE HE FINISHES THE CHANT!”

  BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

  Aurelia told the animals to take care of Cinderella, and then she quickly teleported her daughter and the animals back to the grove, ensuring they would be safe from the chaos.

  Vesmyra, Aurelia, and Fairy Greatmother began unleashing attack spells at Petyr Pann, but he dodged them effortlessly. Carabosse even cast defensive spells to protect him from the attacks.

  While dodging, Petyr Pann chanted correctly this time.

  “OH, GATE OF MALEVOLENT SPIRITS, I HEREBY UNLOCK YOU AND RELEASE YOU FROM YOUR RESTRAINTS!”

  The Celestial Compass began glowing, pulsing with a sinister purple-black light.

  Ryo gritted his teeth. “SH*T!”

  Suddenly, a tall black monolith of a gate appeared, hovering in the air between the villains. Ryo’s eyes widened in horror—the same gate from the black pyramid in Al-Munira. It pushed open wide.

  This time, no burst of purple or black light poured out, but a deafening ROOOOAAAR shook the air.

  A giant horned Vrakul head slowly emerged from the gate. Ryo recognized it immediately—it was the same Vrakul he had once kicked in the face when he gained the Crimson Gunslinger power from Mr. Grim.

  Fairy Greatmother and Vesmyra stared in horror, remembering this gate—the void that had pulled in Thalirea fifteen years ago, before she became Carabosse.

  The giant horned Vrakul turned its head toward Ryo, full of hate, pointing at him with its massive arm, and roared.

  Petyr Pann smirked. “OF COURSE, BOSS!”

  He dashed downward, drew his dagger. “Ready for a shounen battle of our own, detective?” Petyr slashed at him excitedly.

  Ryo quickly put away his gun, slid both tonfas from his sleeves, and raised them in defense. CLANG! He was pushed back, skidding across the ground, resisting Petyr’s impact.

  Petyr continued slashing while laughing. Ryo hit back with his tonfas, but Petyr dodged, keeping the melee going. Ryo’s palm was slightly cut, bleeding, while Petyr took a hit to the face from a tonfa. They exchanged blow after blow.

  While fighting, Ryo remembered back in the ballroom that Carabosse had told him they received orders to kill him. Perhaps the horned Vrakul was the one who gave those orders, furious because Ryo had once sent it flying back into the gate with a powerful kick in Al-Munira, inside the black pyramid. It was only a guess, but it could very well be true.

  Ryo couldn’t do much in his current form; he was just a regular detective, without the Silver Armed Sniper or Crimson Gunslinger powers that once allowed him to fight the Vrakuls easily.

  Suddenly, ghostly Vrakuls began flying out of the gate, shrieking, and started destroying rooftops. People sleeping in their homes woke up to the chaos, looked out the windows, and saw the devastation. They quickly fled their homes in panic, escaping the village before they could be harmed. Fairy Greatmother and Vesmyra covered the villagers with defensive spells, ensuring they all got out safely.

  Vesmyra, watching her stepdaughter, felt fury and frustration boil like molten fire. She had once taken in Thalirea with love, but now Thalirea had become Carabosse—pure evil and destructive. Her eyes widened violently; something inside her snapped, and her pupils shrank to pinpoints, a storm of wrath burning behind them.

  “As of today… Thalirea… you… no… Carabosse,” she whispered through gritted teeth. Then, shouting to the heavens, she yelled, “I HEREBY DISOWN PERMANENTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  Fairy Greatmother glanced at Vesmyra. Seeing that her daughter had reached her limit, she knew she could no longer consider Carabosse her granddaughter either.

  Glowing with golden light, Fairy Greatmother flew forward and began casting attack spells at the small ghostly Vrakuls, destroying them one by one. Aurelia joined in, helping to eliminate the ghostly Vrakuls.

  Vesmyra spread her wings and unleashed deadly attacks at Carabosse.

  Carabosse’s grin widened with evil delight. “Good! I never saw you as a mother in the first place.” She counterattacked, and the two clashed in a fierce battle.

  Aurelia lowered her wand, breathing heavily, exhausted from the endless attacks. Her eyes caught the giant horned Vrakul, halfway through crawling out of the gate. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

  Ever since her revival and gaining the Fairy Godmother powers, Aurelia had also acquired vast knowledge of spells that came with it. Among them was one spell—a spell that could end all this madness. It could completely close the gate and push the giant horned Vrakul back before it fully emerged.

  But the spell came at a cost. Using it would strip Aurelia of her Fairy Godmother powers. The overwhelming energy might even cost her life. She didn’t know if she would survive. Yet, for the kingdom of Evendelle—and for her daughter’s chance to live in peace—Aurelia made her choice.

  She would cast the spell, no matter the risk.

  Aurelia raised her wand, her voice steady but resolute as she began chanting:

  “By star and moon, by sun and flame,

  I bind thee, spirit, in Heaven’s name.

  Chains of light, from dawn to night,

  Fetter the beast, restrain its might.

  By cosmic will, by eternal hand,

  I weave the lock across this land.

  Gate of shadow, gate of pain,

  Feel the chains, be bound again.

  Not death, but change, my power I yield,

  To forge a seal no force can wield.

  By runes of light and sacred breath,

  I cast thee back, O harbinger of death.

  Rise no more, nor pierce our plane,

  By my sacrifice, thy wrath is chained.

  Let all the heavens bear witness today—

  The abyss is closed, the dark held at bay.”

  Suddenly, giant chains of light erupted into midair, coiling tightly around the giant horned Vrakul’s massive body. Another set of chains spiraled around the gate itself, gradually forcing it to close inward.

  The giant horned Vrakul roared in outrage, thrashing and struggling against the glowing bonds.

  Carabosse, still locked in combat with Vesmyra, stared in horror. The Gate of Malevolent Spirits she had fought to open was now closing. Her gaze snapped to Aurelia, panic flashing across her face. She clenched her teeth, furious, and raised her wand to stop the spell.

  But before Carabosse could cast, Vesmyra lunged forward with precise fury, landing a powerful punch squarely on Carabosse’s face. Carabosse flew backward, crashing into the village square fountain. The impact shattered the fountain completely, leaving a jagged crater where it once stood.

  Vesmyra didn’t hesitate. She unleashed a barrage of deadly water spells at Carabosse while the villain lay sprawled on the fountain remains. Her anger burned too intensely to hold back. The betrayal cut too deep.

  Vesmyra’s mind raced as she attacked: the way Carabosse—once Thalirea—had acted now, the full extent of her evil deeds, left no room for mercy. Ever since Vesmyra had adopted Thalirea, she had felt a nagging unease. Every moment of apparent innocence, every gesture of obedience—it had all felt like an act, a carefully maintained mask. Vesmyra realized with bitter clarity that Thalirea, now Carabosse, may have been plotting in secret all along, biding her time, waiting until she was older and the perfect opportunity arose to strike. Even the day she was dragged into the void might have been part of that long-conceived plan. Vesmyra still loved her no matter what, but now… this felt more like a betrayal.

  The realization fueled Vesmyra’s power. Her attacks struck faster, harder, without pause, as the chains of light around the Vrakul and the gate continued to tighten, bringing the spell closer to its devastating conclusion.

  Meanwhile…

  While Ryo was still in combat with Petyr Pann…

  The villain kept mocking him—pushing him back, calling him weak, and spouting childish insults. Ryo was having a hard time fighting him because Petyr was stubborn and swift; it was like battling a crazy kid spiraling completely out of control.

  But then Petyr Pann heard the groaning of the gate closing and the horned Vrakul’s roar as it struggled against the chains of light. His breath caught; he paused the fight with Ryo and turned to look.

  Ryo took a step back, thinking. “Oh? The classic ‘pause the fight and turn around because the enemy was distracted by something’ trope? Bad idea, kid.”

  He remembered how durable Petyr had been when one of Ryo’s agents struck him from the sky and sent him crashing into the farmland — Petyr had survived that without dying. That told Ryo Petyr’s body could take a lot. Ryo also remembered the human pressure points he’d studied — the ones that could disable a person fast — and a plan formed in his head.

  Ryo noticed the Celestial Compass tucked in Petyr Pann’s thigh pocket. Quiet as a shadow, he closed the distance and snatched it.

  Petyr felt the emptiness in his pocket and spun around, but it was too late.

  With a single hard swing of his tonfa, Ryo struck Petyr’s nape. Petyr’s limbs went floppy; he stumbled.

  Ryo muttered. “You should’ve done your homework by watching more cliché battle shounens to piece things together, kid.”

  Ryo followed up with a strike to Petyr’s chest core. The body stiffened.

  “Because when there’s a distraction,” Ryo muttered, “usually the enemy looks away while the protagonist does all that useless waiting, giving the enemy a chance to take a break for a moment before looking back…”

  He hit the middle back nodes. Petyr’s arms and legs seized; he almost fell.

  “…but with me? I’m not waiting…” Ryo continued, and drove a strike into Petyr’s throat cluster. Petyr twitched, motions jerky.

  “…because when there’s an opening…” Ryo hit the lower belly port; Petyr froze, eyes flickering.

  “…I immediately seize the opportunity and strike. I do not do that pathetic ‘waiting for the enemy to look back’ nonsense…” Ryo said as he spun, then struck the shin brace. Petyr’s legs collapsed; he slammed face-first into the ground.

  Ryo smirked. “Because… that’s how the protagonist always loses or the fight drags on for multiple episodes.”

  Petyr’s vision blurred; the world spun. “SH*T! I need to get out of here!! Gotta get that compass back fast!” he thought.

  Even weakened, Petyr could still fly. He can grab the Celestial Compass with his mouth and shot upward.

  Ryo held the compass in his hand. “Looking for this, kid?”

  Petyr’s eyes widened; he raised his head and shouted. “YO! GIVE IT BACK, DAMN IT!”

  “Then come and get it,” Ryo said, and threw the compass high into the air.

  Petyr shot after it, Ryo drew his gun and aimed it at the cursed artifact. Time seemed to stretch—his mind racing even as the world slowed. If he shot the compass now, would the gate close completely? Back in Al?Munira, both the compass and Malakar had to be thrown through the gate for it to shut.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  If he destroyed the compass here, could the gate seal without throwing Petyr or Carabosse inside?

  His eyes flicked to Aurelia—the caster forcing the gate closed—then to the giant horned Vrakul being slowly pushed back by the chains of light. Would destroying the compass be enough to finish the job, or would the gate hang open unless the villains were sent through?

  And then, he made his decision…

  Ryo’s gaze cut back to the artifact, steady and cold. In a near?whisper, with a gamer?calm voice.

  “Zeroing Complete. That cursed compass from hell? Absolute delete incoming. No hacks, no mods, no respawns, no cheat codes can save it. Endgame mode activated — and I’m making sure of it.”

  He pulled the trigger five times: BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

  Petyr was almost on the compass, mouth open — but Ryo’s bullets arrived first. CRACK! The Celestial Compass SHATTERED into shards.

  Petyr gasped, choking the word. “NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!”

  Near passing out from pain and force, Petyr shot himself above the clouds and lost consciousness mid-flight; eyes rolled back, white.

  The colossal horned Vrakul roared, convulsing in agony as the destruction of the compass sent violent shockwaves rippling through its massive body. Its resistance faded; the chains of light tightened. The gate drew shut and dragged the monster back inside. Slowly, the gate vanished into nothing. Fairy Greatmother finished off the last of the ghostly Vrakuls.

  Carabosse, still resisting Vesmyra’s deadly attacks, forced herself upward through the sky, snatched Petyr Pann’s unconscious body, and rocketed away into the distance.

  With a low, guttural hiss, Carabosse looked back down. “Curse you all… You’ll pay for this.” Then, fixing her glare on Ryo, she screamed, “I SWEAR I’LL DESTROY YOU SOMEDAY, SO-CALLED SHERLOCK HOLMES!!!!”

  Ryo spun his gun with a cocky grin and said. “Mission complete. Boss fight won, fairytale kingdom saved — endgame achieved, and I’m the final boss.”

  Aurelia collapsed to the ground. Her radiant white robe vanished, replaced once more by the weathered burial gown. The glow of her Fairy Godmother power was gone—truly gone.

  Fairy Greatmother and Vesmyra rushed to her side, panic etched across their faces.

  “Aurelia! Are you alright?” they both cried, voices trembling.

  Aurelia’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion, dimming as if the light within her was fading.

  She whispered. “I guess… this is it… it seems that I am about to die… again…”

  Ryo stepped forward, concerned. “What’s happening?”

  “Aurelia is about to die!” Fairy Greatmother shouted, panic and desperation bleeding from her voice. She turned her gaze to Aurelia, her hands trembling. “Please… think of Cinderella. You’ve just come back after nineteen years, my dear… don’t leave her alone again!”

  Aurelia gave a faint, fragile smile, her lips quivering. “It’s alright… my daughter already… has a mother… and sisters from that manor… she should be fine.”

  Turning her gaze to Ryo, she whispered, voice full of gratitude and exhaustion.

  “Thank you… for everything… Ryo… I couldn’t have shut that gate without… your help… destroying that compass.”

  Her voice faltered, each word heavy with finality. “Ms… Roselia, please… take my daughter home… to the manor… and I can finally… ascend to heaven… knowing that… my daughter… is safe.”

  Slowly, her eyes closed.

  Fairy Greatmother and Vesmyra cried out in unison, their voices raw and broken. “NO!!”

  Once again, Aurelia passed away.

  The world seemed to still around them, the weight of her absence pressing down. Tears streamed freely, the village square caught in a hush of sorrow.

  The three that had witnessed her courage, her sacrifice, felt the sharp sting of loss.

  Vesmyra’s wings drooped, powerless yet furious, and Fairy Greatmother’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears, mourning the light that had just faded from their world.

  It was a moment of pure heartbreak, of love and sacrifice woven together.

  The cost of salvation painfully clear…

  “…”

  “…”

  “…”

  “…”

  Ryo deadpanned at Aurelia, his expression flat. Without a word, he reached into his bag, pulled out a bottle of water, opened it, and poured it over Aurelia’s face.

  “BLRGH!” Aurelia sputtered, coughing violently.

  Fairy Greatmother’s eyes widened in shock. “Eh?!”

  Aurelia quickly sat up, wheezing and coughing, then shot Ryo a glare. “Why did you do that, Ryo?!!!”

  Ryo, arms crossed, kept his deadpan tone. “Ooooooh, look at you, madam. After such a tearful, dramatic, heartbreaking dying speech… here you are, sitting up, lungs full of water, more alive than a frog in spring. Honestly, I didn’t know my detective work included resurrections AND water therapy.”

  Aurelia’s cheeks flamed red as she flailed and covered her face. “UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!! You didn’t have to call me out like that…”

  Vesmyra and Fairy Greatmother rushed forward, hugging her tightly. Vesmyra whispered with relief, “You’re really… alive… thank the stars!” Fairy Greatmother added, her voice soft but firm, “I was so worried… but now I see you’re safe. Truly safe.”

  Aurelia, still confused, asked weakly, “But earlier… I felt my hea—” Her vision blurred, and she clutched her head, wobbling backward. Panic returned to Vesmyra and Fairy Greatmother.

  Ryo immediately kneeled beside her, catching her back with a steady hand. He gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, madam. You’re just exhausted. That spell you unleashed to close the gate… it must’ve taken everything out of you.”

  He helped her sit up straight, then took off his trench coat. “Here, wear this. That weathered burial gown looked like it could tear any second.”

  Aurelia’s cheeks deepened in color as she looked down, feeling the exposed areas of her body. Ryo carefully helped her slip into the trench coat, giving her privacy.

  Turning his back with a sly grin, he said. “I’ll give you a piggyback to the manor.”

  Aurelia’s heart pounded at his thoughtfulness, her gaze softening. She gently climbed onto his back, resting against him. Ryo stood tall, steady and reliable as ever, ready to carry her safely to the manor.

  Vesmyra gently healed Ryo’s wounds after noticing a few spots of blood.

  Cinderella and her animal companions, who had been waiting nervously at the grove, were summoned back to the village square by Fairy Greatmother now that everything was settled and safe.

  Cinderella rushed to her mother, who was still perched on Ryo’s back, her voice trembling. “Mama, are you alright?”

  Aurelia smiled warmly, squeezing her daughter’s hand gently. “Yes, sweetheart, I’m alright.”

  Relief washed over Cinderella, and with that reassurance, the group set off toward the Ravenswood Manor.

  The villagers, who had been waiting in the fields outside the village, saw that the chaos and destruction had ended and began returning home. They were upset and furious to find their homes damaged—fortunately, not too severely—but the sight still left a bitter taste in their hearts.

  As Ryo’s group traveled, Cinderella’s brow furrowed, worry lingering in her chest. “But… what if the stepfamily still doesn’t accept me? I… I still feel unsure.”

  Ryo glanced at her, calm and confident. “You’ll be welcomed home with open arms, no problem. And don’t worry—you’re not alone. If anything goes wrong with the stepfamily, I’ll handle it.”

  Cinderella’s cheeks flushed, her heart skipping a beat. Ryo’s reliability and quiet strength made her feel safe, and undeniably… impressed.

  Aurelia, watching the exchange, felt a spark of jealousy she didn’t want to admit—but she also liked the detective. Without her daughter noticing, she leaned close to Ryo and murmured sultrily in his ear.

  “You’d make a good father to Cinderella.”

  Ryo’s face darkening in horror.

  Vesmyra, who had been following closely, had also witnessed the moment. A flush of jealousy colored her cheeks, and she quickly leaned in beside Ryo, whispering sultrily, “You’d make a great husband for me… and I want five children with you.”

  Cinderella, overhearing, gasped and declared loudly. “Then… I’ll become an even better bride for him!”

  Suddenly, all three women were competing for Ryo’s attention, their voices overlapping, begging, coaxing, and teasing. Ryo let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders sagging under the weight of another harem chaos.

  Fairy Greatmother, trailing quietly behind, muttered under her breath, eyes wide with disbelief.

  “Oh dear… Mr. Detective is about to become Cinderella’s husband and father, Aurelia’s husband, and my daughter’s husband all at once…”

  The time in Evendelle was now 5 AM.

  The sun had risen, its golden light spilling across the land. Birds began their morning songs, roosters crowed from the distant farms, and the cool breeze carried the scent of dew and fresh earth.

  Ryo’s group had finally arrived at the Ravenswood Manor.

  They stood some distance away.

  This was it for Cinderella—the moment she would face her stepfamily after a while. She wasn’t sure if she was ready. The memories of their cruelty still weighed heavy on her chest, the pain they caused after Edmund entered their lives. But Ryo had told her the truth—that Edmund’s cursed shards twisted them.

  Now she wondered—had her stepfamily returned to the people they once were, when they had been loving to her?

  For Aurelia, it had been 19 years since she last stood before this place. Here was where she entrusted her infant daughter into Madam Rosalind’s care. To stand here again, alive instead of dead, felt surreal. She wondered how Rosalind would react—seeing her alive, whole, and unchanged.

  Cinderella wanted to step forward, wanting to knock on the door, but her legs trembled. She hesitated.

  Aurelia gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll be alright, my child. Go on—greet your other family.”

  Though nervous, Cinderella took a deep breath, exhaled, and nodded and stepped forward. She raised her hand and knocked.

  Knock! Knock!

  She quickly stepped back, her heart pounding.

  Then… footsteps echoed from inside.

  The door creaked open. And there, standing in the doorway, were Seraphine… and Clarisse.

  The stepsisters froze, their eyes widening at the sight of Cinderella—the sister they had not seen for so long.

  Cinderella’s voice trembled as she spoke, clutching her skirt. “Good morning, Sister Seraphine… and Clarisse… I’m… home.”

  The stepsisters didn’t answer immediately. Their minds struggled to accept what their eyes saw. Was this really their beloved Cinderella?

  Seraphine slowly lifted her hand, gently taking hold of Cinderella’s. Her voice quivered. “Cinderella… is that… really you?”

  Clarisse whispered as she held Cinderella’s other hand. “Are you truly… our dear… sister, Cinderella?”

  They did not call her stepsister—only sister. As though she were their true blood.

  Cinderella’s tears spilled. Her voice shook. “Yes… it’s me… your sister.”

  Clarisse and Seraphine’s tears flowed as well. “CINDERELLA!” they cried, throwing their arms around her. They clung to her tightly, sobbing uncontrollably, calling her name over and over. They told her how much they had missed her, how empty life had been without her, how nothing felt right in her absence, and how overjoyed they were that she was safe after being kidnapped.

  This warmth—this love—Cinderella hadn’t felt in four long years. The embrace of her sisters, the care she once longed for. She sobbed and hugged them back, crying her heart out, finally home.

  Then… another figure appeared behind them.

  Her voice trembled. “Cinderella? My… child?” Madam Rosalind whispered.

  Cinderella gently pulled away from her sisters, her face still wet with tears.

  She whispered back. “Mother… Rosalind.”

  “JUST CALL ME MOTHER!” Rosalind cried, her voice breaking, and pulled Cinderella into her arms. She wept openly, overjoyed to hold her daughter—not stepdaughter, but daughter—alive, safe, rescued.

  And Cinderella hugged her back, sobbing again, glad to be home in her mother’s arms.

  While still holding Cinderella, Rosalind’s gaze lifted—and fell upon Aurelia, still resting on Ryo’s back.

  Rosalind stepped forward, disbelief in her eyes.

  Her voice trembled. “Madam… Aurelia? You look… so young. But I remember arranging your funeral…”

  Her voice faltered. “How…?”

  Aurelia flushed, smiling sheepishly. “It’s… um… quite the long story, ahaha…”

  Ryo sighed. “Alright, you’ve had enough rest on my back, real mama. Time to get down.” He gently lowered her, then nudged her forward. “Now go on—hug Cinderella’s adoptive mama.”

  Madam Rosalind didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Aurelia, sobbing.

  “AURELIA!!! Stay with us! You and Cinderella—you have nowhere else to go! Come live here, be part of our family with your daughter, who is also mine! I wanted to find you, to help you, nineteen years ago… but now you’re alive, you’re safe! Don’t even think of leaving—you must stay with us! You must become part of my family!!”

  Aurelia’s eyes widened. She hesitated. “Are you truly… sure? I won’t… be intruding?”

  “NO!” Rosalind cried. “Cinderella needs her real mother too! Don’t you dare leave her again!”

  Aurelia broke down in tears, hugging Rosalind back. “In that case… thank you. I shall stay.”

  Cinderella and her sisters quickly joined, wrapping Aurelia in their embrace as well. They welcomed her openly, without a hint of hesitation.

  And Aurelia, holding them close, knew with all her heart she had not been wrong nineteen years ago to entrust her daughter to the Ravenswood family.

  They were indeed a family of love.

  And so… the Ravenswood gained a new family member.

  Sophie and Elise also appeared from the door, looking happy that Cinderella was safe. Cinderella hugged them both in return, thanking them for taking care of the Ravenswood family while she had been away.

  Suddenly, from a distance, Gerda appeared. She froze in disbelief at the sight before her.

  “AURELIA!” she cried, rushing forward.

  Aurelia gasped at the familiar face. “GERDA!”

  Gerda wrapped her arms around her. “Oh, thank the heavens! You’re safe!” Then she pulled back, staring in shock. “Aurelia… I thought you were dead. And you look as young as the day I last saw you, nineteen years ago…”

  “I already mentioned this to Rosalind,” Aurelia said with a sheepish smile, “but… it’s quite the long story”

  Then suddenly, Jaymez Boom (dog size form) and Titania appeared from the distance, calling out and waving. Ryo quickly asked what had happened back at the castle, especially concerning the possessed guests.

  Jaymez Boom and Titania explained that Titania had summoned her father, Nuada, to come from Lunaveth to Evendelle. Nuada had already performed the ritual himself, extracting the shards from the possessed guests.

  Ryo then asked if any monsters had appeared after the extraction. Titania and Jaymez Boom confirmed yes—but they appeared ghostly, like Vrakuls made of spirit-mist. Yet with Nuada’s overwhelming power, he obliterated them all with ease.

  Fairy Greatmother looked proud at hearing this. Her husband Nuada was indeed as strong as she remembered.

  All the possessed guests had then awoken, not remembering anything of what had happened, and returned home to their villages and kingdoms.

  The moment Ryo heard “ghostly, like Vrakuls made of spirit-mist,” it reminded him of the ones they had dealt with earlier.

  Ryo then asked Rosalind if the others could rest at the manor. Rosalind said yes—there were plenty of rooms. Ryo told them there were things he wanted to discuss with Gerda and Cinderella later, but for now everyone should rest. It had been an exhausting, endless night. Everyone agreed. It truly had been one heck of a long night. Ryo said he would begin questioning Gerda and Cinderella tomorrow.

  Cinderella and Gerda nodded.

  Then everyone entered the manor.

  They were assigned to their rooms. Rosalind told Cinderella she no longer needed to stay in the attic—she could return to the comfortable room downstairs she had once stayed in before.

  Cinderella was moved, almost emotional at hearing this. Rosalind then told Aurelia she could stay with her daughter in the same room, which had two beds. Aurelia was very thankful.

  Ryo casually said that he would return to his room in the attic. Cinderella was shocked to hear that, asking why he would choose to stay there. She explained how she had suffered in that attic for four years.

  Ryo replied that the attic was like a treasure, a museum—her legendary, iconic attic.

  Seraphine and Clarisse said he didn’t need to stay there, especially since the door was still damaged. But Ryo didn’t care, insisting that the legendary attic was one hundred times more comfortable than any other room.

  Cinderella was baffled that Ryo actually wanted to stay in the attic when she had such bad memories of it.

  After that, Ryo made his way to the attic. To Cinderella’s shock, her animal companions followed him loyally, as though he were their commander. Rosalind then told Ryo that breakfast would be ready within an hour, prepared by Sophie and Elise. Ryo simply gave her a thumbs up.

  Vesmyra then boldly told Ryo she wanted to sleep beside him in the attic, and even welcomed him to do naughty things to her—by force, if he wished.

  Not wanting to be outdone, Titania also declared she wanted to sleep with him in the attic, and invited him to ravage her as roughly as he pleased.

  Ryo stared at them both in sheer horror before bolting to the attic immediately, running as though chased by two overly obsessed waifus.

  Cinderella then told Madam Rosalind she wanted to help prepare breakfast as well. Rosalind gently told her to rest instead, but Cinderella insisted. Rosalind eventually gave in and allowed her to do as she wished.

  After an hour, breakfast was served, and they all ate together. Afterwards, they all slept deeply, well into the afternoon.

  The time in Evendelle was now 5 PM.

  As dinner was being prepared, Titania asked Ryo to dance with her in the garden of the manor. Ryo asked why. Titania explained that he had not danced with her during the castle’s ballroom gathering, and she had felt left out—it wasn’t fair.

  Ryo sighed but agreed. And so, under the sunset, the two of them waltzed in the garden while the others watched.

  Cinderella looked jealous, wishing she could dance with Ryo as well. To settle it quickly, Ryo had no choice but to waltz with her too. Vesmyra and the stepsisters grew jealous in turn, demanding their dances as well, even though they had already danced with him in the ballroom yesterday. Ryo rolled his eyes and danced with them all.

  Even Aurelia, unable to hide her jealousy, requested a dance. And so Ryo danced with her too.

  The time in Evendelle was now 7 PM.

  They all had dinner. Afterwards, they gathered in the parlor room. Ryo had brought UNO cards from the attic in his bag and asked if anyone wanted to play. Everyone looked confused, unfamiliar with the foreign word.

  Ryo told them it was the best game ever from the “Rodents’ Cheddar Kingdom,” and explained the rules. Within five minutes, everyone had learned.

  They began playing UNO, and to Ryo’s surprise, Jaymez Boom kept winning—almost as though he had beginner’s luck.

  Afterwards, they all talked together, sharing stories of life and mundane things.

  In these peaceful, casual moments, Cinderella felt happy. It had been so long since she experienced such warmth. Unlike the days of suffering in the castle and the floating tower prison, here she finally felt at peace.

  Cinderella thanked Ryo and Fairy Greatmother for rescuing her. Ryo told her to thank Fairy Greatmother instead—for she was the one who had hired him. Without her, Cinderella would never have been found.

  Wanting to properly reward him, Fairy Greatmother told Ryo she would pay him for his detective services. Ryo, of course, expected payment, but he wondered how she could possibly pay him. This was the Fairytale World, after all—not like she had Earth’s currency or could transfer money digitally.

  Fairy Greatmother then asked Ryo to show her what Earth’s money looked like. Ryo pulled out his wallet and showed her Japanese yen.

  With a flick of her wand, Fairy Greatmother summoned a massive stack of genuine Japanese bills and handed it to Ryo. He nearly fainted at the sight—it was equivalent to the same enormous amount he had once received in his first case in Al-Munira. Far too much.

  Fairy Greatmother then summoned a large bag to hold the money.

  Ryo sighed, resigned, promising himself he would deposit it all at the bank once he returned to Earth, as if his life depended on it.

  The stepfamily handed Cinderella a small trinket—the wing of a dove. Her eyes widened as recognition hit her. She remembered the trinket clearly; it had been given to her on her tenth birthday.

  She remembered how cruelly Edmund had snatched it away from her just before she was kidnapped. And now, here it was again, back in her hands. A rush of warmth and nostalgia flooded her chest, making her heart ache and swell all at once.

  That moment reminded Ryo of something. He reached into his bag and presented Cinderella with a small locket. Inside was a painting of her with her animal companions. Seeing it, Cinderella felt a surge of emotions. She wanted to cry again, even after shedding so many tears. But now, they were tears of gratitude, of relief, and of joy. This painting, this memory, was the proof that she had never been truly alone.

  She recalled painting it herself, her animal companions standing faithfully by her side, even while she lived in the attic. Without them, the crushing loneliness would have overwhelmed her. They had given her the strength to endure every cruel day and to keep moving forward when it seemed impossible.

  The stepfamily looked even more guilty now. They apologized to Cinderella over and over, their voices heavy with remorse. But Cinderella shook her head gently. It wasn’t their fault. It had always been Edmund—his cursed shard had forced their hands, manipulating them into cruelty.

  This reminded Ryo of something. He asked Jaymez Boom and Titania about Edmund’s dead body in the ballroom. Jaymez Boom explained that Titania had incinerated it completely. Titania, her face still flushed with anger at the thought of Edmund’s manipulation, simply HMPHED! Ryo chuckled nervously, trying to mask the tension in the air.

  Fairy Greatmother then joined the conversation. She confirmed that the cursed perfume Ryo had given her earlier had been destroyed. It was crucial that it no longer existed, to prevent any other evil hands from using it.

  Ryo then turned his attention to Vesmyra. He asked about Carabosse, formerly known as Thalirea. He remembered Vesmyra screaming that she was disowning Thalirea during their battle in the village square.

  Vesmyra, her expression softening but still heavy with emotion, said that she wanted to let go of Thalirea. The way evil Thalirea had acted felt genuine, not the result of brainwashing or possession. Vesmyra didn’t know what had truly happened to Thalirea when she was dragged into the Vrakuls’ void fifteen years ago. But she remembered how distant Thalirea had been toward her and Fairy Greatmother even before the war in Lunaveth, before being dragged into the void.

  This raised countless questions for Ryo. He began suspecting that Thalirea had intentionally lost during that war, allowing herself to be dragged into the void to accomplish some hidden goal—possibly a grand conquest of kingdoms, just as Carabosse had mentioned at the ballroom yesterday.

  Then Ryo asked about the glass coffin. He remembered it had been left at the grove before they were teleported to the village square. Fairy Greatmother explained that she had returned to the grove earlier, retrieved it, and sent it to Lunaveth for further study with her family later, since the phenomenon behind the glass coffin was far too mysterious.

  Ryo’s thoughts then wandered to the original Pinocchio story, in which the Fairy with Turquoise Hair had adopted Pinocchio. Since Vesmyra was the Fairy with Turquoise Hair herself, Ryo couldn’t resist asking if she had ever adopted Pinocchio before taking in Thalirea.

  Vesmyra looked puzzled. “Pinocchio? Who’s that?”

  Ryo’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Hold up… you don’t know the kid? Never met him?”

  Vesmyra shook her head. “Not really. But do explain who this child is.”

  Ryo raised a hand, a small laugh escaping him. “It’s nothing. Nevermind. Forget about it.”

  Now Ryo had new information. In this fairytale world, Vesmyra had never once adopted Pinocchio and had never even met him. This was an unexpected deviation from the original story. Ryo figured that perhaps Vesmyra would meet Pinocchio in the future—or maybe, she never would at all.

  Ryo then asked about the king and queen, since they had been involved in Cinderella’s kidnapping. He remembered seeing them run away after his revelation. Titania reassured him not to worry. While Nuada was returning to Lunaveth, on his way back, he saw the king and queen fleeing toward Evendelle’s entrance gate, only to be intercepted by a group of constables. The constables were immediately suspicious—why would the rulers of Evendelle leave the kingdom without protection? Normally, they traveled in a carriage flanked by knights, not wandering unguarded.

  Nuada explained everything, since Titania had already informed him of the king and queen’s crimes regarding Cinderella’s kidnapping. This was before the Vrakul’s attacked the village, which Ryo had already told Titania about. The constables decided to investigate the castle and found numerous staff and guards unconscious. When they checked the dungeon, they were horrified to discover several dead bodies among the castle staff. The king and queen were arrested and placed in a separate dungeon beneath the constables’ guardhouse.

  With the kingdom now without rulers or heirs—Prince Vaelric having also died—Ryo couldn’t help but ask if appointing a new leader was still possible. Fairy Greatmother explained that, in this situation, a republic could be formed, where leaders are elected rather than born into power, allowing citizens to vote for the next ruler.

  Earlier today, Fairy Greatmother had visited the village to magically repair the damage caused by the Vrakuls, as many villagers were bitter and crying over their destroyed homes. She even witnessed a protest demanding the execution of the king and queen for their involvement in Cinderella’s kidnapping. Fairy Greatmother had also repaired the king and queen’s statue in the village square’s fountain, but the villagers tore it down immediately in disgust. Some villagers even suggested holding an election to ensure a fair, uncorrupted ruler. Nothing had been decided yet, but it remained a real possibility.

  Ryo then wondered if the villagers had recognized Fairy Greatmother, known to them as Ms. Roselia, a schoolteacher. After Ryo revealed Cinderella’s location, Fairy Greatmother had magically transformed her outfit in front of everyone at the ballroom. News of it might have spread like wildfire. Fairy Greatmother reassured him not to worry—she had magically erased everyone’s memory of her transformation when she visited the village earlier. Her fairy identity remained hidden, though Cinderella’s stepfamily was an exception.

  Jaymez Boom chuckled. “Bro, this reminds me of that alien movie you told me about—remember? ‘Gentlemen in Black Suits’? That memory-wiping scene with the glowing crayon.”

  Ryo shrugged, sarcasm dripping. “Oh yeah, you’re right. Definitely with a glowing crayon. Totally not with some other flashlight-like writing tool that flashes like a torch.”

  Ryo then remembered the floating prison and the rocky land beneath it. He asked about it. Fairy Greatmother explained that just glancing at the terrain, she could feel magic. It appeared to be from another world, with powerful magic cast to make it float while supporting the tower prison above.

  Ryo groaned under his breath. “Great… more ‘another world’ nonsense. What’s next? Am I going to get sucked into even more of these worlds, like this fairytale one?”

  Then he recalled the crushed rock minerals from the cursed perfume, which had also originated from a terrain of an entirely different world. Could the two be connected?

  And with that, the day ended.

  The next morning arrived.

  The time in Evendelle was now 7 AM.

  After breakfast, the stepfamily had already left for work in the village, having departed three hours earlier. Fairy Greatmother too had left, returning to her teaching duties as the village schoolteacher. It had been some time since she last taught her little students, her heart too burdened with worry for Cinderella. But now, with Cinderella safe and home again, she could finally return to her work in peace.

  In the manor’s garden, Ryo sat with Cinderella and Gerda, choosing the crisp autumn air and the warm gold of falling leaves as the backdrop for his questioning. Aurelia joined them as well, eager to listen and curious about what her daughter and Gerda might reveal.

  Nearby, Jaymez Boom and the other animal agents gathered for a small ceremony. Captain Nutso awarded each of them medals shaped like flowers, recognition for their bravery and their part in rescuing Cinderella. The garden filled with cheers and the proud chatter of animals.

  Ryo’s thoughts turned serious again. He was curious why Cinderella knew of Schneewittchen—better known as Snow White, since her German name was such a tongue twister. Cinderella had claimed she knew her, and Ryo wanted to know more about that.

  But then there was Gerda.

  Why had she suddenly appeared in the castle’s dungeon?

  How did she know that Cinderella was held captive in the skies?

  The mystery around her was just as pressing.

  It was time for answers.

  Ryo asked Gerda to begin her story first.

  Gerda nodded and began…

  21 years ago, before Kaj renamed himself as Edmund, before he turned evil.

  Back then, Gerda believed Kaj had truly fallen in love with Aurelia. She remembered attending their wedding in the kingdom of Glacindor, inside the castle.

  Before the ceremony began, Gerda had helped Aurelia prepare her wedding dress and makeup. She even spoke to Aurelia about how baffling it was that Kaj seemed so obsessed with her. Aurelia admitted she found him annoying at first, but said Kaj eventually showed his devotion. Gerda smiled and resigned herself, hoping for the best for the two of them.

  When the wedding began, there were no guests from Aurelia’s side. At the time, she had no family, having been exiled from her old kingdom. Kaj, however, did have a guest—though not family, friend, or relative. It was a boy dressed in black. Gerda noticed him sitting at the very back, cheering quietly for Kaj and Aurelia’s happiness.

  That detail struck Ryo. A boy in black sounded too familiar. Gerda explained that Ryo already knew him—it was Petyr Pann, the same boy they had seen yesterday at the ballroom. The boy looked exactly the same as he did 21 years ago.

  A chill ran down Ryo’s spine. He remembered the old tales of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up and stayed young for centuries. But why had Petyr Pann been present at Glacindor during Aurelia and Kaj’s wedding? He pressed for more details.

  Gerda continued. After the wedding, Kaj was deeply affectionate, treating Aurelia like a princess. Aurelia agreed, saying Kaj had once been that way. But Gerda revealed that behind the scenes, Kaj often looked disappointed. Aurelia was stunned and asked why. Gerda said she once confronted him, but Kaj gave only vague answers, rambling about wanting to be a better ruler. To Aurelia, that made no sense—Kaj had been a wonderful ruler before his betrayal. Gerda recalled Kaj sighing and walking away without explaining further.

  Two years later, 19 years ago, everything began to change.

  After Cinderella was born, Gerda often played with the baby, even taking her on walks, feeling like a loving aunt. But soon, Petyr Pann began visiting the castle frequently. Ryo asked why, but Gerda wasn’t sure—only that he often spent time with Kaj, even sharing meals. Aurelia admitted she didn’t remember ever seeing Petyr Pann after the wedding. On the wedding day itself, she hadn’t even seen his face clearly because of the wide hat he wore. Gerda, however, had seen his face up close, as she sat not too far from him.

  Ryo urged Gerda to continue from that time.

  Gerda said she had once seen Kaj speaking privately with Petyr Pann in the castle hallway. From around a corner, she overheard everything. Petyr Pann asked Kaj if he wanted to become a ‘Spirit Host.’ To her horror, Kaj smiled sinisterly and said yes. He declared that he wanted to rule Glacindor, even if it meant killing Aurelia and his own child, Cinderella. He needed that power to make it happen.

  Aurelia and Cinderella gasped, desperate for more details.

  Gerda’s face darkened. She confessed that after hearing those words, she had tried to warn Aurelia, but Kaj and Petyr Pann heard her running steps and discovered her presence. Petyr Pann flew at her, knocking her to the ground and pinning her down. Kaj approached with a smug, evil smile. Both threatened to kill her if she told Aurelia. Remembering their childhood friendship, Kaj spared her life, though Petyr Pann argued she should die. Kaj warned her that if she revealed anything, not only would she be killed, but her family as well. Terrified, Gerda promised silence. Kaj ordered her never to visit the castle again.

  Aurelia remembered that time—how suddenly Gerda had stopped visiting. Her days had grown lonely, and baby Cinderella often cried when her aunt never returned.

  Gerda looked at Cinderella now, apologizing for abandoning her. Cinderella reassured her, saying Gerda’s survival mattered most. Gerda was moved to tears and embraced her.

  When Ryo asked what happened next, Gerda spoke of the tragic day Aurelia was murdered. She heard of the death, and that baby Cinderella had disappeared. She never knew the child had been taken in by the Ravenswood.

  Sneaking back into Glacindor, she witnessed Kaj raging when the Frostreaver citizens refused to listen him. His plan to rule after Aurelia’s death had failed. She heard him scream that it was because baby Cinderella still lived. Unless she was killed, he said, the throne could one day be hers.

  Cinderella was shocked and said she had never desired to rule Glacindor. She had been just a baby when she was later adopted into the Ravenswood family, where she loved her simple life. Ryo told her that Kaj had been spiraling into madness, driven by delusions and his own nonsensical assumptions. She need not worry—Kaj was dead, assassinated by Schneewittchen, whose part in all of this Ryo would ask Cinderella about later.

  Gerda pressed on. She swore to find baby Cinderella, no matter how many kingdoms she had to search. Nineteen years later, in Evendelle, she learned that Prince Vaelric was engaged to Cinderella. But by then, Cinderella had already gone missing. Determined to find her, Gerda infiltrated the castle during lockdown—only to be captured by Vaelric and Kaj. She was horrified to discover Kaj inside the castle of Evendelle and realized he had connections with the royal family.

  Ryo already knew this, as Kaj—Edmund—had been one of the culprits behind Cinderella’s disappearance. Gerda acknowledged this, saying Ryo’s revelation in the ballroom confirmed everything.

  Gerda explained how she knew Cinderella had been imprisoned in the skies. Kaj himself had locked her in the castle dungeon and taunted her, certain that she would rot there forever, never able to reveal Cinderella’s location. Helpless and trapped, Gerda remained imprisoned—until just the other day, when Jaymez Boom, Barkzilla, and Whiskers came to her rescue.

  And that… was Gerda’s story.

  Even after hearing it, Ryo’s mind circled back to the words “Spirit Host.” Was it the same as a Vrakul possession, a human becoming a vessel? Edmund had emitted black miasma, just like the Vrakuls. Prince Vaelric had too.

  Could both have been Vrakul hosts?

  Questions lingered. But for now, it was Cinderella’s turn to speak—her story of how she met Schneewittchen. Aurelia leaned in, eager to hear it, since she had once seen Schneewittchen as her own daughter, even if only a stepchild.

  Ryo told Cinderella to begin.

  She nodded and began…

  It was last year, when Cinderella’s stepfamily was still cruel towards her—back when she didn’t know they were possessed by the cursed shards.

  She said she often cried at the riverbank, her only place of comfort.

  But then… one afternoon, as she wept by the water’s edge, she heard footsteps behind her.

  Turning slowly, she saw them—seven knights, each only half her size, standing in formation. At their center stood a hooded girl who kept her eyes hidden beneath the shadow of her cloak.

  Cinderella froze, uneasy. She asked quietly. “Ummm… who are you?”

  The girl reached up, trembling, and drew back her hood. Her skin was pale as snow, her lips blood-red.

  Her voice quivered, barely above a whisper. “My name… is Schneewittchen. I’m your stepsister. Don’t you remember me?”

  Cinderella’s eyes widened. “Stepsister? But… Seraphine and Clarisse are my stepsisters. How do you… even know me?”

  Suddenly, Schneewittchen lunged forward and threw her arms around her, embracing desperately as tears streamed down her face.

  “I’M SO GLAD I FOUND YOU! YOU’RE MY SISTER! I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE NOT RELATED TO ME BY FLESH AND BLOOD!”

  Pulling back gently, her voice broke with emotion. “Cinderella… my sister… you must have suffered so much. Living with the Ravenswoods must be so hard. You’ve gone through a lot. So please… come with me. Live with me. My seven sworn guardian knights and I will protect you—no matter what.”

  Cinderella stood stunned. “But… I don’t even know you…”

  “Mama Aurelia…” Schneewittchen whispered. “Your real mother. She’s also my stepmother. She adopted me when I was a baby. I was about to be killed by the people of my homeland, Aplynstalk… because of a certain liar.”

  Her voice grew bitter, then soft again. “If Mama Aurelia hadn’t taken me in 19 years ago, I would have died. Even now, I’m still being pursued.”

  Cinderella’s heart ached. “Oh… I… I’m so sorry to hear that, Schneewittchen. But… you said you knew my real mother. She died 19 years ago too. So how could she have adopted you then? Will you tell me?”

  “Of course, sister,” Schneewittchen said faintly, forcing a small smile. “Shall we sit down?”

  They sat together by the river, side by side.

  Schneewittchen began. “Before Mama Aurelia took me in, I was adopted by another queen. But she was so disgusted by my beauty that she mocked me, saying: ‘My mirror has bad taste! Calling this pale little baby the fairest of them all? Hah! I should just throw her away, because I’m the most beautiful, the fairest woman in Aplynstalk.’” She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. “Silly, right?”

  Then her expression softened. “Afterwards, Mama Aurelia adopted me. And from that day on, she became my true mother.”

  Cinderella tilted her head. “But… how could you remember me? We were still babies then.”

  Schneewittchen’s eyes shimmered with nostalgia. “Ever since I was born, I’ve had a strong memory. I even remember my real parents’ faces. I remember everything—even the days when I called you ‘Chindy.’ We played together often, even as babies. I saw you as my true sister back then.”

  Her voice lowered, trembling. “Even now… even if we are only stepsisters… I don’t believe it. You are my real sister—whether or not we share the same blood.”

  Schneewittchen took Cinderella’s hand tenderly. “My dear sister… if you are suffering in the Ravenswood family… please, come with me. My knights and I will protect you with our lives.”

  One of the dwarf knights stepped forward, kneeling with a fist pressed to the grass.

  “Cinderella, my lady. Please come with us. You need not suffer in that manor any longer. We will protect you.”

  The second knight bowed low. “We shall keep you safe from all harm.”

  The third declared firmly. “We swear our loyalty to you, my lady.”

  The fourth added, his voice steady. “Our blades are yours to command.”

  The fifth bowed his head. “We would give our lives to shield you.”

  The sixth raised his hand to his chest. “Please, allow us to serve you.”

  And the seventh. “We only wish for your happiness.”

  Cinderella’s gaze dropped to the ground. Slowly, she pulled her hand away.

  “I’m sorry, everyone. Thank you. But no matter how much I suffer under the Ravenswood… I still love them.”

  She lifted her head, smiling through her sorrow. “They once loved me. They once saw me as their own daughter and sister. I can never leave them behind.”

  Her voice softened into a sigh. “Hopefully… one day… they’ll be kind and loving again, like the old days. That’s why… I cannot go with you.”

  Schneewittchen’s lips trembled. She wanted to cry, to beg her to come with her—but in the end, she let it go.

  “I’m truly sorry… for trying to force you,” she whispered. Rising to her feet, she offered her hand and gently pulled Cinderella up.

  Her voice cracked as she smiled brokenly. “My dear sister… I’ll be staying around Evendelle for a while. One day… I hope we can live together as a real family.”

  Then she turned and whispered. “Edmund killed Mama Aurelia… I swear in my heart I shall avenge her.”

  Her knights bowed deeply to Cinderella before following Schneewittchen into the distance.

  Cinderella stretched out a hand helplessly, wanting to call out… but no words came.

  Yet something stirred inside her. A deep connection. As though her soul itself remembered Schneewittchen.

  Maybe it was something buried from her earliest memories. Something she couldn’t quite grasp.

  But she knew one thing for certain—after meeting that pale-skinned girl, she could no longer deny the bond they once shared.

  And that… was Cinderella’s story.

  Her encounter with Schneewittchen.

  Ryo thought in realization. “Ahh… so that’s how Cinderella knew Snow White was plotting to assassinate Edmund.”

  Aurelia began sobbing—crying that she had died too early, that she had become nothing more than a ghost. She wished she could have stayed alive longer, to look after Schneewittchen, to protect her always… even forever. Her heart ached with the weight of that regret.

  Now that Aurelia was revived, she was determined to search for Schneewittchen soon. Cinderella told her mother that she wished to join the search as well. Deep in her heart, Schneewittchen truly felt like a sister to her, though she didn’t know why. Cinderella wanted Schneewittchen to live with her and her mother in this manor—as family—even if she hadn’t gotten to know her well yet.

  Ryo stared at Aurelia, giving her a smug grin.

  Aurelia noticed and asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing,” Ryo said playfully. “I just remember you almost crying in front of me at the grove as a ghost, begging for my help and saying—‘If you ever run into Schneewittchen again… and she needs help. Please… help her. She may not be my flesh and blood… but to me… she’s like a real daughter.’”

  Then he burst out laughing. “HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

  Aurelia’s face went red. “Oh! That’s um… um…” She quickly covered her face with both hands, groaning in embarrassment. “Uuuuuuugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!! You’re so mean!!!”

  Gerda chuckled warmly. “Aurelia darling, you always look adorable when you’re embarrassed—just like the good old days.”

  Aurelia’s groan only grew louder as she flailed. “UUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!”

  Then Gerda asked how Aurelia was revived. Cinderella explained that her mother had returned because of the so-called “Revival trope” that Ryo often mentioned, and to their shock—it really worked. Ryo even boasted that the world must have flipped their tables in outrage. Gerda looked utterly confused at the explanation.

  After hearing Cinderella’s story, Ryo internally facepalmed. He had pieced it together already—Snow White had first been taken in by the Evil Queen. He remembered from the old tale that the Queen had adopted Snow White and despised her beauty, plotting her death with a poisoned apple. But here, in this fairytale world nineteen years ago, the Queen had instead passed Snow White to Aurelia as a baby, simply because she felt disgusted by the child’s beauty. To Ryo, that was an absurd and ridiculous reason.

  And the craziest part? Ryo had already met this Evil Queen—briefly—during his revelation moment at the ballroom. She had a name: Odessa Nightfall.

  Yet something didn’t add up. Even as a baby, Snow White had still been passed on again. Aurelia had arranged for her to be raised by the dwarfs. That meant something had gone wrong even before Aurelia’s betrayal by Kaj. After all, Schneewittchen herself had said she had been pursued constantly, from nineteen years ago until just last year… or even now.

  So Ryo asked. “Madam Aurelia, did anything happen nineteen years ago that made you pass Schneewittchen to the dwarfs? And was this before Kaj betrayed you?”

  Aurelia answered yes. She explained that baby Schneewittchen had been given to her by Queen Odessa’s servant two months after Cinderella was born, along with a letter that read: “Take care of this worthless baby. I am the fairest of them all. Her beauty is in the way.”

  Ryo’s eyes narrowed in disbelief at such absurdity.

  Aurelia went on. She had cared for Schneewittchen for a month and a half, until one day she saw pursuers near Glacindor crying out: “Look for Schneewittchen! She must die!” Panic had gripped her heart. She knew she had to get the baby to safety before she was murdered.

  Then, a few days later, the Seven Sworn Guardian Knights appeared before her castle, requesting that they take the child into their care. Aurelia couldn’t trust them at first, but they were stubborn, insisting they were destined to protect Schneewittchen.

  They even gave Aurelia a letter from Schneewittchen’s real parents. It was written specifically for the dwarfs: “We might not live another day, but please take care of our child.”

  The dwarfs explained that they had received the letter after Schneewittchen’s real parents learned she had been passed to another mother figure, and they feared for her safety. The dwarfs respected Aurelia deeply for looking after the baby, but for Schneewittchen’s safety—and for the future of Aplynstalk—they insisted that the baby should go with them.

  Aurelia had no choice. With pursuers drawing near, she passed Schneewittchen into their arms. She would never forget how the baby cried desperately, reaching out with tiny arms and wailing “Mama!” over and over. It broke her heart, but she had no other way to protect her.

  That’s when Ryo figured something must have happened in Aplynstalk nineteen years ago. He assumed Schneewittchen’s parents were pursued and eventually killed.

  But why had Schneewittchen herself been marked for death as well?

  Now that Aurelia had been revived, she told Ryo he didn’t need to be involved in the search for Schneewittchen. She and Cinderella would look for her soon and bring her home, to become a family again—just like nineteen years ago.

  Ryo only shrugged and said okay...

  But in the back of his mind, he had a dreaded feeling. What if the Evil Queen herself appeared in his office on Earth one day, bringing him a case involving Snow White? After all, she had already said in the ballroom: “I am in search of Schneewittchen.”

  And he handed her his business card.

  Of course, he couldn’t be sure. Maybe the next case wouldn’t involve her at all.

  Still, he prayed. Prayed that Queen Odessa Nightfall would never appear in his office with such a case. Ryo preferred normal jobs, not fantasy ones. Yet fate had already pulled him in twice—first into Al-Munira, the Arabian fantasy kingdom, a hidden land on Earth, and now into this fairytale isekai with finding Cinderella, the world-famous protagonist. He had completed both cases, but they had drained him more than he cared to admit.

  All thanks to that damn talking cat, who granted his wish for more clients… and twisted it into fantasy nonsense.

  And with that, Ryo thanked everyone for their answers.

  The questioning was concluded.

  The time in Evendelle was now 9 AM.

  Ryo decided to visit the village to take a breather and do some snack shopping. Cinderella and Aurelia chose to join him. When Ryo asked why, Cinderella explained that she wanted to visit the bakery she once worked at and try to get rehired. That instantly reminded Ryo of the time he told her to work at the bakery again when he was rescuing her in the floating tower prison.

  Ryo agreed and said she could come along, then turned to Aurelia and asked why she was following as well. Aurelia answered that she wanted to explore the village and see for herself what her daughter’s old workplace looked like.

  Without warning, Aurelia linked her arm to Ryo’s left arm. Ryo blushed and asked why she did that. Aurelia gave him a sultry look and told him that even though she was in her forties, she had revived looking like she was in her early twenties. She still had her gorgeous youthful looks—technically younger than Ryo now—and teased that she would make a great wife. Ryo’s jaw dropped, completely stunned.

  Cinderella looked baffled, then quickly clung to Ryo’s other arm and declared that she wanted to be his wife instead. Aurelia smirked and said Ryo could be her father instead, but Cinderella insisted she would rather be his bride.

  Ryo sighed at the whole situation and just kept walking, letting the two of them bicker endlessly about who would make the better wife.

  When they reached the village, the villagers were shocked to see Cinderella—the princess who had once gone missing. In an instant, people swarmed her, and even Ryo and Aurelia, overjoyed that their beloved princess was safe at last.

  Cinderella told everyone she was no longer a princess, just a commoner now. She asked them to call her by her own name and treat her like any normal person.

  The villagers cheered with tears in their eyes and shouted, “Welcome home, Angel of Evendelle!” The words struck her heart. Cinderella remembered being called that in the past, and she bowed deeply, thanking everyone for welcoming her return.

  One villager, staring at Aurelia, was stunned by how much she looked like an older version of Cinderella. They asked if Aurelia was Cinderella’s older sister. Aurelia immediately straightened her back in pride and happily declared herself Cinderella’s older sister—because nothing beat being mistaken for young instead of old. Cinderella panicked, waving her hands frantically, and corrected the crowd, blurting out that Aurelia was her mother. The entire village nearly fell over from shock at the bombshell, muttering and gasping until half of them nearly tripped over themselves.

  After the commotion, they visited the bakery where Cinderella once worked. The moment they arrived, the bakery owner spotted Cinderella, burst into tears, and ran straight to her, hugging her tightly in relief that she was alive. Cinderella broke into tears as well, hugging her back.

  It had been so long since she worked here, and the owner, still crying, stubbornly demanded that Cinderella return to work. Without hesitation, Cinderella said yes. The bakery erupted in cheers from the staff and customers alike.

  The owner reminded Cinderella that she once confessed she wanted to open her own bakery someday. But the owner shook her head and said Cinderella didn’t need to. She told her that one day, when she retired, Cinderella should take over this bakery entirely.

  Cinderella’s eyes widened, her lips trembled, and she hugged the owner tightly, thanking her with all her heart for granting her this future opportunity—making her lifelong dream come true, even in this precious establishment that’s so dear to her.

  Cinderella then asked Ryo and Aurelia to take a seat. Ryo raised an eyebrow and asked if Cinderella was really starting work right away. Cinderella nodded eagerly, saying she had missed this bakery so much that resigning before had been painful for her. As thanks for rescuing her, she wanted to serve Ryo her best creations, and she also wanted her mother to enjoy them too. Aurelia’s expression softened with pride, practically glowing with excitement to taste her daughter’s cooking.

  Cinderella rushed to the kitchen, tied her apron, and began preparing her favorite dishes. Soon, she returned with a warm, golden soufflé.

  Ryo and Aurelia were both impressed at the sight. Cinderella urged them to try it, and when they did, both were awed by the taste.

  Noticing how much Ryo enjoyed it, Aurelia suddenly leaned forward, took his spoon, and scooped a piece of soufflé. With a smile as sweet as it was mischievous, she fed it to him like a doting girlfriend. Ryo’s face went bright red, completely stunned by her bold move.

  Cinderella saw everything. Without hesitation, she snatched the spoon from her mother, scooped another piece, and fed it to Ryo herself.

  The entire bakery froze. All the male guests clenched their fists, visibly jealous of the strange foreign man’s harem moment.

  Cinderella continued bringing out more of her creations, one after another, until both Ryo and Aurelia’s stomachs were full.

  After that, Ryo wanted to check out Fairy Greatmother’s school. He had always been curious about how she handled her students. Cinderella, unfortunately, couldn’t come along because she needed to continue working at the bakery. Still, she gave Ryo directions to the school, since she used to accompany her nephew there.

  Aurelia said she wanted to tag along with Ryo, and he said sure, no problem. Of course, Ryo had no idea that Aurelia only wanted to be with him alone, treating it like a date. Cinderella’s eye twitched—she immediately knew what her mother was up to.

  And so, Ryo and Aurelia departed for the school. When they arrived, they saw Fairy Greatmother standing at the other side of the gate. Ryo called out to her, and she perked up, greeting the two warmly and welcoming them inside. She began showing them around the school like a tour guide, with other teachers smiling and greeting them along the way.

  Ryo noticed many children running around, most looking younger than eleven. He figured this must be an elementary school. Aurelia, meanwhile, thought the kids were adorable. She imagined how much fun it would have been if she could have watched Cinderella grow up at that age—something she had missed out on, having died when Cinderella was still a baby.

  Now that she was alive again, Aurelia quietly hoped to have another child, to finally watch one grow up. She glanced at Ryo, her cheeks blushing, secretly dreaming of marrying him, making a baby together, and giving Cinderella real flesh-and-blood siblings. Of course, Ryo had no idea about her thoughts.

  Eventually, Fairy Greatmother guided them to the playground and announced that it was break time. Some of the children spotted Ryo, immediately recognizing him from the field as Mr. Jokester. They cheered, rushed toward him, and begged him to show them another magic trick.

  Unable to escape their persistence, Ryo gave in and decided to perform the ‘Pen Vanishing Trick.’ He pulled a ballpoint pen from his pocket, leaving the cap loose. Pretending to remove it, he secretly hid it in his fist, holding it as though it were still there. With a mock-dramatic voice, he spoke the magic words:

  "Case Closed — Vanisho!"

  Then he opened his hand to reveal that the cap had vanished.

  The kids gasped in awe. "WOOOOOAAAAAAH!!! MR. JOKESTER IS A WIZARD AGAIN!" they shouted, clapping and demanding more tricks. Looking tired, Ryo told them he needed to be somewhere. The kids groaned in disappointment.

  Just then, one boy spotted Aurelia and, mistaking her, called out "Cinderella!" Aurelia chuckled and gently corrected him, saying that her name wasn’t Cinderella—she was Cinderella’s mother. The boy froze in shock. Then, nervously, he told Aurelia he wanted to apologize to “Aunty Cinderella” for calling her “Ash Aunty.” He admitted he felt ashamed of it ever since, and he still thought Aunty Cinderella was missing.

  "Aunty Cinderella?" Ryo thought.

  That made him remember the day of his first subtle interrogation with the stepfamily. Edmund had shown up at the last moment and claimed that this boy’s mother was his sister. Edmund was dead now, assassinated. Ryo wondered how the boy felt about his uncle’s death, and whether the boy knew that Edmund had been among the criminals who kidnapped Cinderella.

  Fairy Greatmother quickly cut in, clarifying that the boy’s mother was actually Rosalind’s real sister. Edmund had simply liked to call the boy’s mother his “sister.”

  Ryo knelt down in front of the boy and told him that Aunty Cinderella had already been saved, and that she was currently working at the bakery again. The boy gasped, bowed gratefully, and ran straight out of the school gate. He sprinted all the way to the bakery.

  When he arrived, he burst inside and apologized to Aunty Cinderella over and over. Cinderella, touched, smiled and told him it was okay. She hugged him warmly, appreciating the boy’s courage to apologize after all this time.

  Fairy Greatmother looked on with pride, seeing her student slowly grow up before her eyes.

  After that, Ryo said he was going to check out Madam Rosalind’s store next. Aurelia eagerly insisted she still wanted to continue the journey with him.

  They waved goodbye to Fairy Greatmother and her students, then made their way to Rosalind’s store.

  After arriving at Rosalind’s store, it was just like usual—the cosmetic establishment buzzed with noblewomen as Ryo and Aurelia entered. Ryo noticed Rosalind and her employees busy attending to the customers. Then his eyes caught Seraphine and Clarisse at the back, talking with other customers. That was odd—shouldn’t they be at their own workplaces?

  Ryo and Aurelia decided to approach them after the sisters finished their conversations.

  The moment Seraphine and Clarisse spotted Ryo, their eyes sparkled. Both cried out, “DARLING~!!!!” and lunged at him.

  Ryo panicked as the two sisters wrapped themselves around his neck, spinning around him like a helicopter rotor.

  Seraphine purred daringly. “Ahh~ my dear husband, the Inn! The Inn! Let’s leave immediately so we can finally make fifty children together!”

  Clarisse grinned boldly, her voice dripping mischief. “Honey~ let’s skip arranging the wedding—no! Let’s get married right here in mother’s store! We can start making out in front of everyone! I’ll have the employees bring in a huge bed to the center—we’ll go all out with everyone watching~”

  Ryo flailed, panicking. “THIS ISN’T ‘THAT’ TYPE OF STORY, YOU TWO!!!”

  They finally stopped spinning and landed gracefully.

  Aurelia pouted, jealousy flickering across her face. She tugged at Ryo’s coat, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t leave me out, okay~?” she said, placing both hands on her face. “And… um… I don’t mind people watching either.” She sounded shy, but there was a daring edge in her voice, a hint that she was ready to go all out if needed.

  Ryo groaned, exasperated. “OH COME ON! I did not sign up for this kind of content!”

  He exhaled, already exhausted from the harem chaos.

  Trying to regain focus, Ryo asked the stepsisters why they were here. Seraphine and Clarisse explained that their own shops were still out of stock after the chaos of the second royal ball, so they decided to help their mother while they were off. Ryo recalled the buying frenzy that had emptied many stores. The sisters added that restocking could take a few more days, but Rosalind’s store was already fully stocked. When Ryo asked how, they explained that their mother had connections to high-end suppliers, which impressed him—just how influential was Rosalind compared to her stepmother character from the original Cinderella tale?

  Rosalind noticed Ryo and Aurelia and stepped forward to greet them warmly. During their conversation, she unexpectedly offered Aurelia a job at the store. Aurelia’s eyes widened in surprise. Rosalind explained that she had noticed Aurelia’s concern when she talked to her daughter earlier at the manor and remembered Aurelia mentioning wanting to find work in the village. She wanted to offer Aurelia a long-term position for financial stability.

  Ryo thought the offer was perfect. After all, many women had extensive knowledge of cosmetics.

  Aurelia almost cried at the generosity. She said yes immediately. Rosalind gently embraced her, telling her that as a mother, she should make her daughter proud. Even though Rosalind was Cinderella’s stepmother, in her heart she was truly a mother.

  Aurelia promised to do her very best as one of Rosalind’s employees. Then, suddenly, she declared that she wanted to start training and working immediately. She told Ryo she couldn’t join him anymore and needed to get started as soon as possible.

  Ryo was speechless. He had assumed she only wanted to walk around the village with him when she tagged along, but seeing her ambition, he simply smiled and let her be. Seraphine and Clarisse also returned to their work.

  With that, Ryo left the store alone and glanced up at the sky of Evendelle. Walking through the village, he felt a mix of nostalgia and emotion. The hardships of his detective work here—the good and bad times—suddenly felt precious, knowing they had all contributed to a better outcome. This would be the last time he’d spend in this kingdom.

  The case of finding “Cinderella, the Missing Princess” was finally solved. Ryo knew he couldn’t linger any longer. Other clients and cases awaited him back on Earth, and he needed to return to his tiny Tokyo office, ready to help them. He silently hoped the next cases would be normal.

  With a final glance around the village, Ryo returned to the manor.

  That evening, as everyone gathered back at the manor, Ryo announced that he would be leaving soon. Some were shocked, some cried, begging him not to go, while others were understanding. Eventually, everyone came to terms with his departure and decided to hold a farewell party in the manor’s back garden.

  Ryo, though touched, forced a smile and accepted the farewell gifts graciously. Beneath his composed exterior, he felt a quiet ache in his heart, a blend of gratitude and the sadness of leaving behind people who had grown so dear to him.

  He decided to rest in Evendelle for two more days before leaving.

  Now, with the two days passed, the morning of his departure had finally come.

  Everyone gathered in front of the manor.

  Elise and Sophie brought out four plates and placed them on the ground, each with different food: a banana, a fried egg, a jam sandwich, and a glass of orange juice.

  Fairy Greatmother flicked her wand at each item, and they all transformed into Ryo’s usual banana-carriage breakfast crew.

  The footman opened the carriage door. The coachman and footman helped place Ryo’s luggage inside.

  The footman bowed and gestured toward the carriage interior. “Your ride back home awaits, good sir detective.”

  “Thanks, Juice,” Ryo said with a nod. Then he turned to the group. “Well, guys… guess this is it.”

  Elise smiled and said. “It’s been an honor to serve you, Sir Holmes. Thank you for treating me like a normal girl.”

  Sophie chimed in. “Yes! You made these past few days truly special for us. I’ll never forget it.”

  Cinderella folded her hands. “It’s really hard to see you go, strange foreign man. Will we see you again?”

  Ryo shrugged. “Not sure… but hey, if I get a case here again, maybe we’ll meet again.” Inside, he silently hoped not to—he was so done with magical cases and being isekai’d. Normal cases were all he wanted.

  Titania, almost emotional but smiling, said. “Strange foreign man, that’s a relief to hear. I do hope we meet again… and eventually get married.”

  “Me too!” Vesmyra added, giggling. “You’ll make a wonderful husband for me!”

  The stepsisters, never wanting to be outdone, spoke up boldly.

  Seraphine purred, “Oh darling, don’t forget me! I’ll be the wife who keeps you on your toes every single day~.”

  Clarisse grinned daringly. “And I’ll be the one who makes your heart race in ways you never imagined—every hour, every minute!”

  Ryo sighed, utterly exhausted, even though he had only woken up a few hours ago.

  Fairy Greatmother spoke warmly, her voice carrying deep gratitude. “Mr. Detective, thanks to your help, I was able to find dear Cinderella. Without you, she would have remained in grave danger for much longer.”

  Ryo rubbed the back of his head with a small smile. “It’s nothing, ma’am. Just doing my detective work… though the fantasy stuff was definitely unexpected.” He wasn’t about to admit he’d only accepted the case out of curiosity about that evil Petyr Pann kid.

  To his surprise, a legendary guest was there to see him off too.

  “Didn’t expect to see you here, King Nuada,” Ryo said.

  Nuada crossed his arms. “Well now, young man, I was busy with the restoration of Lunaveth after that Vrakul Grootslang incident. But the moment my wife told me you were leaving, I couldn’t stay behind without seeing you off properly.”

  Nuada stepped forward, raised his palm, and summoned an item—a necklace with a silver diamond at the center.

  Ryo stared. “What’s this, Your Majesty?”

  “This is called the ‘Medallion of the Whispering Silver,’” Nuada replied. “It’s a type of artifact you can use to sense subtle traces of magic. It suits you well for this… so-called detective work of yours.”

  Ryo groaned, his mind dripping with sarcasm.

  “Great… another magical item. First a relic, the Arabian dagger, and now this—an artifact from some legendary big-shot who just happens to be Ma’am’s husband. A medallion that can sense subtle traces of magic. Of course he assumes I’ll get dragged into another fantasy case. Yeah, makes perfect sense… not at all ridiculous.”

  He continued in his head. “And still… artifacts, again?”

  Gripping the medallion, Ryo tucked it into his coat pocket. “Thanks for the gift… hopefully it’s never used.”

  Nuada laughed, tapping Ryo on the shoulder. “HAHAHA! you are too funny, young man. But trust me… the likelihood of you using it is high.”

  Ryo rubbed a hand down his face. “Pleaaaaase don’t foreshadow my future events…”

  Turning to Cinderella and Aurelia, he asked. “So, when are you two planning on finding Snow whi—I mean Schneewittchen?”

  Aurelia replied calmly. “Me and my daughter will start soon, but not right away. I want to adapt to Evendelle’s environment while I work at Rosalind’s store.”

  “That’s right,” Cinderella added. “Once we’re ready, we’ll search for my other stepsister.”

  Rosalind chuckled and placed a hand on Aurelia’s shoulder. “Oh, my dear Aurelia, despite being in your 40s, you still look like you’re in your early 20s—like an older version of Cinderella. Sometimes I even mistake you for her. It’s like I have a twin daughter.”

  Aurelia flushed. “EH! You never see me as my own age?”

  Rosalind teased, “You can call me mother, my child.”

  Aurelia covered her face in embarrassment. “UUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”

  Ryo asked. “How about you, Ms. Gerda?”

  “I shall also stay at this manor,” Gerda replied. “Rosalind insisted I rest here a bit before heading home. I have much to catch up on with Aurelia—it’s been 19 years since we last met.”

  “I see,” Ryo muttered.

  Cinderella stepped forward, grabbing Ryo’s hand. “Strange foreign man… I don’t know why, but I have a feeling we’ll meet again. Somewhere else… not in this kingdom.”

  Ryo gently removed his hand, smiling. “Okay, okay… enough with the foreshadowing. This strange foreign detective would rather solve normal cases in the Rodent’s Cheddar Kingdom—Japanese branch edition.”

  “I would like to thank you for the movie knowledge, bro. They were enjoyable to hear from you,” Jaymez Boom said. “Also, thanks to you, I no longer bear any hatred toward humans. Just like you said… it depends on the person.”

  Ryo clicked his fingers and winked. “Correct. And yeah, it was fun bestowing all that blockbuster knowledge to you—it’s like we’re in a school movie club.”

  Turning to the animal agents, Ryo said. “You guys take good care of your girl, alright? Don’t lose her again.”

  The animal agents, teary-eyed, stepped forward. Ryo crouched as they hugged their commander, each speaking in their animal voices. He didn’t understand the words, but he felt the emotions clearly.

  Whispering softly, he said, “Yeah… I’ll miss you guys too.” The bond between them was deep.

  Standing up, Ryo grinned at Cinderella. “Protagonist… can you sing for me? Just like in your musical.”

  Cinderella pouted. “Can you please stop calling me ‘protagonist’? And… what are these musicals you keep mentioning?” She sighed, resigned, then smiled. “But very well… I do know how to sing, since I often sing to my fuzzy friends.”

  Placing a hand on her heart and closing her eyes, she began to sing, solely for Ryo, titled: ‘When Stars Guide You Home.’

  “The wind will carry you beyond the skies,

  Where silver moonlight dances and never dies.

  Though our paths may part beneath this gentle glow,

  The seeds of hope will bloom wherever you go.

  Fly, dear detective, where sunlight gleams,

  Beyond the hills, beyond your dreams.

  Though I must stay, my heart will know,

  The stars… the stars… will guide you home.

  Remember me in whispers of the trees,

  In sparkling streams and the quiet breeze.

  Through shadowed nights or stormy seas,

  Magic lives in hearts that believe.

  Fly, dear detective, where sunlight gleams,

  Beyond the hills, beyond your dreams.

  Though I must stay, my heart will know,

  The stars… the stars… will guide you home.

  Every tear that falls like silver rain

  Will turn to light and ease your pain.

  Carry love in all you do,

  And know my wishes follow you.

  Fly, dear detective, where sunlight gleams,

  Beyond the hills, beyond your dreams.

  Though I must stay, my heart will know,

  The stars… the stars… will guide you home…”

  Ryo clapped dramatically, clearly amazed and proud. “BRAVO! Absolutely spectacular! A musical from the real-life Cinderella herself! That suspiciously cheerful rat? Yeah… he’s totally losing his mind right now, drowning in jealousy.”

  And with that, Ryo turned toward the carriage. Before stepping in, he glanced back at everyone.

  “Take care, you all.”

  Everyone waved, calling out their well-wishes and safe travels.

  Ryo climbed into the carriage. The footman closed the door behind him and took his place at the front next to the coachman. The coachman cracked the reins. The unicorn neighed and began trotting forward, carrying them out toward the fields outside the kingdom—the portal to the moon.

  The moment the carriage passed through the portal, they were back on the moon. The Earth hung in the sky, serene and distant.

  Before launching back to Earth, Ryo sank into deep thought. He wondered how Petyr Pann had come into possession of the Celestial Compass. He recalled how Amina had thrown the compass into the Gate of Malevolent Spirits, and how Malakar had been sealed there by Aladdin. The gate had been closed and dragged beneath the sand along with the black pyramid by Mr. Grim—so how had Petyr Pann managed to get hold of that cursed artifact?

  Fortunately, Ryo had destroyed the compass after defeating Petyr Pann. The haunting gate above Evendelle had vanished with it, inflicting pain on the giant Vrakul, while Aurelia’s Fairy Godmother magic helped pull back the monster and seal the gate completely.

  Questions kept piling in Ryo’s mind.

  What was Carabosse’s connection to Petyr Pann?

  Why did they both want him dead?

  Was it because the giant horned Vrakul had ordered them to? Ryo wasn’t sure, but he had a feeling there was more to it.

  And the thought that still haunted him: Gerda had said Petyr Pann offered Edmund the chance to become a “Spirit Host” 19 years ago. Prince Vaelric had likely received the same power months before Cinderella was kidnapped. The only spirit-related creatures Ryo knew of were the Vrakuls—but why were they in the Fairytale world?

  It was all too strange… too dangerous… too scary.

  Ryo exhaled, rubbing his temples. “I really hope I don’t have to deal with them again…”

  He straightened, trying to steel himself. “Yeah… that’s right. If another strange magical client steps into my office again, I’m gonna reject their case with all my might. I’m a NORMAL detective, for crying out loud—not some fantasy hero. Fantasy cases are way too much for a TOTALLY NORMAL detective!”

  The footman glanced back. “Good sir detective, your flight meal is located in the pocket in front of you. Please enjoy it before we launch back to Earth.”

  Ryo reached into the pocket and pulled out a bento box.

  He opened it and smiled. “Ahh… nothing beats the good old wholesome Japanese meal—Omurice.”

  A boxed orange juice was also included. He dug in, savoring every bite.

  After finishing, the breakfast crew and the banana carriage began rising higher into the moon’s sky. A gentle shimmer began to envelop the entire carriage, the air around them sparkling with magic.

  Then—BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!

  The carriage surged forward, making a near light-speed journey back to Earth…

  Back to Japan.

  Back home.

  Back at the Manor…

  Cinderella had already left for work.

  Fairy Greatmother was about to head to the school to teach her students, while Vesmyra, Titania, and Nuada prepared to return to Lunaveth. Jaymez Boom prepared alongside them, though only to accompany them as far as the cottage that led to Lunaveth—his duty was to stand guard there.

  Before they left, Aurelia told Fairy Greatmother that she wanted to check on her kingdom of Glacindor. It would be a short trip, and she would return immediately. She recalled that Fairy Greatmother had once mentioned a rogue faction of her people, the Frosreavers, who had invaded a realm beyond this one and frozen the time of that kingdom.

  Aurelia wanted to see the situation for herself, so she asked Fairy Greatmother to cast a flight spell to reach Glacindor more quickly.

  Fairy Greatmother agreed and cast the spell. Aurelia began to float, waving at Fairy Greatmother, who waved back and called out for her to return safely.

  And with that, Aurelia flew toward her kingdom.

  30 minutes later…

  The journey had been fast. Snowy mountains came into view, a blizzard hiding the kingdom of Glacindor, which revealed glimpses of the realm in the distance. Aurelia felt a pang of nostalgia—it had been so long since she had returned.

  As she entered the blizzard, she froze, gasping. She quickly landed on the snow-covered ground and looked around frantically. To her shock, the kingdom she had built with her ice magic was gone. Everything was just snow.

  Her people—the Frosreavers—were nowhere in sight. They were gone.

  Aurelia called out, her voice echoing through the blizzard. “MY PEOPLE! WHERE ARE YOU!”

  No answer. Silence. Only the roaring wind.

  Then… from the distance where her icy castle once stood, something caught her eye.

  An icy sword was pierced into a snow-covered stone.

  Aurelia approached, knelt, and leaned in.

  On the blade, faint, almost invisible words could be seen.

  She squinted, trying to read. “Ex…cali—”

  CRACK!

  The icy sword SHATTERED before she could finish.

  Startled, Aurelia stumbled back, falling onto the snow. Her eyes widened in horror, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

  Trembling, she whispered. “What… happened here?”

  Somewhere in Rosenthorn…

  Above its enchanted woods…

  Carabosse, looking furious, flew through the air while carrying the unconscious Petyr Pann by the ankle, his body swaying like a flag. She wondered how long the little boy would remain passed out.

  They soon reached a lake, and with a flick of her wrist, Carabosse threw him in. SPLASH! Petyr sank beneath the water, gasping as he struggled to breathe. Frantically, he swam to the surface and inhaled sharply.

  Feeling relieved, he sputtered, “WHA—! What… what happened? Where am I?” He looked around, utterly confused.

  Floating above, Carabosse gazed down at him with a deathly glare. “Are you fully awake now, little boy?” she whispered.

  Petyr flinched, horrified. “Oh! Oh! Yes, Your Grace! This little boy is truly awake!”

  “Swim to land… or I shall smack my wand onto your backside, little boy,” she threatened.

  Fearing for his life, Petyr scrambled to shore. Once on land, he clutched his pirate hat and tried to dry his clothes in the gentle wind.

  And wiped his… {Black Ring}

  Carabosse landed nearby and shouted. “CURSE THAT SO-CALLED SHERLOCK HOLMES!”

  Petyr jumped, nervous. “Y-y-your Grace… please cal—”

  “DON’T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN, LITTLE BOY!” Carabosse roared. “How dare that strange foreign man destroy the compass and ruin my plan to rule Evendelle and other kingdoms!” Her eyes widened, bloodshot. “I swear… the next time I see him, I shall make him suffer beyond imagination!”

  Petyr sat cross-legged, resting a fist against his cheek. “Maaan… and I got beaten by a normal detective while he called out the cliché I unknowingly did,” he groaned. “Guess I really should watch more cliché battle shounens for homework.”

  Carabosse rubbed her temple in frustration. “I must find a way to craft another Celestial Compass!”

  Suddenly, a pigeon made of cards flapped down from the sky. Its card-like talons carried a letter, which it dropped onto Petyr’s palm before scattering into the ground like fallen playing cards.

  “What did you receive from that card-like pigeon, little boy?” Carabosse asked, still fuming.

  Petyr opened the letter and read it. “Looks like that clown-faced Queen needs me for court duty again…” He slowly facepalmed. “Ughh… now I gotta fly all the way to Vietnam from that portal… burning more pixie grain again… what a waste.”

  Carabosse smirked, eyes shadowed with a sinister smile. “Is that so… then allow me to join you.”

  “EH?!” Petyr exclaimed. “But why, 8th Fairy? The Queen of Hearts only needs me!”

  Carabosse glared at him, deadlier than before. “Let me ask you this… why do you sometimes call me the 8th Fairy?”

  Petyr flinched, horrified. “Oh… I forgot! It’s just… on Earth, in their fairytales, that’s your title,” he laughed nervously. “Aha… aha… haha…”

  Then she smiled sweetly—but her words dripped with malice. “I see, little boy. In that case… how about I torture you mercilessly right here if you don’t come with me to that portal in my kingdom?”

  Trembling, Petyr quickly stood and bowed. “YES, YOUR GRACE!”

  Carabosse whispered furiously. “I shall find a way to craft another Celestial Compass no matter where I have to go… even if it means that underground kingdom on Earth. I shall find clues, blueprints, anything… to have it built.” She turned and walked off. “Come, little boy. We’re off to Wonderland now!”

  “AT YOUR SERVICE!” Petyr saluted and followed her.

  And with that, they made their way to the portal…

  Leading to Earth…

  … And to Wonderland.

  A few hours after Ryo left…

  In the village of Evendelle…

  Cinderella was busy at the bakery, smiling as she served customers. The villagers were overjoyed to see their “Angel of Evendelle” back, bustling behind the counter and handing out freshly baked bread. The bakery owner and staff couldn’t hide their delight either—Cinderella’s presence had already sent the bakery’s sales soaring, just like before.

  Then Fairy Greatmother stepped into the bakery, greeting softly. “Good morning, Cinderella.”

  Cinderella perked up and chuckled. “We were at the manor not too long ago, Ms. Roselia.”

  Fairy Greatmother’s eyes softened as she watched Cinderella doing what she loved. It was a relief to see her so bright and happy again. Since it was break time at the village school, she decided to stop by the bakery before resuming teaching—the children were on break, after all.

  Not too far from the bakery…

  In the village square…

  Children ran around, laughter filling the crisp autumn air. An elderly couple fed doves, while nearby, musicians played, blending their melodies into the calm yet lively atmosphere.

  Suddenly… two children, both eight years old, came running into the square. One wore a blue cloak, the other a red, their faces shadowed beneath their hoods.

  The boy in blue panted. “Sister, wait for me!”

  The girl in red was already ahead, looking back. “Brother, you’re too slow! Hurry! We need to get to the bakery!”

  They weaved past other children, nearly tripping a few times, until they finally reached the bakery, exhausted and gasping.

  Fairy Greatmother and Cinderella perked up at the sight of them, and approached with gentle curiosity.

  Fairy Greatmother smiled warmly. “Oh, such sweet little ones. You look tired. Would you like me to get something for you, my dears?”

  “I’ll give you some meat and dessert for free,” Cinderella added generously, gesturing toward a table. “Pick any table you like.”

  The boy panicked, flailing slightly. “Oh, you don’t need to do that, we’re jus—”

  Before he could finish, the girl hopped adorably, full of excitement. “YAAAAAAY! Free food!” She pointed to the best table. “Let’s go to that big table, brother!”

  Cinderella chuckled. “That table’s reserved, but you can join Ms. Roselia.”

  “Come along, you two,” Fairy Greatmother added kindly. “Follow me.”

  The children’s faces lit up as they hurried to the table. They sat side by side, with Fairy Greatmother opposite them.

  Cinderella placed trays of sweet baguettes and roasted chicken before them.

  “Here you go, enjoy, you two,” she said warmly.

  The children’s eyes sparkled in awe. “WOOOOAAAAH!!”

  They began munching hungrily, brimming with excitement.

  Cinderella, tray held to her chest, leaned forward with curiosity. “You two don’t look like you’re from around here… especially those clothes and cloaks.”

  “Indeed,” Fairy Greatmother agreed. “So, what brings you both to Evendelle?” She smiled gently. “And what are your names, my dears?”

  The children swallowed their food, sipped their drinks, and wiped their mouths.

  The boy pulled back his hood. “My name is Sun.”

  The girl also pulled back her hood. “I am Moon.”

  Fairy Greatmother and Cinderella blinked in astonishment. The twins were impossibly adorable.

  Then, leaning forward, they asked in unison.

  “Umm… can you please tell us about the strange foreign man?”

  This author’s note appears in both English and Japanese. The English text is the original and should be considered the authoritative version.

  ケース2：シンデレラ、失われた王女 完結

  しかし、一つの事件が終わると同時に、影は再び動き出す――

  新たな事件、新たな挑戦、そしてもう一つの巧妙さ、危険、冒険の章が始まろうとしています。

  私の物語があまりにも濃厚で、大胆で、これまで見たことのないものに感じられたとしても、どうか許してください。

  私は、ただの忘れられやすいアニメ風ストーリーを作ろうとしているのではありません――使い古されたトロープを打ち壊し、ねじり、鋭く、意外で、時にはユーモラスな方法で遊んでいます。

  私は、永く語り継がれる伝説を作るためにここにいます。

  私の探偵、この世界の魔法と謎を命あるものにせよ。

  リスクを取れ。限界を押し広げろ。大胆になれ――今まで話すのを怖がっていたアイデアを、恐れずに共有できるほどに。

  愛していたけれど削らざるを得なかったシーン。見せたかった大胆なカット。今まで使えなかった、あなたが考えた素晴らしい音楽やサウンドトラック。あまりにも過激すぎると思ったビジョン。埋もれさせるな。

  ? さらに冒険心を持て：サイドクエストやミニ調査、探偵の手がかりや旅路を豊かにする追加要素を加え、世界に深みを与え、謎をより豊かにせよ。ただし、すでに提示した啓示を壊さないように。これらの拡張は、現在のアークとその特定の設定にのみ焦点を当てるべきです。物語がより生き生きと息づくと信じるなら、提案してほしい。

  ためらうな…この物語は臆病者を待たない。

  街は眠り、街灯は低く灯る。机の上の電話は、あなたが準備できたときに私が取る。

  Case 2: Cinderella, The Missing Princess Concludes

  But as one case closes, the shadows stir anew—

  a new case, a fresh challenge, and another chapter of cunning, danger, and adventure is about to begin.

  To the innovative creators watching:

  Forgive me if my story feels too rich, too bold, or unlike anything you’ve seen before.

  I’m not here to make another forgettable anime-style story — I tear overused tropes apart, twist them, and play with them in sharp, surprising, and often comedic ways.

  And to those who call themselves visionaries — oh? You think you’re ready? Then prove it. Step up.

  Bring my detective, this world’s magic, and mystery to life.

  Take risks. Push boundaries. Go bold — bold enough to share the ideas you’ve always wanted but were afraid to speak of.

  The scenes you loved but had to cut. The daring shots you wished you could show. The amazing music and soundtrack you’ve always come up with but were unable to use. The visions you thought were too much. Don’t leave them buried.

  Be more adventurous: add side quests, mini-investigations, or extra layers that enrich the detective’s clues and journey — giving the world more depth and making the mystery richer, without breaking the revelations I’ve already laid out. These expansions should focus only on the current arc and its specific setting. If you believe adding these elements will let the story breathe even better, bring them forward.

  Create unique and timeless settings you’ve always dreamed of bringing to life for the hidden worlds. You may have already crafted amazing fairytale art, historical illustrations, or other incredible fantasy settings in your own portfolios — or even have grander visions you wish could be made and come to life. For example, how would you envision Al-Munira, the Arabian Nights–style kingdom with subtle modern influences from Case One? Or Evendelle in the year 1701, Cinderella’s kingdom from Case Two? I’ll describe the settings for future cases, and you’re welcome to add your own touches that best suit each world, transforming them into something you’ve always longed to draw, illustrate, and bring to life in animation. Each arc is a chance to leave your mark and make these worlds unforgettable.

  honoring the story’s core vision.

  story’s direction and plans for multiple future arcs. We can also discuss these together if you wish.