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Chapter 59: Rise Above the Ancient Flames, I Call Your Name!
しおりを挟む
Both of Ryo’s hands trembled, the gun like dead weight in his grip.
He was caught in a deadly trap. One wrong move and Seraphine’s knife would slash her mother’s throat before he could blink.
Then his gaze snapped to the bottom right.
Ryo’s breath hitched, his pupils shrinking. Elise and Sophie were bound—ropes digging into their wrists, their mouths gagged tight to silence any cry for help. Three lives balanced on the razor’s edge. One mistake, and all of them could be lost.
He couldn’t risk it. First, he had to focus on the stepmother—the one in the greatest danger, with that blade so close to her throat.
Ryo clenched his teeth, his voice trembling yet pleading as he kept the gun aimed at the stepsisters. In a low, shaky whisper, he said.
“Seraphine… please… put the knife down. She’s… your mother.”
Seraphine’s lips curled into a chilling smile, her gaze sharp and cold, her eyes narrowed with an unnatural malice. She said nothing—only stared at Ryo with that unnerving, wicked grin that didn’t belong to her.
Then, before Ryo could process it, something even worse happened.
Clarisse, standing behind their mother, reached into her dress and pulled out a knife as well. But she didn’t aim it at Ryo. Instead, she pressed the sharp tip against Stepmother’s stomach, threatening to drive it in without hesitation.
Ryo’s breath caught. His voice cracked as he shouted. “CLARISSE! ARE YOU BEING F**KING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!”
But just like her sister, Clarisse didn’t answer. She only smiled—an evil, twisted smile that made Ryo’s stomach knot in dread.
Stepmother trembled in fear, her face pale, breath shallow and ragged. She was frozen, her lips parted but no words came out. Her own daughters—her precious Seraphine and Clarisse—were holding her life in their hands, and she couldn’t understand why.
Neither could Ryo.
His mind raced as he studied the sisters, desperate for an answer. And then… he saw it.
Their eyes.
Each of them had one eye that was wrong—mysteriously blackened, like a void swallowing the warmth of who they once were.
Ryo’s eyes widened. A chilling memory rushed back. Aurelia’s ghost had once told him about Kaj’s eyes—how they turned “mysteriously dark” before he murdered her in the village square 19 years ago.
At first, Ryo believed Kaj had been cursed by a Vrakul, manipulated into doing the unthinkable. But Aurelia had also said that Kaj spat venomous words at her grave—“She was always a burden when she was alive. That’s why I killed her.”—just before hurling the glass slipper toward the top of the hazel tree.
Those weren’t the words of a man fully controlled. Those were personal. Hateful.
Now, seeing the stepsisters like this—with their blackened eyes and hearts turned to stone—Ryo realized this wasn’t just a coincidence. It was similar to Kaj’s case, but not the same. Something, or someone, was twisting their hearts, forcing them to become something they weren’t. They hadn’t been like this when Ryo first met them yesterday.
It reminded him of how the entire stepfamily changed toward Cinderella after Edmund came into their lives…
The weight of the gun felt heavier in his hands. His finger hovered dangerously close to the trigger.
Even the animal agents stood tense and alert, their eyes sharp as blades. They growled, chirped, and squeaked under their breaths, but none of them dared to move recklessly.
One wrong move, and Seraphine’s knife would slit their mother’s throat.
One wrong move, and Clarisse’s blade would pierce her stomach.
Ryo’s heart pounded. His breath grew shallow. He knew that one misstep would mean Rosalind’s death... and then the servants would be next.
Then suddenly, something floated into view behind them.
Ryo’s gaze sharpened, sweat sliding down his cheek. His voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
“So… this is your doing, huh, Smug Boy?”
There he was—the volto masked suspect—hovering with black miasma and purple sparkles swirling beneath his feet, his arms outstretched like he was basking in his own twisted performance.
Smug Boy chuckled darkly. “I never would’ve thought you’d avoid death like that, Sherlock Holmes. But seeing you like this—cornered, helpless? What a sight to behold! HAHAHAHAHA!”
[Author’s Note: Ryo decided to keep calling the villain ‘Smug Boy’—partly due to his terrible naming skills, but mostly because saying ‘Volto-masked smug suspect’ is just too long and annoying for him.]
Ryo narrowed his gaze, his tone icy. “Enough talk, a**hole. Let Madam Rosalind and the servants go… or I’ll put a bullet in your face—just like I did to your shoulder.”
Smug Boy scoffed, wagging a finger at him.
“HAH! Do you even realize the position you’re in, strange foreign man? I could just tell these worthless sisters to slit their mother’s throat right now!”
His grin widened behind the mask as he added in a whisper, almost savoring it.
“And then I’ll have these two kill the servants next… and after that, they’ll commit suicide—slicing their own throats like soulless puppets.”
Ryo spoke in a low voice that sliced through the air like steel. “Say that again, Smug Boy.”
Smug Boy drifted toward Elise, pulling a knife from his black cloak and pressing it close to her face.
“MMMMMM!!!” Elise cried through her gag.
Ryo instantly shifted his aim to Smug Boy.
Smug Boy stretched out a hand in a smug ‘oh-no-you-don’t’ gesture.
“Ah… ah… ah… Don’t think about doing something as stupid as pulling that strange little weapon of yours, strange foreign man…”
Ryo tilted his head and smirked. “Oh really? Maybe I should give you’re a** another taste of my frying pan of eternal annihilation—this time, I’ll send you straight to oblivion.”
The moment Ryo said “frying pan,” Smug Boy instinctively flinched and felt that lingering pain in his rear.
“SHUT UP, STRANGE FOREIGN MAN!” Smug Boy snapped, his tone breaking from composure.
“My guard wasn’t up earlier! If I’d turned my head around a second faster, you’d be dead!”
Ryo grinned, dripping sarcasm like venom.
“Oh, wow. The classic ‘I totally would’ve won if I’d tried harder’ excuse. Never heard that one before—totally original. Truly groundbreaking villain talk, right here.”
Stepmother’s voice trembled as she thought, half-baffled, half-worried.
“Mr. Sherlock Holmes… this is not the time for jokes, not while the servants’ lives—and mine—are on the line…”
Smug Boy, now offended, growled and snapped an order. The sisters pressed their knives even closer to Rosalind’s throat and stomach.
“AH!” Rosalind stiffened, panic flooding her voice. “Please, my sweet girls! This is not who you are! You’re my lovely daughters, just like Cinderella! Please, my darlings, put those knives down—don’t you both love Mr. Sherlock Holmes?”
The sisters exchanged glances, and then both burst into laughter—high, unhinged, and eerily sweet, like yandere villains from a nightmare.
Ryo rolled his eyes with an internal groan.
“Fantastic. Yandere sisters. Just what I needed. I never thought I’d run into yandere types in real life, and of course, they had to be Cinderella’s manipulated stepsisters…”
Seraphine tilted her head with an evil grin. “Oh, Mother… since when did you think we’d fallen for Sherlock?”
Clarisse giggled darkly, her gaze glinting like a blade.
“Falling for him? Gross. I’m a veeeery picky woman, Mother. But if you’re stalling for time… I wouldn’t mind stabbing you right now. Hiiiiiihihihihi~”
Stepmother’s heart felt as though it had shattered into pieces. Hearing her precious daughters—her sweet Clarisse and Seraphine—speak with such cruelty and malice tore her apart inside. In that moment, it didn’t feel like they were her daughters anymore.
“My girls… what has this madman done to you…?” she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.
Ryo’s jaw tightened. He knew those vile words weren’t truly theirs. This had to be the work of Smug Boy—a curse twisting their hearts and minds. And yet, as Ryo studied the volto mask again, a chill ran down his spine. The mask… it looked eerily similar to the figure in that old locket painting.
But there was no time to piece the puzzle together. Clarisse’s gaze was sharpening, and Ryo could feel the sisters beginning to suspect that he and Rosalind were stalling. If this dragged on any longer, Rosalind and the servants would die. He had to act.
Smug Boy might want something in exchange for releasing the servants and Rosalind. But Ryo knew it was impossible—twisted criminals he’d dealt with back in his police days never kept their promises once they got what they wanted. Still… he had to at least pretend. Maybe asking what Smug Boy wanted would buy some time—and give Ryo a chance to think of an alternative solution.
He took a deep breath. “Alright, Smug Boy,” Ryo said, his tone cold but steady. “What do you want?”
Smug Boy let out a mocking laugh. “Your death, obviously. What else? You’re in our way, and Cinderella must never be found by the likes of you! You’re poison to our plan.”
“Plan, huh…” Ryo thought. “What plan is this bastard talking about?”
Ryo’s mind raced. Then, like a spark, a dangerous plan flashed in his head—risky, reckless even, but maybe the only chance he had.
He exhaled slowly. “Okay, Smug Boy,” Ryo said with casual finality. “I’ll kill myself… voluntarily.”
He raised both hands in surrender, his gun still in his right hand.
Rosalind’s eyes flew wide, her voice breaking in panic.
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES?! DON’T YOU DARE SACRIFICE YOURSELF LIKE THAT!”
The animal agents all froze, their faces etched with worry. They pawed, flapped, and squeaked, almost begging their commander not to do something so insane.
Ryo glanced down at them, then started blinking—once long, twice short, then three quick. His eyelids danced in a deliberate pattern.
The agents instantly perked up.
Morse code.
Just last night, after dinner, during their Earth-based military training session, Ryo had taught his furry squad Morse signals, drilling them until they understood his blinks and gestures. And now, they read him loud and clear.
Don’t panic. This is part of the plan.
They straightened up, turning to face the enemies before them, eyes sharp once more as they quietly awaited their commander’s next move. Captain Nutso and Agent McPecker exchanged a subtle nod—they had received a separate mission through the Morse signal. One that involved calling for reinforcements—the magical way—for a “certain someone.”
Ryo turned back to Smug Boy. “I have one condition before I start killing myself.”
Smug Boy scoffed behind the mask.
“Pfft… conditions? You’re in no position to make conditions, strange foreign man! Just kill yourself already!”
He threw back his head, cackling maniacally. “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
Ryo smirked with a razor-edged gaze.
“Oh, don’t worry, Smug Boy. I’m just handing over my weapons. You wouldn’t want me doing anything suspicious, right?”
Smug Boy’s tone shifted as he clapped his hands cheerfully.
“AH, OF COURSE! Go on then—hand them over!”
Ryo tossed his gun to the floor toward them, and Clarisse bent down to pick it up, her expression dark and amused.
Then Ryo reached into his trench coat and drew out something else—something they had never seen before. Like his gun, it was foreign to this fairytale world.
A Flash Bomb.
The sisters blinked, confused. Smug Boy tilted his head.
Ryo casually pulled the pin, knelt, and rolled the small cylinder across the floor toward them.
Smug Boy hovered down, chuckling darkly as he scooped it up.
“What’s this? Some pathetic toy? HAH! You really think this will—”
Ryo’s grin widened. They had no idea what was coming.
“CLOSE YOUR EYES AND EARS, MADAM! YOU TWO, JUST BRACE FOR IMPACT—EYES CLOSED ONLY!!!” Ryo barked.
Rosalind gasped and instinctively covered both her eyes and ears, while the two servants, still bound, could only shut their eyes.
BOOOOOM!!!
A blinding flash exploded in front of them, intense white light bursting into their vision.
The sisters screamed, stumbling backward, their knives lowering as they clutched their faces. Even Smug Boy shrieked behind the mask, flailing in panic as if the world had turned white. The servants’ ears rang, but they endured.
“ADVANCE! GO, GO, GO! STRIKE THEM DOWN!” Ryo ordered.
The hallway erupted into chaos.
Agent Barkzilla lunged first, tackling Seraphine hard to the floor. Her knife clattered away across the wooden boards.
Agent Barkface and McDrama dove at Clarisse, pinning her down. Clarisse shrieked, thrashing violently, but McDrama’s furious cooing exploded in her ear—“COOOO! COOOOOOO!”—so loud that Clarisse covered her ears in agony, trapped and unable to grab her weapon.
Ryo didn’t hesitate. He sprinted straight for Smug Boy, who was stumbling and rubbing at his blinded eyes beneath the mask. With a flick of his wrist, Ryo’s tonfa shot out from his right sleeve. He gripped it tight, spinning it like a propeller, his teeth clenched.
SWOOOOSH—BOO DOOOOOOM!
The tonfa slammed into Smug Boy’s crotch with brutal precision, like Zeus’s thunderstorm tearing across the heavens. The impact was so fierce that its echo rolled all the way back to the grove, making Aurelia flinch again.
She tilted her ghostly head toward the clear night sky. “Thunder? But… tonight isn’t stormy. It’s just a calm, cloudless night.”
“OOOOOOOOOPPPPFFFFFHHH!!!” The masked villain let out a guttural, inhuman grunt, collapsing to his knees and clutching his wounded pride.
Ryo didn’t waste a second. He snatched up his fallen gun, shoved it into his pocket, slashed through the servants’ ropes with the fallen knife, and then tossed it aside.
“COME ON, YOU TWO! GET UP—WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!”
The girls nodded and scrambled to their feet, still trembling.
“Y-Yes, s-sir Holmes!”
Ryo crouched in front of Rosalind, who was frozen in shock.
“GET ON MY BACK, MADAM—NOW!”
“W-What are you—Mr. Sherlock Holmes, what are you talking about?!” Rosalind stammered, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
“NO TIME! HURRY!!” Ryo barked, his tone sharp as steel.
Behind them, Smug Boy squirmed on the floor, and the sisters were already struggling to rise, fury twisting their faces.
Rosalind didn’t waste another second. She scrambled onto Ryo’s back, clinging to his shoulders as he rose with a grunt and bolted toward the manor’s front door.
Ryo pushed forward, the servants scrambling behind him, his furry agents racing close behind.
Then Ryo shouted over his shoulder, voice cutting like a whip.
“I’m counting on you two! Get the Grimoire of the Everlight!”
Captain Nutso and Agent McPecker snapped a salute, their faces hard with determination, before breaking formation and darting back toward the attic. The plan was clear—to summon Fairy Greatmother.
The front doors loomed ahead. Without breaking stride, Ryo kicked them down— the crash echoing like a gunshot. Cold night air blasted against them.
“Hold on, Madam!” he warned as he turned sharply to the right, sprinting toward the dark stretch of the nearby enchanted woods.
The trees swallowed them like a maze of shadows, twisting branches and mist hiding their trail. Ryo, with the servants and animals close behind, weaved through the underbrush with sharp precision. Their hearts hammered with every step that crunched against the forest floor, while Rosalind clung to Ryo’s neck from behind, trembling.
Behind them, the manor exploded with noise.
Smug Boy’s furious scream cut through the night, ragged and hoarse.
“AFTER THEM! I WANT THEM DEAD—EVERY LAST ONE!”
Seraphine and Clarisse, faces twisted in malevolent rage, grabbed their knives and bolted after them. Behind them, Smug Boy hovered above the floor, purple sparks snapping and black miasma hissing as he glided forward like a vengeful ghost.
The three pursuers burst out of the manor doors and vanished into the woods, their silhouettes blending into the darkness, hunting.
Ryo stopped by a tall, thick tree, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Rosalind slid off his back, her face tight with worry.
“Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “you’re exhausted… are you alright?”
Sophie and Elise stumbled behind them, both panting hard, their faces flushed with fear.
Ryo turned, his tone steady despite the pounding in his chest.
“You two,” he said, pointing to the servant sisters, “stay with Madam Rosalind. Keep close to her, no matter what. My agents and I will keep those three busy. Understood?”
Sophie and Elise exchanged frightened glances, their hands shaking, but they nodded in unison.
“Y-Yes, Sir Holmes.”
A sudden voice cut through the night like a knife. “THERE YOU ALL ARE!!”
Clarisse burst from the other side of the tree, knife gleaming in her hand. She swung viciously toward Sophie. Sophie turned, catching the glint of the blade, and her heart sank into her stomach.
“AAAHHHHHH!!!” she screamed.
Ryo moved faster than thought. His right hand shot up, intercepting the strike with his tonfa, the steel locking against the knife’s edge. Clarisse’s crazed grin widened as she forced her weight forward.
“I’ll have your head, Sherlock! I SWEAR IT!! AAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” she shrieked, her face twisted with madness.
Ryo’s teeth clenched. His voice lowered to a growl, sharp with fury.
“Sorry, Clarisse,” he whispered, muscles straining, “but I don’t have time to play with your yandere act.”
With a flick of his wrist, another tonfa shot out from his left sleeve. He drove it hard into her stomach.
“NGHHHHHH!!” Clarisse gasped, all air rushing from her lungs, and collapsed to the forest floor unconscious.
Ryo stepped back, exhaling, and turned to Rosalind. “Apologies for striking your daughter in the gut, Madam.”
Rosalind shook her head sharply, her voice trembling with mixed pain and relief.
“Do not apologize, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. If this is what it takes to stop her from… from hurting anyone—then I am grateful.”
Before the moment could settle, a furious voice ripped through the woods.
“WHERE ARE YOU, SHERLOCK?! I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOU!!”
Ryo peeked from behind the tree. Seraphine was rampaging nearby, her knife slashing wildly at tree trunks, carving deep scars into the bark. Her face was twisted with frustration, her eyes gleaming with madness.
Above, smug boy floated between the trees, black miasma and purple sparks spilling like a toxic cloud beneath his feet. His voice dripped venom.
“HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME FROM BEHIND—AND MY GROIN!” His tone turned into an unhinged snarl. “I’LL TEAR YOU APART AND DRAG YOUR SOUL INTO THE ABYSS!”
“Abyss?” Ryo thought. “Yeah, I’ve fallen into one before… had a historical movie marathon with Mr. Grim. What an experience that was...” He sighed.
The group stayed perfectly still, hidden in the shadows of the trees. Every breath was shallow, every muscle tense.
Ryo’s eyes narrowed. He turned to his agents, his voice low but charged with fire.
“Alright, agents! New mission: Code Omega. Danger level? 5000—and rising.”
The furry agents stood in a row on the grass, chests puffed out, their eyes filled with unshakable determination.
Commander Ryo issued his orders, every word sharp and decisive.
“Agent Barkzilla! Intercept. Keep Seraphine’s knife locked on you—force every strike, give her no opening.”
“Agent Barkface! Circle her—make her spin like she’s trapped in a nightmare.”
“Agent Whiskers! Low and silent. The moment that volto-clown Smug Boy dips too close, I want his mask in shreds.”
“Agent McDrama! Own the skies. Harass that masked bastard in his ears until he forgets he even has wings—which he clearly doesn’t have.”
The agents stood tall, their eyes like burning embers. They saluted in unison, ready to carry out the dangerous mission.
Meanwhile, back in the attic...
Captain Nutso rummaged through Ryo’s bag, chittering determinedly, until his tiny paws closed around the object they needed: the Grimoire of the Everlight.
Gripping the book tight, Captain Nutso stood firm on the floor. Agent McPecker swooped down, his talons locking gently yet firmly around the squirrel’s shoulders. With a powerful beat of his wings, he lifted Captain Nutso and soared out the attic window, slicing through the cold night air as they headed for the enchanted forest.
The reinforcements were on their way.
Back in the enchanted woods…
Ryo crouched low behind the tree, mind racing. The first step was to peel Seraphine and Smug Boy away from the group—to split their attention. His sharp gaze cut to the smallest but boldest agent.
“Agent Whiskers. Roll out.”
The kitten’s ears twitched with determination. With a soft “Mew!” he darted into action, zigzagging between roots and fallen branches like a streak of orange lightning. His voice rang out in sharp, taunting cries.
“MEWWWW! MEEEWWWW!”
Smug Boy, still scanning from above, froze midair. He hadn’t spotted the kitten yet, but his eyes snapped toward the sound.
“What was that? Sherlock Holmes! I KNOW YOU’RE HIDING THERE!” he snarled, assuming Ryo was nearby.
With a hiss of black miasma and purple sparkles, Smug Boy shot off toward the meowing, his sharp grin widening behind the mask.
Seraphine’s head snapped toward the same sound, her knife gleaming in the moonlight.
“I’ll cut you ALL apart! AAAAHHHH!!!” she screamed, bolting after the sound with wild slashes, bypassing Ryo’s hidden group completely.
“Now,” Ryo ordered, his voice low and steady.
Agent Barkzilla charged like a furry missile, barking furiously. He skidded to a stop right in Seraphine’s path, lips curled into a growl.
“OUT OF MY WAY, YOU FILTHY MONGREL!!” Seraphine shrieked, stabbing downward.
Barkzilla dodged each slash with lightning speed, twisting and leaping out of reach while growling like a true agent.
Suddenly, Agent Barkface—the mischievous puppy—rushed in from the other side. The two canines began circling Seraphine, darting in and out, their movements too fast for her to predict.
“STOP MOVING, YOU CURS!!” she roared, spinning wildly, her knife cutting nothing but air. The dizzying circle made her stumble, her balance breaking as she cursed louder, her rage uncontained.
“Perfect,” Ryo whispered.
He burst from hiding, dashing forward with a burst of speed. In one swift motion, he chopped the back of Seraphine’s neck with a sharp strike.
“NNGH!” Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.
Ryo caught her under the arms and dragged her limp form back to the group. His breathing was steady, but his sharp eyes told the ladies everything—there was no time to celebrate.
“Keep an eye on Seraphine and Clarisse,” Ryo ordered firmly. “Tie their wrists and ankles. Use the ironwood vines from this tree—if they wake up, I don’t want them attacking you.”
Elise and Sophie scrambled into action, ripping down the tough ironwood vines. Rosalind’s hands trembled, but she forced herself to help, binding her own daughters as tears burned in her eyes.
Now only Smug Boy remained.
Ryo’s eyes narrowed as he glanced up through the treetops. The floating suspect hadn’t noticed a thing—still locked on chasing Agent Whiskers.
“Agent McDrama. You’re up next.” Ryo ordered, pointing forward.
The dove’s chest puffed with pride. “COOO! COOOOO!”
With a powerful flap of wings, McDrama shot skyward like a white blur, heading straight for Smug Boy. Below, Ryo broke into a sprint, weaving between the trees with his gun in hand, his gaze locked on the hovering figure.
“You’re mine now, Smug Boy,” Ryo muttered under his breath, his finger brushing the trigger.
Smug Boy descended through the tree, his hand slipping under his cloak to pull out a fresh, glinting knife.
Below the trees, Agent Whiskers stopped dead in his tracks. He tilted his tiny head up at him with the sweetest, most innocent look—as if the kitten wasn’t the bait in a deadly trap.
Smug Boy’s teeth clenched, his voice dripping with irritation.
“Damn that Sherlock Holmes… always making a fool of me with his stupid tricks!”
Then he sneered, shrugging lazily. “Fine. I’ll just kill you first.”
With a guttural laugh, he dove down like a hawk, knife raised high, the purple sparks from his miasma flickering like evil fireworks.
Whiskers didn’t budge. His tail twitched.
He had spotted something up ahead… and he knew what was coming.
Just as Smug Boy was about to strike, a sharp whoosh of air burst behind him.
“What—?!” Smug Boy blurted, startled.
He whipped his head around just in time to see Agent McDrama swooping in like a blazing warhead—so close his wingtips brushed the side of Smug Boy’s mask.
Then, with all the fury and harassment only a battle-hardened dove could muster, McDrama let out a loud, drawn-out coo that could pierce the heavens.
“COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”
The coo thundered, so loud that even the air seemed to vibrate.
Smug Boy screamed, dropping his knife as he clutched his ringing ears.
“AAAARGHHHHHH! SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU VILE BIRD!!”
He stumbled midair and crashed to the ground, landing hard beside Whiskers.
Whiskers turned to him with a smug look that practically screamed, ‘Oh, now it’s my turn.’
His eyes narrowed, and with a fierce battle cry—“Mew!”
The kitten leapt at Smug Boy’s neck, claws raking and scratching at his Volto mask with razor-sharp precision, trying to rip it free.
“GET OFF ME, YOU WORTHLESS CAT!!” Smug Boy roared, grabbing his tiny body with both hands and hurling the kitten to the side like trash.
But before Whiskers hit the ground, a shadow blurred through the trees.
Ryo came diving in, rolling and sliding across the grass like a baseball player stealing home, catching Whiskers midair with one hand.
His voice exploded like a gunshot. “HEY! THAT’S ANIMAL ABUSE, YOU PIECE OF SH*T!!”
He crouched there, holding Whiskers close to his chest like a tiny furry war hero, glaring at Smug Boy.
“You DARE throw me like rubbish?! Foolish, weird flying human—I am FURY wrapped in fur! You have chosen DEATH!” Whiskers hissed in his cat language.
“ENOUGH PLAYING AROUND!” Smug Boy’s voice ripped through the air, vibrating with rage. “I’LL END ALL OF YOU RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!!”
The ground trembled as black miasma burst out from his body like a volcanic eruption, spiraling into the trees and painting the forest in choking darkness. Purple sparks hissed and crackled, spreading like wildfire through the air, swallowing every trace of light and turning the woods into a nightmarish void.
In moments, the forest trees was a writhing storm of miasma and sinister glitter, so thick Ryo and his agents couldn’t even see two feet ahead.
At the distant tree where Rosalind, Sophie, and Elise hid…
The darkness reached them like a suffocating wave. Sophie clutched Elise’s trembling hand.
“W-What’s happening? We can’t see anything!” Sophie whispered, her voice shaking.
Elise’s lips trembled. “It’s like the whole forest is alive and angry…”
Rosalind’s breath hitched, her fear evident. “Mr. Sherlock Holmes… please… don’t you dare fall here…”
Ryo’s head whipped around, eyes darting, gun sweeping in every direction. His breath came fast and harsh, beads of sweat trailing down the side of his face.
“Where are you, you bastard…” he muttered, his whole body tense and ready to pull the trigger.
Then—
A flash of motion.
Smug Boy emerged right next to him, knife gleaming.
Ryo barely reacted in time, twisting his body. “NGHHHHHHHHH!”
The blade sank into his right arm. Pain exploded like fire. Blood gushed as he let out a raw, guttural scream and dropped Whiskers from his left arm.
“HAH!” Smug Boy hissed with glee, yanking the knife out, ready to plunge it again.
Ryo fired back blindly—BANG!—but the shot missed as Smug Boy drifted back into the fog like a shadow.
He realized he couldn’t just shoot randomly with his furry agents nearby—what if he hit one of them by accident? He needed them as far away as possible.
Ryo glanced down—the ground still had visibility. He gritted his teeth.
“McDrama! Whiskers! GET DOWN! Take Whiskers and get out of here!”
Whiskers meowed sharply and darted low, his tiny frame vanishing into the underbrush. McDrama swooped down, his white feathers slicing through the haze, and spotted Whiskers trembling in fear. With a swift motion, he scooped the kitten up by the scruff with his talons. Together, they retreated to a faraway tree.
Now that his furry squad was out of range, Ryo spun back, gun ready, firing at every glimpse of Smug Boy’s silhouette—BANG! BANG! BANG!—but every shot missed.
A cruel laugh echoed from all directions. “Pathetic, Sherlock! You can’t touch me!”
Pain surged through Ryo’s arm, forcing him to clutch his wound with his left hand. His breath grew uneven, ragged. “Damn it—”
WHOOSH!
A sudden gust behind him. His instincts screamed. He turned—
But Smug Boy was already there, knife raised!
Ryo’s desperation kicked in. His right palm shot up just in time.
The blade pierced straight through his palm. “ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Ryo hit the ground hard, landing flat on his back. Smug Boy pounced on top of him, the knife hovering inches from Ryo’s eye as he struggled to push it back.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Smug Boy’s voice rang with manic delight. “I’M WINNING NOW! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, SHERLOCK!!!”
Ryo’s teeth ground together as he strained with every muscle, his left hand clamped around Smug Boy’s wrist, stopping the knife from descending further. But his vision blurred—his strength was draining fast, blood loss dragging him down.
“Shit… is this it…?” Ryo thought, his gaze trembling.
Then—A burst of light.
Some of the miasma above ripped apart, scattering like ink in water.
Ryo’s fading eyes widened.
High above the trees, cutting through the gloom, Agent McPecker soared like a drone, carrying Captain Nutso in his talons.
And in the squirrel’s small paws…
{The Grimoire of the Everlight}
The book glowed faintly, as if sensing the chaos below.
A weak grin curved Ryo’s bloodied lips. “Heh… Guess it’s time for you to battle the final boss, Smug Boy…”
Smug Boy scoffed, leaning in close, his mask almost touching Ryo’s face.
“I don’t know what that means, but I’ll humor you, strange foreign man. Since you’ve fought so hard, I’ll give you an INSTANT death.” His grin twisted. “Consider it… respect! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Ryo ignored him, his gaze flicking to the sky.
“DROP IT NOW!!!” he roared.
Captain Nutso didn’t hesitate.
The Grimoire slipped from his paws, tumbling through the air.
Its pages flipped wildly.
“Huh? Who are you shouting at?” Smug Boy snarled, glancing up. His eyes widened under the mask. “What—?!”
Facing away? That was Smug Boy’s biggest mistake. It gave Ryo the time he needed to chant.
“By star… by light… by ancient flame…”
Ryo rasped, pain searing through his bloodied palm as it clenched around the blade still pierced into it. But still… he finished his chant, voice rising louder and stronger.
“FAIRY GREATMOTHER… I CALL YOUR NAME!!!!”
The Grimoire ignited midair, bursting into radiant gold light. Its pages spun like a vortex, the glow so fierce it burned through the miasma.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” Smug Boy screamed, shielding his face.
BOOOOOM—SHHHHRRRMMM!!!
The explosion of golden radiance blasted outward like a vast, transparent blanket of light, shaking the entire forest like an earthquake. Leaves ripped from the trees, and the miasma with its purple sparkles was swept away like ash in a storm.
Smug Boy was hurled sideways by the devastating shockwave, slamming into a tree with a bone-rattling crack. The force tore the knife from Ryo’s bloodied palm—but Smug Boy still clutched it tightly as he was flung away.
Above, descending through the golden storm like a comet, she swung her crescent-tipped wand.
“MR. DETECTIVE! I HAVE COME TO AID YOU!”
A figure emerged, cloaked in shimmering light, her gown flowing like starlight itself.
Fairy Greatmother’s wand gleamed with power as she plunged down, facing downward like a divine spear.
Ryo’s vision blurred, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Ma’am… I’m… leaving Smug Boy… to you…”
And he passed out.
Then Fairy Greatmother hovered in place and saw Ryo bloodied. She gasped and quickly descended next to the unconscious detective, holding him by the shoulders.
“MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! Are you alright, Mr. Detective?!” she shouted, her voice trembling with worry.
But Ryo didn’t respond. His eyes were closed—he had already lost consciousness from fatigue and blood loss, his skin drained of color. Fairy Greatmother’s breath caught as her gaze fell on the stab wounds on Ryo’s right arm and palm.
Her eyes widened in horror.
“Oh no… I must heal you fast!” she whispered, panic rising in her chest.
But then—a guttural grunt echoed from the side.
Fairy Greatmother turned and saw the Volto-masked Smug Boy, slowly picking himself up by a tree, his hand gripping his knife.
Her expression hardened. She turned to him with a serious face, her voice low but cutting like steel.
“Is this your doing, stranger…”
Her body began to shimmer with a golden glow, her magical energy flaring. The air around her trembled with her rising power.
Smug Boy froze mid-step. For the first time, he felt something crawling under his skin—fear. True fear.
But then he slapped both his cheeks, forcing himself out of it, and sneered behind his mask.
“That’s right… and what are you going to do about it, schoolteacher?!”
Fairy Greatmother’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“He knows I’m a schoolteacher…?” she thought, finding it odd that Smug Boy knew her occupation.
Smug Boy hovered into the air and charged at her, screaming.
“YOU CAN DIE ALONG WITH THAT STRANGE FOREIGN MAN!!”
Fairy Greatmother’s face didn’t so much as flinch. She swung her wand with a single motion—WHOOOOSH!
A spinning vortex of golden wind erupted beneath Smug Boy, swallowing him.
“Wha—?!” he screamed as the wind BLASTED him high into the sky. “AAAAAAAAAHHHHH! WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” He rocketed above the clouds.
He flailed, desperately stopping himself mid-air with his black miasma and purple sparkles, hovering in terror. His breathing turned ragged, every breath trembling.
Then a flash of golden light illuminated the clouds behind him.
Smug Boy whipped his head around—and his heart sank. Fairy Greatmother was already there, floating in the sky as if she’d been waiting for him. It was as if the moment she sent him flying, she had already taken her place above the clouds.
In desperation, Smug Boy thrust out his palm, hurling a wave of black miasma at her.
But Fairy Greatmother didn’t even blink. With a single sweep of her wand, the attack shattered into smoke, dissolving like dust in sunlight—like she’d just swatted a mosquito. No magic was needed.
Smug Boy’s breath caught behind his mask. His body trembled uncontrollably.
Her magic… it wasn’t just strong—it was divine.
Fairy Greatmother began to glow even brighter, golden light swirling around her like a living storm. Her eyes blazed white-hot. She raised her wand, which shimmered rapidly, and whispered in a tone so low and threatening it made the clouds themselves rumble.
“Do not think you’ll get away unscathed after daring to harm Mr. Detective…”
Smug Boy flinched, his voice breaking. “W-wait, hold on—”
Then, far below, the earth trembled. The ground let out a deep, guttural roar.
With a sound like ripping mountains, fifty enormous trees tore themselves from the earth far below, rising into the sky by Fairy Greatmother’s magic. They hovered in formation behind her, their shadows blocking the moonlight.
Her voice was cold as iron. “A naughty student needs to learn their lesson.”
She lowered her wand.
The trees shot forward like arrows.
“NOOOO! WHAT IS THIS?!” Smug Boy screamed, darting frantically to dodge the colossal trunks. One tree grazed past his mask. Another whooshed past his shoulder.
“STOP IT! PLEASE STOP! I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY!!” he shrieked, flailing wildly as the missed trees curved back like guided homing missiles, ready to strike again.
Fairy Greatmother’s glowing eyes narrowed, her voice venomous and burning with righteous fury.
“Do you truly believe you will be forgiven?!”
“NOOOOOOO! PLEASE! I’M BEGGING YOU!! PLEASE, TEACHER! I WON’T DO IT AGAIN!!” Smug Boy’s voice cracked with genuine panic. His sinister laughter was gone—only terror remained.
One tree slammed into his side.
“GAHHHHHHHH!!!” he coughed blood, spinning in the air.
Then another tree hit.
And another.
Smug Boy tumbled like a broken puppet, every impact cracking his bones and tearing his cloak.
Fairy Greatmother, her rage still blazing, thought only of Ryo—his bloodied body lying beneath the trees—and of Cinderella’s disappearance, believing the volto-masked Smug Boy to be among the suspects who kidnapped her.
Now, Smug Boy floated limp, barely conscious, head drooping as his arms dangled.
And then—the trees surrounded him. All fifty of them, circling him like an execution squad.
Smug Boy’s eyes widened in sheer panic. “N-no… wait… NO!!!”
Fairy Greatmother gave her final judgment.
She flicked her wand.
The trees all shot forward at once— BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
The collision tore the sky apart. Splinters rained down like a wooden storm, streaking toward the earth.
For a long moment, there was only silence. The smoke cleared.
But smug Boy was nowhere to be seen.
Fairy Greatmother huffed. “Hmph… that naughty person got away,” she muttered, though her gaze still burned like fire.
Then her golden shimmer faded, and the fierce glow in her white eyes softened back to their gentle, natural color. She descended from the sky with impossible speed, halting just above the ground before her feet touched down lightly beside Ryo.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she cried out. “I must heal you now!”
Her wand flared brilliantly as she held it over him. The wounds on Ryo’s right arm and palm closed almost instantly, the torn flesh knitting together as if time itself were reversing, color returning to his once-pale skin. But though his body was healed, he remained unconscious, lost to exhaustion and blood loss.
Fairy Greatmother lowered her wand, exhaling with relief. “Thank the stars,” she whispered softly, her voice trembling.
Just as she brushed a hand gently over Ryo’s forehead, the sound of hurried footsteps brushing through the grass reached her ears. She turned, startled, just as Madam Rosalind, Sophie, Elise, and the animal agents emerged from the shadow of the trees.
Her breath caught. She froze.
Madam Rosalind’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Roselia… are you… not human?”
Fairy Greatmother’s heart sank. The truth about her fairy identity and magic—everything she had worked so hard to conceal—was now exposed. Her wand trembled slightly in her hand. For so long, she had hidden her true nature, fearing how people might see her if they knew. And now… she had no choice but to reveal the truth.
Her lips parted, but before she could speak a single word, Madam Rosalind suddenly closed the distance between them—and embraced her.
Fairy Greatmother’s eyes widened in shock. “Rosalind…?” she whispered, unable to comprehend why the woman was holding her so tightly.
With a faint, trembling smile, Madam Rosalind whispered softly against her shoulder.
“It’s alright, Roselia darling. You don’t have to say a word. You saved Mr. Sherlock Holmes… and all of us. We shall all keep your secret.”
Fairy Greatmother felt her chest tighten as warmth flooded her heart. Her eyes welled up as she slowly returned the hug, clutching Rosalind close as if to hold onto the kindness she was being offered.
“Thank you, Rosalind,” she whispered back, her voice breaking slightly, touched beyond words.
Sophie, Elise, and the animal agents watched from behind with gentle smiles, the air filled with quiet relief and unspoken gratitude.
After that, Fairy Greatmother cast a gentle spell over Ryo, and his body began to hover slightly above the ground, weightless in the golden glow of her magic. Together, they returned to the tree where the unconscious stepsisters lay bound. With a soft wave of her wand, Fairy Greatmother cast another levitation spell, lifting Seraphine and Clarisse as if they were sleeping dolls suspended in the air.
With the three of them hovering, the group began their slow, cautious journey back to the manor.
When they arrived, Fairy Greatmother stopped in front of the broken front door.
“Oh Heaven! This won’t do,” she said softly, and with a flick of her wand, the door fixed itself, standing firm in its original place as if it had never been knocked down.
They entered the manor in silence. Ryo was laid on a bed in a cozy room on the ground floor, the animal agents surrounding him protectively, unwilling to leave his side. Meanwhile, the unconscious stepsisters were carried upstairs and gently placed in their own room, still bound—just in case.
Once that was done, Fairy Greatmother, Elise, Sophie, and Rosalind gathered and sat in the parlor. The air sat heavy with the weight of the recent chaos. Fairy Greatmother’s eyes, still warm but now serious, turned toward them.
“I must know everything,” she said quietly. “What exactly happened here? I cannot hear the details from Mr. Detective while he remains unconscious.”
Stepmother, Elise, and Sophie exchanged nervous glances, ready to speak and explain everything.
But before a single word could be uttered, the sound of the front door opening rang through the manor. Fast footsteps echoed down the hallway—someone running.
The figure burst into the parlor, panting heavily, voice trembling with worry.
“Rosalind honey! Are you alright?!”
Everyone turned toward the voice, their breath catching.
Stepmother’s eyes widened as she spoke in shock.
“Edmund? Why are you home so early, darling?”
He was caught in a deadly trap. One wrong move and Seraphine’s knife would slash her mother’s throat before he could blink.
Then his gaze snapped to the bottom right.
Ryo’s breath hitched, his pupils shrinking. Elise and Sophie were bound—ropes digging into their wrists, their mouths gagged tight to silence any cry for help. Three lives balanced on the razor’s edge. One mistake, and all of them could be lost.
He couldn’t risk it. First, he had to focus on the stepmother—the one in the greatest danger, with that blade so close to her throat.
Ryo clenched his teeth, his voice trembling yet pleading as he kept the gun aimed at the stepsisters. In a low, shaky whisper, he said.
“Seraphine… please… put the knife down. She’s… your mother.”
Seraphine’s lips curled into a chilling smile, her gaze sharp and cold, her eyes narrowed with an unnatural malice. She said nothing—only stared at Ryo with that unnerving, wicked grin that didn’t belong to her.
Then, before Ryo could process it, something even worse happened.
Clarisse, standing behind their mother, reached into her dress and pulled out a knife as well. But she didn’t aim it at Ryo. Instead, she pressed the sharp tip against Stepmother’s stomach, threatening to drive it in without hesitation.
Ryo’s breath caught. His voice cracked as he shouted. “CLARISSE! ARE YOU BEING F**KING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!”
But just like her sister, Clarisse didn’t answer. She only smiled—an evil, twisted smile that made Ryo’s stomach knot in dread.
Stepmother trembled in fear, her face pale, breath shallow and ragged. She was frozen, her lips parted but no words came out. Her own daughters—her precious Seraphine and Clarisse—were holding her life in their hands, and she couldn’t understand why.
Neither could Ryo.
His mind raced as he studied the sisters, desperate for an answer. And then… he saw it.
Their eyes.
Each of them had one eye that was wrong—mysteriously blackened, like a void swallowing the warmth of who they once were.
Ryo’s eyes widened. A chilling memory rushed back. Aurelia’s ghost had once told him about Kaj’s eyes—how they turned “mysteriously dark” before he murdered her in the village square 19 years ago.
At first, Ryo believed Kaj had been cursed by a Vrakul, manipulated into doing the unthinkable. But Aurelia had also said that Kaj spat venomous words at her grave—“She was always a burden when she was alive. That’s why I killed her.”—just before hurling the glass slipper toward the top of the hazel tree.
Those weren’t the words of a man fully controlled. Those were personal. Hateful.
Now, seeing the stepsisters like this—with their blackened eyes and hearts turned to stone—Ryo realized this wasn’t just a coincidence. It was similar to Kaj’s case, but not the same. Something, or someone, was twisting their hearts, forcing them to become something they weren’t. They hadn’t been like this when Ryo first met them yesterday.
It reminded him of how the entire stepfamily changed toward Cinderella after Edmund came into their lives…
The weight of the gun felt heavier in his hands. His finger hovered dangerously close to the trigger.
Even the animal agents stood tense and alert, their eyes sharp as blades. They growled, chirped, and squeaked under their breaths, but none of them dared to move recklessly.
One wrong move, and Seraphine’s knife would slit their mother’s throat.
One wrong move, and Clarisse’s blade would pierce her stomach.
Ryo’s heart pounded. His breath grew shallow. He knew that one misstep would mean Rosalind’s death... and then the servants would be next.
Then suddenly, something floated into view behind them.
Ryo’s gaze sharpened, sweat sliding down his cheek. His voice dropped into a dangerous growl.
“So… this is your doing, huh, Smug Boy?”
There he was—the volto masked suspect—hovering with black miasma and purple sparkles swirling beneath his feet, his arms outstretched like he was basking in his own twisted performance.
Smug Boy chuckled darkly. “I never would’ve thought you’d avoid death like that, Sherlock Holmes. But seeing you like this—cornered, helpless? What a sight to behold! HAHAHAHAHA!”
[Author’s Note: Ryo decided to keep calling the villain ‘Smug Boy’—partly due to his terrible naming skills, but mostly because saying ‘Volto-masked smug suspect’ is just too long and annoying for him.]
Ryo narrowed his gaze, his tone icy. “Enough talk, a**hole. Let Madam Rosalind and the servants go… or I’ll put a bullet in your face—just like I did to your shoulder.”
Smug Boy scoffed, wagging a finger at him.
“HAH! Do you even realize the position you’re in, strange foreign man? I could just tell these worthless sisters to slit their mother’s throat right now!”
His grin widened behind the mask as he added in a whisper, almost savoring it.
“And then I’ll have these two kill the servants next… and after that, they’ll commit suicide—slicing their own throats like soulless puppets.”
Ryo spoke in a low voice that sliced through the air like steel. “Say that again, Smug Boy.”
Smug Boy drifted toward Elise, pulling a knife from his black cloak and pressing it close to her face.
“MMMMMM!!!” Elise cried through her gag.
Ryo instantly shifted his aim to Smug Boy.
Smug Boy stretched out a hand in a smug ‘oh-no-you-don’t’ gesture.
“Ah… ah… ah… Don’t think about doing something as stupid as pulling that strange little weapon of yours, strange foreign man…”
Ryo tilted his head and smirked. “Oh really? Maybe I should give you’re a** another taste of my frying pan of eternal annihilation—this time, I’ll send you straight to oblivion.”
The moment Ryo said “frying pan,” Smug Boy instinctively flinched and felt that lingering pain in his rear.
“SHUT UP, STRANGE FOREIGN MAN!” Smug Boy snapped, his tone breaking from composure.
“My guard wasn’t up earlier! If I’d turned my head around a second faster, you’d be dead!”
Ryo grinned, dripping sarcasm like venom.
“Oh, wow. The classic ‘I totally would’ve won if I’d tried harder’ excuse. Never heard that one before—totally original. Truly groundbreaking villain talk, right here.”
Stepmother’s voice trembled as she thought, half-baffled, half-worried.
“Mr. Sherlock Holmes… this is not the time for jokes, not while the servants’ lives—and mine—are on the line…”
Smug Boy, now offended, growled and snapped an order. The sisters pressed their knives even closer to Rosalind’s throat and stomach.
“AH!” Rosalind stiffened, panic flooding her voice. “Please, my sweet girls! This is not who you are! You’re my lovely daughters, just like Cinderella! Please, my darlings, put those knives down—don’t you both love Mr. Sherlock Holmes?”
The sisters exchanged glances, and then both burst into laughter—high, unhinged, and eerily sweet, like yandere villains from a nightmare.
Ryo rolled his eyes with an internal groan.
“Fantastic. Yandere sisters. Just what I needed. I never thought I’d run into yandere types in real life, and of course, they had to be Cinderella’s manipulated stepsisters…”
Seraphine tilted her head with an evil grin. “Oh, Mother… since when did you think we’d fallen for Sherlock?”
Clarisse giggled darkly, her gaze glinting like a blade.
“Falling for him? Gross. I’m a veeeery picky woman, Mother. But if you’re stalling for time… I wouldn’t mind stabbing you right now. Hiiiiiihihihihi~”
Stepmother’s heart felt as though it had shattered into pieces. Hearing her precious daughters—her sweet Clarisse and Seraphine—speak with such cruelty and malice tore her apart inside. In that moment, it didn’t feel like they were her daughters anymore.
“My girls… what has this madman done to you…?” she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes.
Ryo’s jaw tightened. He knew those vile words weren’t truly theirs. This had to be the work of Smug Boy—a curse twisting their hearts and minds. And yet, as Ryo studied the volto mask again, a chill ran down his spine. The mask… it looked eerily similar to the figure in that old locket painting.
But there was no time to piece the puzzle together. Clarisse’s gaze was sharpening, and Ryo could feel the sisters beginning to suspect that he and Rosalind were stalling. If this dragged on any longer, Rosalind and the servants would die. He had to act.
Smug Boy might want something in exchange for releasing the servants and Rosalind. But Ryo knew it was impossible—twisted criminals he’d dealt with back in his police days never kept their promises once they got what they wanted. Still… he had to at least pretend. Maybe asking what Smug Boy wanted would buy some time—and give Ryo a chance to think of an alternative solution.
He took a deep breath. “Alright, Smug Boy,” Ryo said, his tone cold but steady. “What do you want?”
Smug Boy let out a mocking laugh. “Your death, obviously. What else? You’re in our way, and Cinderella must never be found by the likes of you! You’re poison to our plan.”
“Plan, huh…” Ryo thought. “What plan is this bastard talking about?”
Ryo’s mind raced. Then, like a spark, a dangerous plan flashed in his head—risky, reckless even, but maybe the only chance he had.
He exhaled slowly. “Okay, Smug Boy,” Ryo said with casual finality. “I’ll kill myself… voluntarily.”
He raised both hands in surrender, his gun still in his right hand.
Rosalind’s eyes flew wide, her voice breaking in panic.
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES?! DON’T YOU DARE SACRIFICE YOURSELF LIKE THAT!”
The animal agents all froze, their faces etched with worry. They pawed, flapped, and squeaked, almost begging their commander not to do something so insane.
Ryo glanced down at them, then started blinking—once long, twice short, then three quick. His eyelids danced in a deliberate pattern.
The agents instantly perked up.
Morse code.
Just last night, after dinner, during their Earth-based military training session, Ryo had taught his furry squad Morse signals, drilling them until they understood his blinks and gestures. And now, they read him loud and clear.
Don’t panic. This is part of the plan.
They straightened up, turning to face the enemies before them, eyes sharp once more as they quietly awaited their commander’s next move. Captain Nutso and Agent McPecker exchanged a subtle nod—they had received a separate mission through the Morse signal. One that involved calling for reinforcements—the magical way—for a “certain someone.”
Ryo turned back to Smug Boy. “I have one condition before I start killing myself.”
Smug Boy scoffed behind the mask.
“Pfft… conditions? You’re in no position to make conditions, strange foreign man! Just kill yourself already!”
He threw back his head, cackling maniacally. “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
Ryo smirked with a razor-edged gaze.
“Oh, don’t worry, Smug Boy. I’m just handing over my weapons. You wouldn’t want me doing anything suspicious, right?”
Smug Boy’s tone shifted as he clapped his hands cheerfully.
“AH, OF COURSE! Go on then—hand them over!”
Ryo tossed his gun to the floor toward them, and Clarisse bent down to pick it up, her expression dark and amused.
Then Ryo reached into his trench coat and drew out something else—something they had never seen before. Like his gun, it was foreign to this fairytale world.
A Flash Bomb.
The sisters blinked, confused. Smug Boy tilted his head.
Ryo casually pulled the pin, knelt, and rolled the small cylinder across the floor toward them.
Smug Boy hovered down, chuckling darkly as he scooped it up.
“What’s this? Some pathetic toy? HAH! You really think this will—”
Ryo’s grin widened. They had no idea what was coming.
“CLOSE YOUR EYES AND EARS, MADAM! YOU TWO, JUST BRACE FOR IMPACT—EYES CLOSED ONLY!!!” Ryo barked.
Rosalind gasped and instinctively covered both her eyes and ears, while the two servants, still bound, could only shut their eyes.
BOOOOOM!!!
A blinding flash exploded in front of them, intense white light bursting into their vision.
The sisters screamed, stumbling backward, their knives lowering as they clutched their faces. Even Smug Boy shrieked behind the mask, flailing in panic as if the world had turned white. The servants’ ears rang, but they endured.
“ADVANCE! GO, GO, GO! STRIKE THEM DOWN!” Ryo ordered.
The hallway erupted into chaos.
Agent Barkzilla lunged first, tackling Seraphine hard to the floor. Her knife clattered away across the wooden boards.
Agent Barkface and McDrama dove at Clarisse, pinning her down. Clarisse shrieked, thrashing violently, but McDrama’s furious cooing exploded in her ear—“COOOO! COOOOOOO!”—so loud that Clarisse covered her ears in agony, trapped and unable to grab her weapon.
Ryo didn’t hesitate. He sprinted straight for Smug Boy, who was stumbling and rubbing at his blinded eyes beneath the mask. With a flick of his wrist, Ryo’s tonfa shot out from his right sleeve. He gripped it tight, spinning it like a propeller, his teeth clenched.
SWOOOOSH—BOO DOOOOOOM!
The tonfa slammed into Smug Boy’s crotch with brutal precision, like Zeus’s thunderstorm tearing across the heavens. The impact was so fierce that its echo rolled all the way back to the grove, making Aurelia flinch again.
She tilted her ghostly head toward the clear night sky. “Thunder? But… tonight isn’t stormy. It’s just a calm, cloudless night.”
“OOOOOOOOOPPPPFFFFFHHH!!!” The masked villain let out a guttural, inhuman grunt, collapsing to his knees and clutching his wounded pride.
Ryo didn’t waste a second. He snatched up his fallen gun, shoved it into his pocket, slashed through the servants’ ropes with the fallen knife, and then tossed it aside.
“COME ON, YOU TWO! GET UP—WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!”
The girls nodded and scrambled to their feet, still trembling.
“Y-Yes, s-sir Holmes!”
Ryo crouched in front of Rosalind, who was frozen in shock.
“GET ON MY BACK, MADAM—NOW!”
“W-What are you—Mr. Sherlock Holmes, what are you talking about?!” Rosalind stammered, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
“NO TIME! HURRY!!” Ryo barked, his tone sharp as steel.
Behind them, Smug Boy squirmed on the floor, and the sisters were already struggling to rise, fury twisting their faces.
Rosalind didn’t waste another second. She scrambled onto Ryo’s back, clinging to his shoulders as he rose with a grunt and bolted toward the manor’s front door.
Ryo pushed forward, the servants scrambling behind him, his furry agents racing close behind.
Then Ryo shouted over his shoulder, voice cutting like a whip.
“I’m counting on you two! Get the Grimoire of the Everlight!”
Captain Nutso and Agent McPecker snapped a salute, their faces hard with determination, before breaking formation and darting back toward the attic. The plan was clear—to summon Fairy Greatmother.
The front doors loomed ahead. Without breaking stride, Ryo kicked them down— the crash echoing like a gunshot. Cold night air blasted against them.
“Hold on, Madam!” he warned as he turned sharply to the right, sprinting toward the dark stretch of the nearby enchanted woods.
The trees swallowed them like a maze of shadows, twisting branches and mist hiding their trail. Ryo, with the servants and animals close behind, weaved through the underbrush with sharp precision. Their hearts hammered with every step that crunched against the forest floor, while Rosalind clung to Ryo’s neck from behind, trembling.
Behind them, the manor exploded with noise.
Smug Boy’s furious scream cut through the night, ragged and hoarse.
“AFTER THEM! I WANT THEM DEAD—EVERY LAST ONE!”
Seraphine and Clarisse, faces twisted in malevolent rage, grabbed their knives and bolted after them. Behind them, Smug Boy hovered above the floor, purple sparks snapping and black miasma hissing as he glided forward like a vengeful ghost.
The three pursuers burst out of the manor doors and vanished into the woods, their silhouettes blending into the darkness, hunting.
Ryo stopped by a tall, thick tree, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Rosalind slid off his back, her face tight with worry.
“Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” she whispered, her voice trembling, “you’re exhausted… are you alright?”
Sophie and Elise stumbled behind them, both panting hard, their faces flushed with fear.
Ryo turned, his tone steady despite the pounding in his chest.
“You two,” he said, pointing to the servant sisters, “stay with Madam Rosalind. Keep close to her, no matter what. My agents and I will keep those three busy. Understood?”
Sophie and Elise exchanged frightened glances, their hands shaking, but they nodded in unison.
“Y-Yes, Sir Holmes.”
A sudden voice cut through the night like a knife. “THERE YOU ALL ARE!!”
Clarisse burst from the other side of the tree, knife gleaming in her hand. She swung viciously toward Sophie. Sophie turned, catching the glint of the blade, and her heart sank into her stomach.
“AAAHHHHHH!!!” she screamed.
Ryo moved faster than thought. His right hand shot up, intercepting the strike with his tonfa, the steel locking against the knife’s edge. Clarisse’s crazed grin widened as she forced her weight forward.
“I’ll have your head, Sherlock! I SWEAR IT!! AAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!” she shrieked, her face twisted with madness.
Ryo’s teeth clenched. His voice lowered to a growl, sharp with fury.
“Sorry, Clarisse,” he whispered, muscles straining, “but I don’t have time to play with your yandere act.”
With a flick of his wrist, another tonfa shot out from his left sleeve. He drove it hard into her stomach.
“NGHHHHHH!!” Clarisse gasped, all air rushing from her lungs, and collapsed to the forest floor unconscious.
Ryo stepped back, exhaling, and turned to Rosalind. “Apologies for striking your daughter in the gut, Madam.”
Rosalind shook her head sharply, her voice trembling with mixed pain and relief.
“Do not apologize, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. If this is what it takes to stop her from… from hurting anyone—then I am grateful.”
Before the moment could settle, a furious voice ripped through the woods.
“WHERE ARE YOU, SHERLOCK?! I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOU!!”
Ryo peeked from behind the tree. Seraphine was rampaging nearby, her knife slashing wildly at tree trunks, carving deep scars into the bark. Her face was twisted with frustration, her eyes gleaming with madness.
Above, smug boy floated between the trees, black miasma and purple sparks spilling like a toxic cloud beneath his feet. His voice dripped venom.
“HOW DARE YOU ATTACK ME FROM BEHIND—AND MY GROIN!” His tone turned into an unhinged snarl. “I’LL TEAR YOU APART AND DRAG YOUR SOUL INTO THE ABYSS!”
“Abyss?” Ryo thought. “Yeah, I’ve fallen into one before… had a historical movie marathon with Mr. Grim. What an experience that was...” He sighed.
The group stayed perfectly still, hidden in the shadows of the trees. Every breath was shallow, every muscle tense.
Ryo’s eyes narrowed. He turned to his agents, his voice low but charged with fire.
“Alright, agents! New mission: Code Omega. Danger level? 5000—and rising.”
The furry agents stood in a row on the grass, chests puffed out, their eyes filled with unshakable determination.
Commander Ryo issued his orders, every word sharp and decisive.
“Agent Barkzilla! Intercept. Keep Seraphine’s knife locked on you—force every strike, give her no opening.”
“Agent Barkface! Circle her—make her spin like she’s trapped in a nightmare.”
“Agent Whiskers! Low and silent. The moment that volto-clown Smug Boy dips too close, I want his mask in shreds.”
“Agent McDrama! Own the skies. Harass that masked bastard in his ears until he forgets he even has wings—which he clearly doesn’t have.”
The agents stood tall, their eyes like burning embers. They saluted in unison, ready to carry out the dangerous mission.
Meanwhile, back in the attic...
Captain Nutso rummaged through Ryo’s bag, chittering determinedly, until his tiny paws closed around the object they needed: the Grimoire of the Everlight.
Gripping the book tight, Captain Nutso stood firm on the floor. Agent McPecker swooped down, his talons locking gently yet firmly around the squirrel’s shoulders. With a powerful beat of his wings, he lifted Captain Nutso and soared out the attic window, slicing through the cold night air as they headed for the enchanted forest.
The reinforcements were on their way.
Back in the enchanted woods…
Ryo crouched low behind the tree, mind racing. The first step was to peel Seraphine and Smug Boy away from the group—to split their attention. His sharp gaze cut to the smallest but boldest agent.
“Agent Whiskers. Roll out.”
The kitten’s ears twitched with determination. With a soft “Mew!” he darted into action, zigzagging between roots and fallen branches like a streak of orange lightning. His voice rang out in sharp, taunting cries.
“MEWWWW! MEEEWWWW!”
Smug Boy, still scanning from above, froze midair. He hadn’t spotted the kitten yet, but his eyes snapped toward the sound.
“What was that? Sherlock Holmes! I KNOW YOU’RE HIDING THERE!” he snarled, assuming Ryo was nearby.
With a hiss of black miasma and purple sparkles, Smug Boy shot off toward the meowing, his sharp grin widening behind the mask.
Seraphine’s head snapped toward the same sound, her knife gleaming in the moonlight.
“I’ll cut you ALL apart! AAAAHHHH!!!” she screamed, bolting after the sound with wild slashes, bypassing Ryo’s hidden group completely.
“Now,” Ryo ordered, his voice low and steady.
Agent Barkzilla charged like a furry missile, barking furiously. He skidded to a stop right in Seraphine’s path, lips curled into a growl.
“OUT OF MY WAY, YOU FILTHY MONGREL!!” Seraphine shrieked, stabbing downward.
Barkzilla dodged each slash with lightning speed, twisting and leaping out of reach while growling like a true agent.
Suddenly, Agent Barkface—the mischievous puppy—rushed in from the other side. The two canines began circling Seraphine, darting in and out, their movements too fast for her to predict.
“STOP MOVING, YOU CURS!!” she roared, spinning wildly, her knife cutting nothing but air. The dizzying circle made her stumble, her balance breaking as she cursed louder, her rage uncontained.
“Perfect,” Ryo whispered.
He burst from hiding, dashing forward with a burst of speed. In one swift motion, he chopped the back of Seraphine’s neck with a sharp strike.
“NNGH!” Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.
Ryo caught her under the arms and dragged her limp form back to the group. His breathing was steady, but his sharp eyes told the ladies everything—there was no time to celebrate.
“Keep an eye on Seraphine and Clarisse,” Ryo ordered firmly. “Tie their wrists and ankles. Use the ironwood vines from this tree—if they wake up, I don’t want them attacking you.”
Elise and Sophie scrambled into action, ripping down the tough ironwood vines. Rosalind’s hands trembled, but she forced herself to help, binding her own daughters as tears burned in her eyes.
Now only Smug Boy remained.
Ryo’s eyes narrowed as he glanced up through the treetops. The floating suspect hadn’t noticed a thing—still locked on chasing Agent Whiskers.
“Agent McDrama. You’re up next.” Ryo ordered, pointing forward.
The dove’s chest puffed with pride. “COOO! COOOOO!”
With a powerful flap of wings, McDrama shot skyward like a white blur, heading straight for Smug Boy. Below, Ryo broke into a sprint, weaving between the trees with his gun in hand, his gaze locked on the hovering figure.
“You’re mine now, Smug Boy,” Ryo muttered under his breath, his finger brushing the trigger.
Smug Boy descended through the tree, his hand slipping under his cloak to pull out a fresh, glinting knife.
Below the trees, Agent Whiskers stopped dead in his tracks. He tilted his tiny head up at him with the sweetest, most innocent look—as if the kitten wasn’t the bait in a deadly trap.
Smug Boy’s teeth clenched, his voice dripping with irritation.
“Damn that Sherlock Holmes… always making a fool of me with his stupid tricks!”
Then he sneered, shrugging lazily. “Fine. I’ll just kill you first.”
With a guttural laugh, he dove down like a hawk, knife raised high, the purple sparks from his miasma flickering like evil fireworks.
Whiskers didn’t budge. His tail twitched.
He had spotted something up ahead… and he knew what was coming.
Just as Smug Boy was about to strike, a sharp whoosh of air burst behind him.
“What—?!” Smug Boy blurted, startled.
He whipped his head around just in time to see Agent McDrama swooping in like a blazing warhead—so close his wingtips brushed the side of Smug Boy’s mask.
Then, with all the fury and harassment only a battle-hardened dove could muster, McDrama let out a loud, drawn-out coo that could pierce the heavens.
“COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”
The coo thundered, so loud that even the air seemed to vibrate.
Smug Boy screamed, dropping his knife as he clutched his ringing ears.
“AAAARGHHHHHH! SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU VILE BIRD!!”
He stumbled midair and crashed to the ground, landing hard beside Whiskers.
Whiskers turned to him with a smug look that practically screamed, ‘Oh, now it’s my turn.’
His eyes narrowed, and with a fierce battle cry—“Mew!”
The kitten leapt at Smug Boy’s neck, claws raking and scratching at his Volto mask with razor-sharp precision, trying to rip it free.
“GET OFF ME, YOU WORTHLESS CAT!!” Smug Boy roared, grabbing his tiny body with both hands and hurling the kitten to the side like trash.
But before Whiskers hit the ground, a shadow blurred through the trees.
Ryo came diving in, rolling and sliding across the grass like a baseball player stealing home, catching Whiskers midair with one hand.
His voice exploded like a gunshot. “HEY! THAT’S ANIMAL ABUSE, YOU PIECE OF SH*T!!”
He crouched there, holding Whiskers close to his chest like a tiny furry war hero, glaring at Smug Boy.
“You DARE throw me like rubbish?! Foolish, weird flying human—I am FURY wrapped in fur! You have chosen DEATH!” Whiskers hissed in his cat language.
“ENOUGH PLAYING AROUND!” Smug Boy’s voice ripped through the air, vibrating with rage. “I’LL END ALL OF YOU RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!!”
The ground trembled as black miasma burst out from his body like a volcanic eruption, spiraling into the trees and painting the forest in choking darkness. Purple sparks hissed and crackled, spreading like wildfire through the air, swallowing every trace of light and turning the woods into a nightmarish void.
In moments, the forest trees was a writhing storm of miasma and sinister glitter, so thick Ryo and his agents couldn’t even see two feet ahead.
At the distant tree where Rosalind, Sophie, and Elise hid…
The darkness reached them like a suffocating wave. Sophie clutched Elise’s trembling hand.
“W-What’s happening? We can’t see anything!” Sophie whispered, her voice shaking.
Elise’s lips trembled. “It’s like the whole forest is alive and angry…”
Rosalind’s breath hitched, her fear evident. “Mr. Sherlock Holmes… please… don’t you dare fall here…”
Ryo’s head whipped around, eyes darting, gun sweeping in every direction. His breath came fast and harsh, beads of sweat trailing down the side of his face.
“Where are you, you bastard…” he muttered, his whole body tense and ready to pull the trigger.
Then—
A flash of motion.
Smug Boy emerged right next to him, knife gleaming.
Ryo barely reacted in time, twisting his body. “NGHHHHHHHHH!”
The blade sank into his right arm. Pain exploded like fire. Blood gushed as he let out a raw, guttural scream and dropped Whiskers from his left arm.
“HAH!” Smug Boy hissed with glee, yanking the knife out, ready to plunge it again.
Ryo fired back blindly—BANG!—but the shot missed as Smug Boy drifted back into the fog like a shadow.
He realized he couldn’t just shoot randomly with his furry agents nearby—what if he hit one of them by accident? He needed them as far away as possible.
Ryo glanced down—the ground still had visibility. He gritted his teeth.
“McDrama! Whiskers! GET DOWN! Take Whiskers and get out of here!”
Whiskers meowed sharply and darted low, his tiny frame vanishing into the underbrush. McDrama swooped down, his white feathers slicing through the haze, and spotted Whiskers trembling in fear. With a swift motion, he scooped the kitten up by the scruff with his talons. Together, they retreated to a faraway tree.
Now that his furry squad was out of range, Ryo spun back, gun ready, firing at every glimpse of Smug Boy’s silhouette—BANG! BANG! BANG!—but every shot missed.
A cruel laugh echoed from all directions. “Pathetic, Sherlock! You can’t touch me!”
Pain surged through Ryo’s arm, forcing him to clutch his wound with his left hand. His breath grew uneven, ragged. “Damn it—”
WHOOSH!
A sudden gust behind him. His instincts screamed. He turned—
But Smug Boy was already there, knife raised!
Ryo’s desperation kicked in. His right palm shot up just in time.
The blade pierced straight through his palm. “ARRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
Ryo hit the ground hard, landing flat on his back. Smug Boy pounced on top of him, the knife hovering inches from Ryo’s eye as he struggled to push it back.
“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Smug Boy’s voice rang with manic delight. “I’M WINNING NOW! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, SHERLOCK!!!”
Ryo’s teeth ground together as he strained with every muscle, his left hand clamped around Smug Boy’s wrist, stopping the knife from descending further. But his vision blurred—his strength was draining fast, blood loss dragging him down.
“Shit… is this it…?” Ryo thought, his gaze trembling.
Then—A burst of light.
Some of the miasma above ripped apart, scattering like ink in water.
Ryo’s fading eyes widened.
High above the trees, cutting through the gloom, Agent McPecker soared like a drone, carrying Captain Nutso in his talons.
And in the squirrel’s small paws…
{The Grimoire of the Everlight}
The book glowed faintly, as if sensing the chaos below.
A weak grin curved Ryo’s bloodied lips. “Heh… Guess it’s time for you to battle the final boss, Smug Boy…”
Smug Boy scoffed, leaning in close, his mask almost touching Ryo’s face.
“I don’t know what that means, but I’ll humor you, strange foreign man. Since you’ve fought so hard, I’ll give you an INSTANT death.” His grin twisted. “Consider it… respect! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Ryo ignored him, his gaze flicking to the sky.
“DROP IT NOW!!!” he roared.
Captain Nutso didn’t hesitate.
The Grimoire slipped from his paws, tumbling through the air.
Its pages flipped wildly.
“Huh? Who are you shouting at?” Smug Boy snarled, glancing up. His eyes widened under the mask. “What—?!”
Facing away? That was Smug Boy’s biggest mistake. It gave Ryo the time he needed to chant.
“By star… by light… by ancient flame…”
Ryo rasped, pain searing through his bloodied palm as it clenched around the blade still pierced into it. But still… he finished his chant, voice rising louder and stronger.
“FAIRY GREATMOTHER… I CALL YOUR NAME!!!!”
The Grimoire ignited midair, bursting into radiant gold light. Its pages spun like a vortex, the glow so fierce it burned through the miasma.
“WHAT IS THIS?!” Smug Boy screamed, shielding his face.
BOOOOOM—SHHHHRRRMMM!!!
The explosion of golden radiance blasted outward like a vast, transparent blanket of light, shaking the entire forest like an earthquake. Leaves ripped from the trees, and the miasma with its purple sparkles was swept away like ash in a storm.
Smug Boy was hurled sideways by the devastating shockwave, slamming into a tree with a bone-rattling crack. The force tore the knife from Ryo’s bloodied palm—but Smug Boy still clutched it tightly as he was flung away.
Above, descending through the golden storm like a comet, she swung her crescent-tipped wand.
“MR. DETECTIVE! I HAVE COME TO AID YOU!”
A figure emerged, cloaked in shimmering light, her gown flowing like starlight itself.
Fairy Greatmother’s wand gleamed with power as she plunged down, facing downward like a divine spear.
Ryo’s vision blurred, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Ma’am… I’m… leaving Smug Boy… to you…”
And he passed out.
Then Fairy Greatmother hovered in place and saw Ryo bloodied. She gasped and quickly descended next to the unconscious detective, holding him by the shoulders.
“MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS! Are you alright, Mr. Detective?!” she shouted, her voice trembling with worry.
But Ryo didn’t respond. His eyes were closed—he had already lost consciousness from fatigue and blood loss, his skin drained of color. Fairy Greatmother’s breath caught as her gaze fell on the stab wounds on Ryo’s right arm and palm.
Her eyes widened in horror.
“Oh no… I must heal you fast!” she whispered, panic rising in her chest.
But then—a guttural grunt echoed from the side.
Fairy Greatmother turned and saw the Volto-masked Smug Boy, slowly picking himself up by a tree, his hand gripping his knife.
Her expression hardened. She turned to him with a serious face, her voice low but cutting like steel.
“Is this your doing, stranger…”
Her body began to shimmer with a golden glow, her magical energy flaring. The air around her trembled with her rising power.
Smug Boy froze mid-step. For the first time, he felt something crawling under his skin—fear. True fear.
But then he slapped both his cheeks, forcing himself out of it, and sneered behind his mask.
“That’s right… and what are you going to do about it, schoolteacher?!”
Fairy Greatmother’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“He knows I’m a schoolteacher…?” she thought, finding it odd that Smug Boy knew her occupation.
Smug Boy hovered into the air and charged at her, screaming.
“YOU CAN DIE ALONG WITH THAT STRANGE FOREIGN MAN!!”
Fairy Greatmother’s face didn’t so much as flinch. She swung her wand with a single motion—WHOOOOSH!
A spinning vortex of golden wind erupted beneath Smug Boy, swallowing him.
“Wha—?!” he screamed as the wind BLASTED him high into the sky. “AAAAAAAAAHHHHH! WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” He rocketed above the clouds.
He flailed, desperately stopping himself mid-air with his black miasma and purple sparkles, hovering in terror. His breathing turned ragged, every breath trembling.
Then a flash of golden light illuminated the clouds behind him.
Smug Boy whipped his head around—and his heart sank. Fairy Greatmother was already there, floating in the sky as if she’d been waiting for him. It was as if the moment she sent him flying, she had already taken her place above the clouds.
In desperation, Smug Boy thrust out his palm, hurling a wave of black miasma at her.
But Fairy Greatmother didn’t even blink. With a single sweep of her wand, the attack shattered into smoke, dissolving like dust in sunlight—like she’d just swatted a mosquito. No magic was needed.
Smug Boy’s breath caught behind his mask. His body trembled uncontrollably.
Her magic… it wasn’t just strong—it was divine.
Fairy Greatmother began to glow even brighter, golden light swirling around her like a living storm. Her eyes blazed white-hot. She raised her wand, which shimmered rapidly, and whispered in a tone so low and threatening it made the clouds themselves rumble.
“Do not think you’ll get away unscathed after daring to harm Mr. Detective…”
Smug Boy flinched, his voice breaking. “W-wait, hold on—”
Then, far below, the earth trembled. The ground let out a deep, guttural roar.
With a sound like ripping mountains, fifty enormous trees tore themselves from the earth far below, rising into the sky by Fairy Greatmother’s magic. They hovered in formation behind her, their shadows blocking the moonlight.
Her voice was cold as iron. “A naughty student needs to learn their lesson.”
She lowered her wand.
The trees shot forward like arrows.
“NOOOO! WHAT IS THIS?!” Smug Boy screamed, darting frantically to dodge the colossal trunks. One tree grazed past his mask. Another whooshed past his shoulder.
“STOP IT! PLEASE STOP! I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY!!” he shrieked, flailing wildly as the missed trees curved back like guided homing missiles, ready to strike again.
Fairy Greatmother’s glowing eyes narrowed, her voice venomous and burning with righteous fury.
“Do you truly believe you will be forgiven?!”
“NOOOOOOO! PLEASE! I’M BEGGING YOU!! PLEASE, TEACHER! I WON’T DO IT AGAIN!!” Smug Boy’s voice cracked with genuine panic. His sinister laughter was gone—only terror remained.
One tree slammed into his side.
“GAHHHHHHHH!!!” he coughed blood, spinning in the air.
Then another tree hit.
And another.
Smug Boy tumbled like a broken puppet, every impact cracking his bones and tearing his cloak.
Fairy Greatmother, her rage still blazing, thought only of Ryo—his bloodied body lying beneath the trees—and of Cinderella’s disappearance, believing the volto-masked Smug Boy to be among the suspects who kidnapped her.
Now, Smug Boy floated limp, barely conscious, head drooping as his arms dangled.
And then—the trees surrounded him. All fifty of them, circling him like an execution squad.
Smug Boy’s eyes widened in sheer panic. “N-no… wait… NO!!!”
Fairy Greatmother gave her final judgment.
She flicked her wand.
The trees all shot forward at once— BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
The collision tore the sky apart. Splinters rained down like a wooden storm, streaking toward the earth.
For a long moment, there was only silence. The smoke cleared.
But smug Boy was nowhere to be seen.
Fairy Greatmother huffed. “Hmph… that naughty person got away,” she muttered, though her gaze still burned like fire.
Then her golden shimmer faded, and the fierce glow in her white eyes softened back to their gentle, natural color. She descended from the sky with impossible speed, halting just above the ground before her feet touched down lightly beside Ryo.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she cried out. “I must heal you now!”
Her wand flared brilliantly as she held it over him. The wounds on Ryo’s right arm and palm closed almost instantly, the torn flesh knitting together as if time itself were reversing, color returning to his once-pale skin. But though his body was healed, he remained unconscious, lost to exhaustion and blood loss.
Fairy Greatmother lowered her wand, exhaling with relief. “Thank the stars,” she whispered softly, her voice trembling.
Just as she brushed a hand gently over Ryo’s forehead, the sound of hurried footsteps brushing through the grass reached her ears. She turned, startled, just as Madam Rosalind, Sophie, Elise, and the animal agents emerged from the shadow of the trees.
Her breath caught. She froze.
Madam Rosalind’s eyes widened in disbelief as she stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Roselia… are you… not human?”
Fairy Greatmother’s heart sank. The truth about her fairy identity and magic—everything she had worked so hard to conceal—was now exposed. Her wand trembled slightly in her hand. For so long, she had hidden her true nature, fearing how people might see her if they knew. And now… she had no choice but to reveal the truth.
Her lips parted, but before she could speak a single word, Madam Rosalind suddenly closed the distance between them—and embraced her.
Fairy Greatmother’s eyes widened in shock. “Rosalind…?” she whispered, unable to comprehend why the woman was holding her so tightly.
With a faint, trembling smile, Madam Rosalind whispered softly against her shoulder.
“It’s alright, Roselia darling. You don’t have to say a word. You saved Mr. Sherlock Holmes… and all of us. We shall all keep your secret.”
Fairy Greatmother felt her chest tighten as warmth flooded her heart. Her eyes welled up as she slowly returned the hug, clutching Rosalind close as if to hold onto the kindness she was being offered.
“Thank you, Rosalind,” she whispered back, her voice breaking slightly, touched beyond words.
Sophie, Elise, and the animal agents watched from behind with gentle smiles, the air filled with quiet relief and unspoken gratitude.
After that, Fairy Greatmother cast a gentle spell over Ryo, and his body began to hover slightly above the ground, weightless in the golden glow of her magic. Together, they returned to the tree where the unconscious stepsisters lay bound. With a soft wave of her wand, Fairy Greatmother cast another levitation spell, lifting Seraphine and Clarisse as if they were sleeping dolls suspended in the air.
With the three of them hovering, the group began their slow, cautious journey back to the manor.
When they arrived, Fairy Greatmother stopped in front of the broken front door.
“Oh Heaven! This won’t do,” she said softly, and with a flick of her wand, the door fixed itself, standing firm in its original place as if it had never been knocked down.
They entered the manor in silence. Ryo was laid on a bed in a cozy room on the ground floor, the animal agents surrounding him protectively, unwilling to leave his side. Meanwhile, the unconscious stepsisters were carried upstairs and gently placed in their own room, still bound—just in case.
Once that was done, Fairy Greatmother, Elise, Sophie, and Rosalind gathered and sat in the parlor. The air sat heavy with the weight of the recent chaos. Fairy Greatmother’s eyes, still warm but now serious, turned toward them.
“I must know everything,” she said quietly. “What exactly happened here? I cannot hear the details from Mr. Detective while he remains unconscious.”
Stepmother, Elise, and Sophie exchanged nervous glances, ready to speak and explain everything.
But before a single word could be uttered, the sound of the front door opening rang through the manor. Fast footsteps echoed down the hallway—someone running.
The figure burst into the parlor, panting heavily, voice trembling with worry.
“Rosalind honey! Are you alright?!”
Everyone turned toward the voice, their breath catching.
Stepmother’s eyes widened as she spoke in shock.
“Edmund? Why are you home so early, darling?”
0
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意味が分かると怖い話（解説付き）
彦彦炎
ホラー
一見普通のよくある話ですが、矛盾に気づけばゾッとするはずです
読みながら話に潜む違和感を探してみてください
最後に解説も載せていますので、是非読んでみてください
実話も混ざっております
隣に住んでいる後輩の『彼女』面がガチすぎて、オレの知ってるラブコメとはかなり違う気がする
夕姫
青春
【『白石夏帆』こいつには何を言っても無駄なようだ……】
主人公の神原秋人は、高校二年生。特別なことなど何もない、静かな一人暮らしを愛する少年だった。東京の私立高校に通い、誰とも深く関わらずただ平凡に過ごす日々。
そんな彼の日常は、ある春の日、突如現れた隣人によって塗り替えられる。後輩の白石夏帆。そしてとんでもないことを言い出したのだ。
「え？私たち、付き合ってますよね？」
なぜ？どうして？全く身に覚えのない主張に秋人は混乱し激しく否定する。だが、夏帆はまるで聞いていないかのように、秋人に猛烈に迫ってくる。何を言っても、どんな態度をとっても、その鋼のような意思は揺るがない。
「付き合っている」という謎の確信を持つ夏帆と、彼女に振り回されながらも憎めない（？）と思ってしまう秋人。これは、一人の後輩による一方的な「好き」が、平凡な先輩の日常を侵略する、予測不能な押しかけラブコメディ。
クラスのマドンナがなぜか俺のメイドになっていた件について
沢田美
恋愛
名家の御曹司として何不自由ない生活を送りながらも、内気で陰気な性格のせいで孤独に生きてきた裕貴真一郎（ゆうき しんいちろう）。
かつてのいじめが原因で、彼は1年間も学校から遠ざかっていた。
しかし、久しぶりに登校したその日――彼は運命の出会いを果たす。
現れたのは、まるで絵から飛び出してきたかのような美少女。
その瞳にはどこかミステリアスな輝きが宿り、真一郎の心をかき乱していく。
「今日から私、あなたのメイドになります！」
なんと彼女は、突然メイドとして彼の家で働くことに！？
謎めいた美少女と陰キャ御曹司の、予測不能な主従ラブコメが幕を開ける！
カクヨム、小説家になろうの方でも連載しています！
むっつり金持ち高校生、巨乳美少女たちに囲まれて学園ハーレム
ピコサイクス
青春
顔は普通、性格も地味。
けれど実は金持ちな高校一年生――俺、朝倉健斗。
学校では埋もれキャラのはずなのに、なぜか周りは巨乳美女ばかり！？
大学生の家庭教師、年上メイド、同級生ギャルに清楚系美少女……。
真面目な御曹司を演じつつ、内心はむっつりスケベ。
天才天然天使様こと『三天美女』の汐崎真凜に勝手に婚姻届を出され、いつの間にか天使の旦那になったのだが...。【動画投稿】
田中又雄
恋愛
18の誕生日を迎えたその翌日のこと。
俺は分籍届を出すべく役所に来ていた...のだが。
「えっと...結論から申し上げますと...こちらの手続きは不要ですね」「...え？どういうことですか？」「昨日、婚姻届を出されているので親御様とは別の戸籍が作られていますので...」「...はい？」
そうやら俺は知らないうちに結婚していたようだった。
「あの...相手の人の名前は？」
「...汐崎真凛様...という方ですね」
その名前には心当たりがあった。
天才的な頭脳、マイペースで天然な性格、天使のような見た目から『三天美女』なんて呼ばれているうちの高校のアイドル的存在。
こうして俺は天使との－1日婚がスタートしたのだった。
愛人を選んだ夫を捨てたら、元婚約者の公爵に捕まりました
由香
恋愛
伯爵夫人リュシエンヌは、夫が公然と愛人を囲う結婚生活を送っていた。
尽くしても感謝されず、妻としての役割だけを求められる日々。
けれど彼女は、泣きわめくことも縋ることもなく、静かに離婚を選ぶ。
そうして“捨てられた妻”になったはずの彼女の前に現れたのは、かつて婚約していた元婚約者――冷静沈着で有能な公爵セドリックだった。
再会とともに始まるのは、彼女の価値を正しく理解し、決して手放さない男による溺愛の日々。
一方、彼女を失った元夫は、妻が担っていたすべてを失い、社会的にも転落していく。
“尽くすだけの妻”から、“選ばれ、守られる女性”へ。
静かに離婚しただけなのに、
なぜか元婚約者の公爵に捕まりました。
春の雨はあたたかいー家出JKがオッサンの嫁になって女子大生になるまでのお話
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恋愛
春の雨の夜に出会った訳あり家出JKと真面目な独身サラリーマンの1年間の同居生活を綴ったラブストーリーです。私は家出JKで春の雨の日の夜に駅前にいたところオッサンに拾われて家に連れ帰ってもらった。家出の訳を聞いたオッサンは、自分と同じに境遇に同情して私を同居させてくれた。同居の代わりに私は家事を引き受けることにしたが、真面目なオッサンは私を抱こうとしなかった。18歳になったときオッサンにプロポーズされる。
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