Hansel’s Enchanted Fairytale: Fill Me Up With Magic! - Chapter 61
II-I. Red Riding Hood
The winter forest was dazzling.
Sunlight scattered across the pure white snowfield, shimmering brilliantly. Trees rimmed with platinum light stood tall, and the absence of even the faintest breeze or birdsong made the scene look like a frozen oil painting where time itself had stopped.
Crunch.
The sound of footsteps on snow etched a crack into the profound silence—a hesitant, small sound, like that of a frightened animal.
Before long, a red cloak appeared in view. Beneath the hood, white-blonde hair spilled down like a waterfall, framing lake-blue eyes and a small, rosy mouth. It was Hansel.
Her delicate face was stiff with tension. As she exhaled deeply, her breath unfurled into the air like a faint, ephemeral cloud.
The snow-covered path seemed infinite, stretching endlessly no matter how far she walked. Oddly enough, the vast expanse of the snowfield wasn’t as tormenting as the man she had left behind just hours earlier.
Hansel recalled the conversation she’d had with Dante,
—So, if an Arsinoe enters your forest, would you kill them too?
—Yes. Because they’re mages.
……
No, it would never work.
Forgiveness for mages—that wasn’t Hansel’s decision to make. It was entirely up to Dante. And even if he could forgive a mage, she could never reveal her true identity.
If Dante spoke a person’s name, that person would die. Even if she had a child, naming them would seal their fate. It didn’t matter if it was an alias or a nickname. To him, invoking a name was synonymous with committing murder.
She didn’t want to die from such a careless mistake, nor did she want to push him into such an act.
The thought left a sour taste in her mouth, like biting into unripe fruit. She took a deep breath, as if to dispel the unsettling sensation.
“How long does this forest go on for?”
She desperately wanted to leave and forget everything.
“I’ve been walking straight for over three hours… This is south, right? Then why does it feel like I’m just circling the same spot?”
Had it not been for her warm cloak and boots, she might’ve already frozen to death, lying in the snow an hour ago. As she passed a few more stumps, a sudden glint of light stung her eyes.
“Ah, it’s so bright! What is that?”
Squinting against the glare, Hansel raised a hand to shield her face. It was as if someone was reflecting sunlight into her eyes with a mirror. She narrowed her gaze and tilted her head. A golden sparkle gleamed amidst the white snow.
“Ah, that’s…”
Her eyes widened in astonishment as she recognized the object.
“My gold coin!”
It was the pocket money she had gathered for her escape. She had thrown it along the path to avoid getting lost.
Unbelievable!
Elated, Hansel let out a soundless scream of joy. It was over now—all she had to do was follow the trail of coins!
Quickly crouching down, she reached for the coin. Snow flew up around her in soft, powdery bursts.
But at that very moment—
“Gotcha!”
“Eek!”
Her body was yanked backward as someone grabbed her hood and pulled with alarming force. It didn’t stop there—they hoisted her off the ground as though she were a kitten being carried by the scruff of its neck.
Unfortunately, Hansel wasn’t a kitten, and the grip was on her hood, not her nape. She dangled in the air, choking as the neckline of her cloak dug into her throat like a noose. Her face turned crimson as tears welled up, her airway constricted and blood flow hindered.
“Ugh…!”
“Whoops, sorry about that.”
The grip on her hood abruptly loosened, and she fell into the snow with a soft plop. Her face slammed into the icy ground, and as air rushed back into her lungs, her vision spun dizzily.
“Cough! Huff… haah…!”
Hansel gasped, her breathing erratic and ragged.
Was it Dante? No—the voice was different, and there was none of Dante’s signature sweet, intoxicating scent. That meant this was… a stranger.
Her heart pounded wildly, like a terrified animal trapped in her chest. She had learned all too well how dangerous strangers could be in the forest.
