The Wizard of Fairy Tale World

Chapter 27: The Legend of the Imprisoned Princess

"Good, good... He didn't notice. This old woman, with her chest pierced through, is still alive!"

Grandma Rosa shifted her body slightly, and a scarecrow tumbled out from under her witch's robes.

The scarecrow's chest was pierced clean through, as if a miniature sword had once stabbed straight into it.

"Thank goodness I had a stand-in to take the fatal blow for me. The injury wasn't life-threatening."

In this supernatural world, while most spellcasters lacked robust physiques, strange and peculiar magic often prevented them from dying easily.

Unlike Sage Rhine, who had mastered a trace of prophetic power and could sense danger seconds ahead, quickly healing even when his body was impaled; or Black Witch Maleficent, who had long refined herself into a dragon cloaked in human skin, impervious to mundane weapons and immune to most magic; or necromancers who stored their hearts and souls outside their bodies, making them immortal so long as their soul vessels remained intact—Grandma Rosa didn’t have such abilities.

But as a witch, she had her own ways to preserve her life.

She struggled to prop herself up on her elbow and tried to shift her weight to stand, only to fail unexpectedly.

She spat out a large mouthful of blood.

"No good. The scarecrow only deflected the initial blow. But the sword being pulled out afterward… that really did me in."

She repeatedly attempted to rise, or at least summon a wolf to drag her away or call a raven to bring her healing herbs. But every effort failed due to her weakened condition.

The sun dipped below the horizon, and dusk gave way to night.

The moon hung in the sky like a silver plate, with countless stars twinkling around it.

The chilly evening wind was bitterly cold, piercing through to her very bones.

Under the moonlight, Grandma Rosa lay shivering in the middle of the road, trembling as the cold wind swept over her frail form.

Every icy gust made the old woman shudder uncontrollably.

"I survived… only to freeze to death here? How ironic would that be?"

The thought of such an ending filled her with sorrow, and she closed her eyes with a heavy heart.

"Not long ago, I was still planning Little Aurora's tenth birthday celebration…"

"If only I had invited the Violet Fairy—or even Rhine himself. I really shouldn't have come out alone..."

"Wait a moment... Rhine? That's right!"

Suddenly, Grandma Rosa’s dim eyes snapped open, a flicker of hope reigniting within them.

"How could I have forgotten? There's still a way…"

She turned her head toward the bright moon overhead and parted her lips to chant the many legendary titles passed down through stories:

"Sage Beyond the World, Prophet Who Foresees the Future, Wizard of Miracles and Wishes..."

...

Far away, in a secluded wooden cabin, Rhine shivered.

"Grandma Rosa! I hear her… She's… she's in that place…"

Rhine’s silver eyes glowed brightly as he swiftly performed a prophecy. Using the connection forged by the invocation of his titles, he pinpointed Grandma Rosa's location.

"Is it true, Teacher? There's news of Grandma Rosa?!"

Beside him, Aurora—her golden hair gleaming—was elated.

Moments ago, she had been worried sick about Grandma Rosa's predicament.

To Aurora, Grandma Rosa had always left a kind and caring impression. Throughout Aurora's childhood, Grandma Rosa had played the role of a grandmother, showering her with affection.

So when Aurora overheard the Violet Fairy and Teacher Rhine discussing the possibility of Grandma Rosa being in danger, she had been deeply troubled.

"The tone of her prayer is trembling. It seems her condition isn’t good..." Rhine frowned.

"Violet Fairy, I’ve located her position. Let’s go at once!"

"Aurora, come with me!"

"Understood, Teacher," Aurora nodded, grasping Rhine’s hand without hesitation.

For years now, Aurora had respectfully addressed the silver-haired, youthful-looking Rhine as her teacher.

She knew this teacher possessed many wondrous spells. She had watched herself grow taller day by day, yet her teacher’s appearance remained unchanged. Her height was now nearly equal to his and might surpass his someday.

Meanwhile, neither Rhine nor the witches had gone out of their way to change Aurora’s name. They continued calling her "Aurora."

After all, in the year Aurora was born, many newborn girls were given that name. It was so common among girls her age that no one associated this modestly dressed Aurora with the "Princess Aurora" locked away in the depths of the palace.

Rhine’s and Aurora’s figures quickly blurred into motion.

Moments later, the silhouettes of a silver-haired boy in a pristine, classical mage's robe and a golden-haired, elegant girl swiftly materialized beside Grandma Rosa.

"Grandma Rosa, what happened to you? Who attacked you? Teacher, please heal her immediately!"

Aurora, seeing Grandma Rosa's grievous state, felt a mix of heartbreak and anger.

Rhine nodded gently, crouching down and letting pure white light bloom in his hands as he cast Healing Magic.

As Rhine worked to heal her, Grandma Rosa briefly recounted her recent ordeal.

Hearing her account, Aurora clenched her fists lightly, her clear eyes flickering with a faint, smoldering anger.

...

After "killing" the old witch, the soldier carried all the gold and the tinderbox as he made his way into the city.

This city was none other than the nation’s capital, majestic and beautiful.

The soldier checked into a luxurious grand hotel, rented the most comfortable room, ordered his favorite meals, and swapped out his worn and mocked old leather boots for new ones, along with an entirely fresh wardrobe.

The ragged soldier of the past was gone, replaced by a refined and polished gentleman!

In the hotel, people often gathered in the bar on the first floor to discuss the various affairs of the city, some being absolute truths while others were mere rumors. Many of these conversations revolved around the King or the Royal Family.

Today’s hot topic was the King’s daughter, the Princess of the Rose Kingdom.

——It was said that she was extraordinarily beautiful, a maiden who had been gifted many blessings by witches!

"Have you ever heard of the legend about the Princess?" one person in the tavern asked.

"They say our Rose Kingdom’s princess is a little beauty blessed with all the world’s wonders!"

And just like that, the conversation took off. Guests in the inn began recounting, one by one, the tales they had heard about the legendary princess.

The soldier was very intrigued by the topic. He set down his mug of ale and pricked up his ears to listen intently.

According to the legend, when the princess was born ten years ago, not only did foreign dignitaries visit, but every witch and mage in the kingdom also came to bestow blessings upon the newborn princess.

The first blessing granted her unmatched beauty, one that could captivate an entire nation; the second gave her a heavenly voice, so enchanting it could make hearts melt.

As for the other blessings, no one knew for certain.

Some claimed she was endowed with unparalleled grace in dance.

Others said she was gifted with a heart as pure and kind as gold—gentle and full of compassion.

Regardless, everyone agreed on one thing: the princess undoubtedly embodied all the best qualities in the world.

"Where can one see the princess?" the soldier’s curiosity was piqued, and he asked the crowd.

He knew that with his former status, he would never have been worthy of approaching the princess.

But now, he was no longer just a soldier—he was a wealthy, noble gentleman!

"My goodness, you actually want to see the princess? What are you talking about?" The bartender looked at him in shock.

Had this gentleman not been aware of the situation surrounding the royal princess?

Every upper-class citizen should have known!

A chorus of hisses erupted around the room.

"No one is allowed to see the princess!" the crowd declared in unison.

"The princess resides in the deepest part of the palace, a bronze-walled fortress only accessible by the King and Queen themselves."

"I’ve also heard that many foreign princes, having learned of the Rose Kingdom’s princess—a maiden said to possess all the most wonderful qualities in the world—snuck into the palace late at night, hoping for just a glimpse of her beauty!"

"Unfortunately, every single prince who tried failed!"

"No one has seen the princess. Not a single person!"

The more the soldier listened, the more confused and curious he became. "Why does the King keep the princess locked away in the depths of the palace?"

"No one knows. Some say it’s to avoid a terrifying prophecy."

"There’s a rumor that on the day of the princess's birth, a witch foretold that the princess would meet a sudden and tragic death as an adult. That’s why the King wants to protect her."

"No, no, no! The version I heard says that the prophecy stated the princess would marry an ordinary man with no noble blood. The King couldn’t tolerate that!"

"Who told you that? It’s completely different from what I heard!"

Everyone started chiming in, debating their own versions of the story.

"Heh, a princess of unparalleled beauty, embodying all the most wonderful qualities of the world, yet locked away in the depths of the palace—what a waste! I’d love to see her," the soldier thought.

...

The soldier’s life was now filled with joy.

He was wealthy, indulging in fine food and drinks, and surrounded by a group of newfound friends. These companions praised him endlessly, calling him a generous and admirable man.

The soldier loved hearing such flattery, basking in the respect and adoration of others. Anyone who complimented him received a small pouch of gold coins as a reward.

These so-called friends introduced the soldier to gambling, teaching him the thrill of the game. They would spend entire nights at the gambling table.

The soldier spent money like water, placing extravagant bets and generously tipping his companions.

However, living the life of a wealthy man didn’t satisfy him entirely. Within a week of staying at the inn, the soldier grew bored and felt the need for something new and exciting to break up the monotony.

One particularly dark night, the soldier took out the tinderbox—the very one the witch had guided him to find beneath the tree hollow. Striking it against the flint to light a candle, he prepared to illuminate his room.

Bang!

As the sparks flew, the door to his room swung open on its own.

A copper-furred dog with eyes as large as saucers appeared out of thin air, standing right before him.

It was the same dog he had seen inside the tree hollow!

The soldier froze in fear. He didn’t have the witch’s blue-checkered apron with him now!

"No, don’t… please don’t eat me!"

To his surprise, the dog lowered its head and respectfully said,

"My master, what are your orders?"

The soldier was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized something.

"Bring me some money!" he said, testing the waters.

With a whoosh, the dog vanished.

"What an incredible tinderbox! What an incredible dog!"

After a while, the dog reappeared with a large sack of gold coins in its mouth.

Through several tests, the soldier quickly figured out the tinderbox’s magical properties: it could summon three giant dogs from the tree hollow to serve him.

Striking the tinderbox once, twice, or three times would summon a different dog. All the dogs obeyed the commands of the tinderbox’s master.

"Bless the heavens! I’m no ordinary man now. I have a magical tinderbox and three loyal magical dogs at my service," the soldier thought, feeling increasingly self-important.

As the silent night deepened, a new idea crept into the soldier’s mind.

"If no one else can see the beautiful princess, does that mean I can’t either?"

"I could try… and have the dogs bring the princess to me!"

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