[Prologue] The Story 13 Years Later
[Prologue] The Story 13 Years Later
[Prologue] - The Story of 13 Years Later.
Bang-! Bang-!
In contrast to the dark room I was currently in, dozens of fireworks were being launched outside the window. Beautiful fireworks of every shape and color.
A green firework soared high into the sky outside the window and burst with a bang-, scattering like stars across the black night sky. It was so beautiful that, without realizing it, I tilted my head to watch.
As expected of a fireworks display celebrating the coronation ceremony, each and every firework was grand and spectacular. I even started to hear soft singing from below the castle, as if a celebratory party was being held.
If I could, I would have approached the window to watch the fireworks, but that was completely impossible in my current situation. I lowered my head and looked at the chair I was sitting on.
"How did it end up like this...?"
My upper body was bound to the chair with rope. My hands and feet were tied, so I couldn't even stand up. I suppose the silver lining in this misfortune was that my mouth wasn't gagged, right?
Every time I struggled to break free from my restraints, the wooden chair I was tied to scraped against the marble floor, making an unpleasant noise. I let out a sigh and turned my head to look back at the window.
13 years.
A whole 13 years had passed since I possessed the body in this 'Parenting Simulation Game Snow White'. I thought I had raised 'Snow White' well in my own way, but...
Was it a mistake to possess the 'Witch', the stepmother, after all...?
Whether in the game I possessed or in the original fairy tale, Snow White's stepmother met a miserable death. Dancing in red-hot iron shoes... that kind of horrific death.
At first, I took care of 'Snow White' just to avoid that kind of ending, but now that time has passed, the princess and I have become so close that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call us mother and daughter.
So, I thought I wouldn't die like in the game or the original story, but...
Kkiik-
As I was ruminating on my memories as if my life were flashing before my eyes, the door opened, and bright light flooded in, illuminating the dark room. Dazzled by the sudden light, I closed my eyes without realizing it.
Ttogak- Ttogak-
The sound of heels striking the marble floor rang sharply through the room. At the sharp, approaching sound, I held my breath and slowly opened my eyes.
A woman walked in through the open doorway along with the bright light. It was a face I was all too familiar with, but for some reason, looking at it today felt strange.
Ebony-black hair and skin as white as fresh snow. Red eyes, as if drops of blood had been dripped onto it, stared straight into mine.
Since the last time I saw her was two years ago...
The princess, who had already turned twenty, had become a full-fledged adult.
Her face, which had felt a bit youthful, now exuded a mature atmosphere, and her height, which used to be slightly shorter than mine, now looked slightly taller.
Ttogak-
The princess, who had approached me before I knew it, grabbed my chin and forced it up. At her sharp, angry gaze, I instinctively rolled my eyes to avoid looking at her.
Even though I turned my eyes away, I could still feel the princess's gaze fixed on me, piercing and sharp. The princess's hand, which was gripping my chin roughly, began to squeeze harder.
"You really are the Witch-nim, the Witch-nim who left my side without a word."
"I, I just did it because of the 'promise'..."
Kkwaak-
As I tried to make an excuse, the princess's grip tightened even more, as if she didn't even want to hear my excuses. As my chin was squeezed by the princess's hand, my cheeks were pushed up, forcing my mouth to pop open.
"Aha, so the 'promise' you made with me can be ignored, but the 'promise' you made with someone else must be kept?"
"......."
I couldn't refute the princess's words at all. Because, just as she said, I was the one who had snuck out of the royal castle, breaking 'only' the promise with the princess.
The hand that had been gripping my chin as if to crush it trembled, then fell away with a sigh from the princess. Then, she began to stare intently at my face again.
"Well, that's enough now. Regardless of the process, the fact that you've returned here is what matters."
"W-why on earth..."
A tearful voice slipped out before I knew it.
It was true that I was in the wrong for not keeping the promise, but I couldn't understand why the princess was going this far. Was she so hateful of me that she had to tie me up with ropes?
Hearing my tearful voice, the princess let out a scoff as if she were dumbfounded. Then, unlike before, she carefully lifted my chin.
"Why, you ask?"
The princess's thumb brushed over my lips as if to crush them. The moment our eyes met, the princess's eyes curved pleasantly, as if hiding her jewel-like red pupils.
"Since you don't know that, I have no choice but to do this."
In her eyes, curved softly like crescent moons, not even a speck of malice could be read. Even though she had kidnapped me, her eyes seemed to argue, 'This is only natural.'
"If you run away from me one more time, I'll put a collar around this neck, so keep that in mind."
"Hic... h-hic..."
"Do you understand? Witch-nim? No-"
The princess's hand, which had been brushing my lips, now came down and traced my neck. As her cold fingers brushed against my neck, I got goosebumps.
"Eomeonim?"
As if the princess's cool fingers were a collar.
I felt like she was strangling my neck.
Really, how did it end up like this?
Since I possessed the body of 'Snow White's' 'stepmother', I can confidently say that I never did anything bad to the princess. I didn't have a hobby of bullying children, and I didn't want to die by following the original story either.
I just raised 'Snow White' diligently from the position of a stepmother.
From the day 13 years ago when I possessed the body of Snow White's stepmother, 'Vivian'.