Surviving a Cruel Fairy Tale

29 – Act 2. Eternal Neverland – Prologue (1)

A week has passed since Little Red Riding Hood left the forest.

The first few days are camping. After that, I found a village on the way, stayed there, and spent several days collecting information related to fairy tales.

Among the various information she collected in her village, she came across information that was of particular concern to her, so after returning to her lodging, she shared her story with her.

“It is a children’s paradise.”

“What are you going to do?”

I pondered for a while about Little Red Riding Hood’s question.

A children’s paradise.

The most common one that comes to mind is Peter Pan.

A fairy tale set in Neverland, the island of eternal children. It is also one of Britain’s representative fairy tales and one of the most famous paintings in modern times.

“For now, I want to aim for that place.”

“Really?”

She just stared at me with a grave nod at my words.

“…… Hey, do you have any opinions?”

“No.”

A very simple statement.

Since she left the forest, Little Red Riding Hood has handed over all her choices to me, and no matter what she says, she just agrees.

I wondered what it would be like if we decided together, at least after discussing the destination, but she didn’t seem interested in that kind of thing.

“Are you okay?”

“If you wish, do it. I am content to walk behind you and watch it.”

She was always like this.

She was initially worried that she might not be interested in the journey itself, but it didn’t take long to realize that she wasn’t.

Little Red Riding Hood is not interested in her destination.

She says that the only thing that matters to her is her act itself. She sensed that it didn’t matter much where she was going to end up, that she was just focusing on the journey itself.

She might be helpless.

Little Red Riding Hood has lived her whole life in that gloomy forest.

A world completely cut off from the outside world. What she saw in her life was that dusky forest, so it’s not strange that she doesn’t know the outside world.

I just hope that someday she will express her opinion.

She says she can do that because she doesn’t know now, but it’s not good for her to entrust the whole act of making a choice to someone else.

Choice is her own right.

This trip is not my own.

Little Red Riding Hood also hoped to gain something from this journey, and in the process, she wanted to respect her intentions as well.

“…… Then let’s go to the children’s paradise.”

It’s probably the Neverland with a high probability.

It seemed that it would be a different experience for her, who had lived in a forest dominated by hunters.

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This is also a journey for me, but even for her, who was not motivated by her life, she reached out her hand, hoping that it would be a journey that would leave something behind.

“Maybe that’s not the right place for you either, but would you like to join me?”

“Wherever you go, I will be with you.”

Little Red Riding Hood’s soft hand holds my hand.

There is anxiety.

The current form of her dependence on me will have to change someday, but I was convinced that it would change slowly as we walked together.

That’s why hope rather than worry.

First of all, thinking about the future, I decided to lead her by the hand.

* * *

We had to walk for more than four days even from the village where we stayed to get to a place called a children’s paradise.

There are wagons in the world of fairy tales, but unfortunately there is no train that goes there.

Neverland.

It was a strange shape with a high castle wall surrounding the island in a mysterious terrain surrounded by a huge river.

“Is this Neverland?”

“It’s a closed place.”

Like the impression of Little Red Riding Hood, it seemed difficult to enter or leave the place.

It is surrounded by a very wide river, and there is only one bridge through which you can enter.

“It’s a bit strange for a children’s paradise.”

“It looks like a prison to me.”

I wouldn’t be wrong with the word prison.

In the first place, it is also questionable how the source of the river flows like a circle in Neverland, but above all, I don’t know the reason to build a high wall inside such an island.

A form that blocks access and escape.

The structure was bizarre, but the deep mystery felt as one approached this area clearly informed that that place was also the main stage of fairy tales.

“Let’s go.”

“Shall I let you in?”

“I hope so.”

There is no certainty.

Looking at the structure and appearance, it doesn’t look like it will welcome a stranger’s visit, but it’s like going all the way here empty-handed.

If that place refuses to visit us, then it’s not too late to think again.

Thought so, I crossed the bridge and headed towards the front gate of Neverland. When I reached the gate, I saw a boy and a girl standing there as if guarding it.

“Wait a minute!”

A girl clad in iron armor that didn’t fit her body first stopped us by waving her stick.

“Are you planning to enter the country?”

“Entry?”

At my question, the boy next to me nodded his head.

“Our Neverland is a country!”

“…… Can we enter the country?”

“Of course!”

Contrary to expectations, the children are very cool.

My only question is, why did you put two children in front of such a huge gate?

“What are the entry conditions?”

“Um… …. The ax that that older sister has is dangerous, so I want you to return it.”

…… That.

“Yes.”

I tried to think about it, but before that, Little Red Riding Hood handed the girl her ax without hesitation.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s just an axe. With or without it, it doesn’t make much of a difference.”

Are you saying it’s not an important thing?

Then losing an ax to Little Red Riding Hood, who knows how to use magic, wouldn’t be a huge loss, but I can’t help but worry about it.

Anyway, how about having them disarm right away?

Since it is said to be the children’s world, is it the level of protection?

I’d like to think so, but I can’t help but feel uncomfortable with the appearance of the children guarding this castle gate.

“Then there are no other problems now?”

“Nothing.”

“Hey, stupid! There’s something the fairy asked the customer to ask!”

“Ah, ah!”

At the boy’s reprimand, the girl suddenly came to her senses and stood in our way again.

“I’m sorry. There’s something I haven’t asked yet.”

“What is it?”

“Gee, do you and your brother have innocence?”

Concentric?

Why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden?

“Are you banned from entering the country because of your answer?”

“Oh, I didn’t say that. The fairy just told me to ask anyone who wants to come inside.”

Answer and entry are irrelevant.

In that case, I was a little concerned about the existence of the fairy asking such a question.

When it comes to fairies in Neverland, the first thing you can think of is Tinker Bell. In fairy tales, there is a rather playful image, but…….

“If you are a child, you have it.”

First of all, after giving a quick answer to enter the country, she turned her head to Little Red Riding Hood, and she slightly tugged at my collar with a somewhat confused expression.

“…… Author.”

“Huh?”

“What is childhood?”

…… For some reason, I thought the reaction was ambiguous, but I never thought I would start from there.

“Wouldn’t it be comfortable to think of it as the heart of childhood?”

“I don’t know.”

Her words of “I don’t know” Sound heavy.

Little Red Riding Hood was raised by the hunter when he was young. She was afraid to even imagine what her innocence would be like to her.

“I… ….”

“If you don’t know, that’s the answer. Don’t make it too complicated you are you That would have been a sufficient answer. Yes?”

She stopped her words before getting moderately heavy and turned her eyes to the children.

If it’s a question that has nothing to do with entering the country, the answer of “I don’t know” Will surely be considered as one of the answers. The girl vigorously nodded her head as if she had read my intentions.

“Yes! I don’t have any problem!”

“Okay then.”

You don’t have to think too complicated.

She didn’t like Little Red Riding Hood reminding herself of her past, so she covered herself with appropriate words and stood in front of the slowly-opening castle gate, guided by the two children.

“Okay then, I’ll prepare it!”

“Welcome to Neverland of dreams and hopes.”

She followed the boy and girl through the castle gate and slowly headed inside.

The children waved at us right in front of the city gates, with a near-modern lifestyle looming over the distance.

“I wish you all the best in Neverland.”

“I hope my sister and brother can be our friends too.”

Despite feeling a sense of alienation from her friend, she slowly headed into Neverland with Little Red Riding Hood.

A soft scent stings her nose.

Just when the sweet scent, slightly different from that of flowers, softened my mood, a chill passed over my shoulders and back.

I feel like something has changed.

Air? No. Rather than that, it seemed that something important, fundamental, had changed greatly.

“…… You.”

As I was concentrating on that feeling and examining the inside of Neverland, I heard the voice of Little Red Riding Hood along with the feeling of pulling my sleeve.

“Why is that… ….”

After she turned her head to her teeth and looked at her, she was speechless just as she was.

“I have a strange body.”

I was speechless and could not reply.