"Your Highness, what's inside?"
Amamiya turned to Snow White, his gaze questioning.
"I don't know." Snow White shook her head. "I've never been here before. I only heard that there's some kind of strange curse inside, but I don't know the details."
The spymaid let out a quiet sigh.
"You're so useless… you don't know anything."
"…Hateful!"
Snow White's temper flared, her arrogance resurfacing. "Don't be so rude! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have even made it past the city gates!"
Hayasaka remained unfazed. "Which is why you should hurry up and recognize your status as a prisoner."
"…"
Amamiya glanced at Hayasaka. "Are you sure Kaguya is in there?"
"Without a doubt." Hayasaka nodded.
"Then let's go in."
Retracting his gaze, Amamiya turned to the group. "Hanamori, Chika, and I will enter. The rest of you stay outside."
"Senpai, you and Yamashita-san will keep an eye on Snow White."
"Leave it to me." Tsubame nodded solemnly. "I swear I won't let her out of my sight."
As for Little Red Riding Hood and the seven dwarfs, they naturally stayed behind as well.
With the situation unknown, the fewer people involved, the safer it would be.
After a brief discussion, Chika clenched her right fist and raised it in the air.
"The Kaguya-chan RescueOperation begins now!"
"…"
Before them stood an ancient castle, vast in size. Its pointed rooftops loomed behind an iron fence, the heavy chains on the gate rusted from years of neglect. It was obvious that no one had been here in a long time.
Amamiya reached for the wall and climbed over effortlessly. Once on the other side, he helped Chika and Hayasaka down, and the three of them slipped quietly into the castle grounds.
"Don't wander off." Chika pressed a finger to her lips, then rested her other hand on her hip. She whispered, "If anything seems off, report it immediately. Don't make any stupid mistakes."
Amamiya raised a hand. "What about advanced mistakes?"
"Obviously, we don't make those either!"
Chika huffed and pulled out a bag of bread, nibbling on it like a little hamster.
"…I've confirmed it—satisfying basic desires helps lessen the effects of the mushrooms. So I'll eat some bread first to stay sharp."
She chewed quietly before turning to Hayasaka. "Hanamori-chan, what about you? How do you handle the jealousymushroom?"
"I'm fine," Hayasaka replied indifferently. "I haven't felt anything so far."
A blatant lie.
Back when Amamiya was carrying Tsubame on his back, she had felt a very strong urge to separate them.
Fortunately, her training as aprofessionalspy allowed her to endure it without exposing her emotions.
"Stare—"
Chika widened her eyes, puffing up her cheeks as she leaned in closer, still munching on her bread.
"…I don't think Hanamori-chan is being honest."
As expected of the source of chaos—she needed no logic, no evidence. Pure instinct alone solved the case.
"I'm done."
Chika finished her bread in a few bites, clapped her hands, and declared, "Let's keep moving."
"Wait a minute," Amamiya interjected. "You satisfied your hunger, Hanamori isn't affected… but what about my mushroom?"
Chika immediately covered her chest. "I don't know! Don't look at me—I can't help!"
"Then…"
Amamiya turned toward the spymaid once more.
"Don't try to bully Hanamori-chan!"
Chika jumped in front of Hayasaka protectively, her cheeks puffed up again. "Just hold it back!"
"…"
Amamiya was already holding it back.
After all, in an environment this cold, certain instincts were naturally suppressed.
As their conversation unfolded, the three of them arrived at the entrance of the castle.
"The main door is locked. We can't get in," Amamiya muttered, pressing a hand against the door.
"That window up there seems broken," Hayasaka pointed out, her sharp eyes quickly spotting a shattered window on the second floor. "We can enter through it."
Nearby, a large, lifeless tree stood covered in snow. One of its branches stretched conveniently across the broken window.
"I'll go up first."
With a nod, Amamiya climbed the dead tree effortlessly. His physical abilities far surpassed those of an average person, making the ascent quick and easy. In no time, he slipped through the window.
"Come in."
Leaning out, he surveyed the ground below before pulling out a rope and tossing it down.
Ropes were obviously more convenient than climbing trees.
Within seconds, Amamiya hoisted Hayasaka up.
"Senpai, catch me."
The spy maid whispered before leaping straight into Amamiya's arms.
Thud.
Amamiya caught her with ease, the familiar citrus scent of her perfume filling his senses. His heart skipped a beat, and under the influence of the Slaaneshmushroom, he couldn't help but lower his head, an uncontrollable urge to kiss her rising within him.
"Senpai, don't push your luck."
Hayasaka pressed a hand against his mouth, blocking his advance. She snorted, "You reek of that big-breasted Senpai. Stay away from me."
You smell like another girl, and you still think you can get close?
Dream on.
Amamiya sighed. "Didn't you say the mushrooms don't affect you? Shouldn't you be immune to jealousy?"
Hayasaka smirked. "I'm not jealous."
The fact that she had just called Tsubame big-breasted said otherwise.
"So… you're saying you weren't jealous when I carried senpai on my back?"
"Please don't flatter yourself," Hayasaka scoffed. "If you keep being this delusional, people will start to dislike you." She smiled sweetly. "You're just a pathetic little pervert. I couldn't care less about whatever nonsense you two were up to."
"Well said." Amamiya glanced down. "Then first, let go of your hand that's pinching me."
"Hmph."
Jealousy mushrooms are terrifying.
Fortunately, this one was still in its early stages. If it ever matured completely, Hayasaka might just grab a dagger and eliminate every other girl around him.
For the first time, Amamiya began to worry about Kaguya.
That foolish young lady was naturally prone to jealousy. In the MirrorWorld, the darkened version of her had already shown how terrifying that could be.
If she was also affected by the JealousyMushroom, she might actually start killingoffteammates.
One darkenedKaguya, one darkenedHayasaka—if those two joined forces, this entire world might just get wipedout.
Shaking off his thoughts, Amamiya lowered the rope again and pulled up Chika.
They now stood inside an empty room of the ancient castle. Dust coated the low beds and chairs, and a quick search revealed nothing of value. Without lingering, they stepped into the hallway and began their exploration.
As they walked, a beautiful, ethereal voice suddenly echoed through the corridor.
Chika's eyes sparkled. "That's amazing! What song is this?"
"I don't know." Hayasaka shook her head. "I can't even tell what language it's in."
"It's mesmerizing," Amamiya admitted.
The melody was hauntingly beautiful—soft yet sorrowful, lingering in their ears like an echo from another world.
Logic dictated that an enchanting song suddenly playing in an abandonedcastle was a serious redflag, yet its inexplicable allure made it almost impossible to resist.
Then—
Ripples formed in the air.
Like waves in water, translucent bubbles began rising, distorting their surroundings.
The eerie castle walls blurred—shifting, changing—until suddenly, they found themselves standing in a grand, lavishly lit banquet hall.
"Eh? Hey, hey, hey?! What just happened?" Chika glanced around in alarm.
"A mass hallucination." Amamiya's voice remained steady. "Or some kind of illusion."
"But I'm still fully conscious." Hayasaka frowned. "If it's an illusion, we shouldn't be this aware of it."
Amamiya thought for a moment.
"What's the name of our operation?"
"Kaguya-chan RescueOperation!" Chika shot her hand up like a student answering a question.
"To be safe, let's write it down somewhere visible—like on our arms," Hayasaka suggested. "And check in with each other every three minutes."
—
As they marked themselves, Amamiya's gaze shifted toward the ballroombelow.
The chandeliers glowed warmly, illuminating a lively gathering of nobles.
Amid the elegantly dressed crowd, a man in ornate clothing twirled a beautiful girl in a princess gown across the polished floor, the two moving together in perfect harmony.
Amamiya whispered,
"Move carefully. Our priority is finding Kaguya."
The three of them acted quickly.
At this moment, the castle was brightly lit, making their search more efficient.
Yet, after circling through the halls, they found no trace of Kaguya.
"I'm starving," Chika clutched her stomach, casting a pitiful glance at the lavish feast laid out on a distant table. "Should we grab something to eat?"
Hayasaka nodded. "I'm a little hungry too."
Amamiya was about to respond when his gaze suddenly locked onto Hayasaka'sarm. His voice dropped into a serious tone.
"Who are we looking for?"
Hayasaka flinched. "We're looking for…"
Mid-sentence, her thoughts blurred. A strange fog settled over her mind, and suddenly, she couldn't remember their objective.
Chika tilted her head.
"What are you talking about, Amamiya? Aren't we here to attend the wedding of the prince and the princess from the neighboring kingdom?"
"Are we?"
Amamiya silently stretched out his palm—Kaguya'sname was written there.
"It's Kaguya-chan!" Chika blurted out.
The moment she spoke, it was like flipping a switch. The vague, hazy memories snappedback into focus.
Hayasaka's face darkened. She bit her lower lip.
"Our memories are being tampered with."
The most terrifying part of cursedtales was how they could alter memories withoutyouevennoticing.
Chika frowned. "We heard that song when we came in, and then we fell into an illusion… Which fairy tale is connected to a song?"
Amamiya: "Pinocchio?"
"That's the nose!"
"…"
Rather than wasting time analyzing clues, Amamiya preferred to cut straight to the truth.
He silently activated Miko's Spiritual Eyes—and in an instant, the world before him shifted.
Everything became hazy.
In this world, only the three of them truly existed.
And in the corner—
A real girl sat quietly, unnoticed.
"There you are."
Amamiya's gaze locked onto her, and the moment he did, a notification appeared before him.
[Through careful observation, you have successfully discovered the core of the illusion.]
[The Sixth Princess sacrificed her voice in exchange for a pair of legs to walk on land. Every step she takes feels like knives slicing through her skin. In the end, she was abandoned, left to suffer alone. It is time to seek justice for her.]
"Tsk."
Amamiya clicked his tongue, finally realizing which fairy tale character they were dealing with.
The Little Mermaid.
They say mermaids have no souls, yet now she had returned as a vengeful spirit, crafting an illusion so flawless it was nearly impossible to break.
But honestly—wasn't the mermaid princess just an idiot?
She couldn't speak, sure, but couldn't she write?
If writing wasn't an option, couldn't she learn?
And if that wasn't possible, couldn't she at least gesture?
She had so many chances to reveal her identity, yet she never did—and in the end, she lost everything.
If this happened today, people would just say she brought it on herself.
Inside the Grand Hall.
The wedding banquet was reaching its finale.
The prince and the foreign princess were just about to exchange vows when—
Amamiya suddenly took a deep breath and declared:
"I object to this marriage!"
"..."
A heavy silence fell over the hall.
All eyes turned toward him.
Logically, the palace guards should have stormed in to arrest him on the spot—but this was an illusion.
Reality didn't apply here.
Amamiya stepped into the center of the banquet hall and spoke calmly,
"Your Highness, do you still remember the girl who rescued you from the waters of DamingLake that year?"
The prince responded without hesitation,
"Of course, I remember. She is right here beside me, and we are about to be married."
"That's not true."
Amamiya shook his head.
The foreign princess stiffened slightly, a flicker of guilt flashing across her face. "You're lying. It was me."
"It wasn't."
Amamiya turned his gaze toward her, his voice steady.
"The reason is simple. The prince fell into the sea after a shipwreck…"
His eyes sharpened.
"You can't swim, can you?"
The princess's expression remained composed. She smiled faintly.
"Who says I can't swim?"
Tsk.
I was so sure I had her cornered—but I guess I guessed wrong.
No matter.
Amamiya had another card up his sleeve.
"I see," he suddenly sighed, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"So this is why you wanted to leave me—you secretly learned to swim."
The princess frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Without answering, Amamiya snapped his fingers.
"Hanamori, come here."
In an instant, a small white lamb trotted forward—it was Hayasaka, having transformed using the SheepTechnique.
"Take Helen home," Amamiya commanded, waving a hand dismissively. "Tell her to go back and feed the baby."
Despite her current form, Hayasaka's intelligence remained intact. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, clamping her teeth onto the foreignprincess's skirt and pulling her away toward Amamiya.
The prince's face darkened instantly.
After all—no man, past or present, from East or West, would be pleased to wear a greenhat.
Yet the illusion persisted.
Amamiya turned his attention to the silentgirl in the corner, his gaze calm yet unwavering.
Time to turn up the pressure.
"Your Highness," he spoke clearly, "I know the identity of the girl who saved you that day."
The prince's breath hitched. He took an urgent step forward.
"Who is she?"
Amamiya's lips curled slightly.
"She is both faraway… yetcloser than you think."
His voice softened.
"Who is the one who has stayed by your side, silently watching over you, supporting you through everything?"
The prince's eyes widened in realization.
Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the fallen mermaid princess.
And in that instant—
Pop.
Like a fragile bubble bursting, the illusion shattered.
The grand, brightlylit castle dissolved into a gloomy, desolate ruin.
Amamiya, Chika, and Hayasaka wereback in the dimly lit corridor, standing in the exact spot where they had fallen into the illusion.
Only one thing was different—
Hayasaka was still a sheep.
Her clothes lay crumpled on the floor, and she now had to put them back on piece by piece.
Chika placed a hand on her hip and commanded,
"Amamiya, turn around. No peeking."
"I'm not looking."
"Yeah, sure. Like I'd believe that with those mushrooms growing out of your head."
"…."
Before Amamiya could respond, a voice suddenly echoed through the dark castle.
"Amamiya… and Chika?"
Amamiya spun around, his heart quickening.
Chika's eyes lit up in delight.
"It's Kaguya-chan!"