Surviving a Cruel Fairy Tale

16 – Act 1. Little Red Riding Hood Forest – Heartless Woodcutter (1)

The way back was quiet.

As a result of experimenting with various things while walking on the back of Little Red Riding Hood, moving the power scattered throughout the body, I realized a rather interesting fact.

First of all, it’s the amount of mystery accumulated in this body. If I counted the power at the time I entered the forest as 1, now it’s 10. Maybe even more.

I can only feel it, but what is certain is that an enormous amount of power that cannot even be compared to before has dwelled in this body more distinctly and vividly.

So, has this body become tenfold stronger?

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

It is clear that the mystic connotation has greatly increased the physical ability, and it is also true that by approaching the root of this forest, the power that was densely spread around it was absorbed, but that did not lead to actual physical power. Did not

Of course, I got stronger to some extent.

But this isn’t enough to show off your physical abilities against the hunter or the woodcutter.

Especially in the case of the woodcutter, the ark is different.

The power radiating from the body literally creates wind with a single attack, shattering everything the ax touches and changing the terrain.

Characteristics of the region, and assimilation.

Considering that characters in fairy tales inherit the characteristics of existing fairy tales, I don’t know who will have the upper hand between the hunter and the woodcutter with this forest as the stage, but I want to avoid the development of having to deal with both.

I wonder if the fortunate thing is that Little Red Riding Hood, the protagonist of the fairy tale, is on my side.

But even this isn’t perfect.

First of all, Little Red Riding Hood said that he would not at least lose against the woodcutter, but said that there was a difference in compatibility with the hunter due to the influence of the existing fairy tale.

Besides, another one.

“Little Red Riding Hood.”

“Why?”

“You said you had no choice but to fight the hunter. Do you want to kill him then?”

I didn’t know her true wishes.

The cause of the forest being filled with curses.

All evil and origin.

I know that the distortion of this fairy tale lies with the hunter, and I also know that there is no other way than to defeat the hunter if you want to break the status quo.

Then what about after that?

“No, actually, it’s okay if you want to kill me. What I want to ask more than that is, what do you want to do after you overcome him and finish the story of this forest?”

“…… I wonder why.”

“Know the goals of your collaborators. Are those reasons not enough?”

Little Red Riding Hood in the Cursed Forest.

A witch who antagonizes and kills the humans in the forest.

Her relationship is completely different from the normal relationship outside the forest, and she, who was destined to be eaten by a wolf in a fairy tale, is rather hostile to her savior, the hunter, leading the wolf.

Then what does she hope for in the future?

The end of this fairy tale.

I have rewrote this fairy tale according to the contract, but what is the end of her story that exists at the end?

“I never really thought about the future.”

“What do you want?”

“…… But, I can’t help but say it. I’m just your helper. A cooperative tool for you, the reader of this fairy tale. Isn’t it comfortable to think like that?”

She shook her head immediately at her words.

“That is wrong.”

There is no problem with just observing the story taking place in this forest.

If you know the character’s goal, you’ll be able to relate to it, but it won’t be difficult to understand the narrative, development, and ending, which are the main stems.

But the writer couldn’t do that, and he couldn’t.

“You said I was a reader, but I was completely wrong.”

“Then what?”

“I am a writer who writes fairy tales. Yes, I’m a third-rate person who can’t release a single proper work, but at least I understand the difference between a writer and a reader.”

Rewrite the story.

It is true that there is a feeling of reluctance to touch such masterpieces, but if you rewrite a fairy tale that has already been twisted without any help, that is the domain of the artist.

If you are a writer, you need to understand and understand all the main characters who are active on the stage of your work.

For example, in this story, what does Little Red Riding Hood hope for and what goals does she stand here with? Why does he help me, and what feelings does he have for the hunter as a result.

If you do not know such things, the completeness of the story will inevitably fall.

The scribbled story in a situation where you don’t know anything is just crude, rather, it’s the worst addition to ruin the play.

That’s not what I want.

“I want to know.”

Little Red Riding Hood, the Hunter, and the Woodcutter.

If we were to pick out the most outstanding beings centered on this stage, we have no choice but to discuss these three.

Even if the Tin Woodman has a separate narrative called The Wizard of Oz, the narrative of Little Red Riding Hood and the Hunter is indispensable in this forest.

I roughly understood what the hunters were about.

Of course, I couldn’t understand his clear action principle, but at least his narrative itself was clearly revealed.

All that was left was Little Red Riding Hood, but she slightly frowned and turned her head away as if she had no intention of saying anything.

“You don’t have to know. You just think about getting out of this forest. I will help with that and fulfill my purpose.”

She couldn’t help but nod her head at her apparent refusal.

It’s not good to hurt your feelings by forcing yourself to ask about something you don’t want to say.

It’s important to understand the story behind this forest, but at least not more important than having a conflict with your only companion in the current situation.

We haven’t spoken since.

I just stare at the back of Little Red Riding Hood, thinking about how to use the mystery obtained from the root of the forest to counter the hunter.

The opponent is a hunter who freely roams the forest and has never had an enemy in Little Red Riding Hood’s fairy tale.

First of all, you can’t win with the straight attack method.

If Little Red Riding Hood had also professed to wield various magics and lead wolves, judging this as an established fact, he needed a clue to break that superiority.

A simple concept is not enough.

The limits of this power were clear, and it is true that right now, I have no choice but to limit extremely limited situations or places.

It’s a bit daunting when you think about it, but it was a reality you couldn’t turn your eyes away from.

I would have known if I had seen how strong the hunter was, but the gap between me and the hunter was so great that he didn’t even seriously attack me.

First of all, I’ll have to discuss it with Little Red Riding Hood after I go back, but personally, I couldn’t come up with an answer that would be perfect for this.

Just a little more here.

If only one number is added, you can think a little more flexibly…….

“Wait.”

“Huh?”

I looked up at the hand holding my shoulder as I was walking well.

Little Red Riding Hood, who was clearly going ahead, approached me before I knew it, grabbed his shoulder with one hand, and took out a hatchet with the other hand and looked ahead.

Because something else happened.

I thought about that for a while. Soon, the sound of iron creaking caught my breath.

“…… It would have been better if I had just withdrawn.”

Clap, clap.

I felt the vibration of the huge iron body moving up my feet.

The steps of the giant gradually approaching this place by knocking down trees one by one.

It didn’t appear as a surprise as before, so I bought time to deal with it in advance, but even so, I didn’t like meeting the Tin Woodman one after another.

So, with a sigh, when Little Red Riding Hood shifted to a combat stance, he finally revealed his appearance by casually breaking the tree that was blocking him.

“Beasts and Humans.”

It was a voice that still sounded like iron.

Come to think of it, the Tin Woodman had no vocal chords because his body was turned into iron.

Then is it imitating a human voice with the sound of iron? No, wait. This is a useless worry in the current situation.

While I watched him for a moment and thought, Little Red Riding Hood raised a hatchet and raised it towards him.

“I came here without getting tired of it.”

“You have nothing to do. Poor beast.”

Unlike the previous time when he rushed right into it, he was quite rational.

But the Tin Woodman’s gaze was fixed on me unlike before, and indeed he slowly stretched out his hand and gestured towards me.

“Humans. There is something I want to ask you.”

“To me?”

When asked in response to his curiosity, the woodcutter moves his iron head vertically.

“A human with emotions in a red heart beating vigorously. He is a human being who can care for others, who can empathize with them, who can love them above all else.”

A calm voice echoes through the forest.

Beyond the red cloak that was still wary of him, the Tin Woodman, who had been looking at me, didn’t care about it, sat down on the spot, and made eye contact with me as much as possible.

“Humans. I need a heart.”

I know you want a heart.

It is said that this world is twisted in fairy tales, but the big frame has not changed, so what the Tin Woodman wants must be the heart.

Just telling me that.

“So I will ask.”

“…… What?”

I really want to, but…….

“Can you give me your heart?”

As expected.