Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf Mentor

Chapter 116 Late Night Secret Talk
"...the wicked witch was burned to ashes, and Hansel and Gretel ate their fill in the candy house and filled their pockets and aprons with pearls and jewels from the witch's room.

They returned to their familiar home, rushed into the room and threw themselves into their father's arms.

Their father had never been happy since he abandoned his children in the forest, and his wife also died. The family of three lived a happy life with the treasures brought back by the children..."

Listening to Poro finish telling this story, Lake beside him smiled quietly.

She blinked and looked up at the stars in the night sky.

"A house made of candy? That's a great story!"

Lake placed her finger on her fair chin, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Are the two children in the story also called Hansel and Gretel?"

"Yeah, so they might also come from a fairy tale."

Poro added, and he stretched out his hand, and a golden light was gradually forming into a page of a book.

"But this time, with our help and money, those two children shouldn't have to go through those dangers again, right?"

Lake smiled slightly. "It seems like their parents don't want to abandon their two children. They were so excited when they saw the two little ones that they cried!"

"Yes, if our help can save a family in advance, it is indeed a good thing."

The Poro nodded as well.

Although in his opinion, the parents were not very competent.

But in such a poor situation, morality seems less important than physical hunger.

So far, every fairy tale that Lake and I have experienced has been greatly distorted.

If there really is such a witch in the forest...

The chances of the two children surviving on their own are almost zero.

"I just hope that the couple's previous feelings were genuine."

Poro shook his head, and the new fairy tale page in his hand also took shape.

On it, there is a painting of a small house built with chocolate, cakes, candies, biscuits and other desserts and delicacies.

[Return of the Ring: Candy House Dessert Feast]

【Fairy Tale Power: Unknown】

[Unsealing Ceremony: Find the candy house hidden deep in the jungle and taste the delicacies that make up the candy house]

[Description: Hunger is unbearable, cramps throb in your stomach, and in a trance, you pass through a forest again. Finally, you see it - that sweet paradise!]

"Candy House, does it really exist?"

Lake looked at the pages in Poro's hand with a hint of surprise.

"There's also an old witch who eats children in that candy house? Oh, how wonderful it would be if such a witch could be a good person."

Lake sighed, but then she thought of something and her swan-like neck swallowed slightly.

"Polo, if there really were a room full of candies and cakes... how wonderful would that be? They would be delicious, right? And chocolate, what is that?
If the candy house really appeared in front of me, I would definitely go there and have a feast! "

"But if there are really that many desserts, I'm sure I'll get an upset stomach and cavities..."

"I'm just saying, I rarely eat desserts."

The girl frowned slightly, "When we were in the forest, there was only one time when grandma went out to wipe out a group of foreign bandits, and she brought me two candies.

The taste... I've kind of forgotten it now.

But at that time, I thought, that must be the most delicious thing in the world!"

After hearing this, Poro's eyes turned softer when he looked at Lake.

He didn't react for a moment. Although he was a wolf, he was a modern man in his previous life and he often ate these cakes and candies.

But Lake is different.

This girl has lived in the forest since she was a child. Even now, when she ventures out of the forest, she has never spent money to buy snacks other than regular meals.

These... things that rich kids often eat are extremely unfamiliar to Lake.

"Oh, I was just joking."

Poro patted the girl's head and said with a smile, "We have money now. When we get to the next city, we will buy lots of cakes, candies, and chocolates!
We can eat as much as we want!"

"Eh? Didn't you just say it would rot my teeth? And it would upset my stomach..."

"Don't worry, with your current physical condition, it's just some desserts, what can happen?"

The Poro leaned close to the girl's smooth cheek and winked gently, "Besides, you are the hero who saved the Kingdom of Boren, the savior angel - what's wrong with the savior having some snacks?
Who dares to stop the savior from eating snacks?"

"Hey! Big Bad Wolf, why are you making this joke again!"

Lake said with a pout, but she couldn't suppress the expectation and longing in her eyes.

Outside the carriage, the night wind blew through the forest, making a rustling sound.

Poro looked at the sleeping girl beside him with a peaceful smile on his face, as if he had eaten delicious food in a dream?
"It's okay, Lake. We have money now. We can eat whatever we want."

Poro stepped out of the carriage, it was time to keep watch.

Poro, Lake and the veteran have been taking turns keeping watch, and today, Poro was the first to do so.

Smells from all directions drifted in along the forest breeze.

There was no smell of wild beasts, just like the previous few nights. Just as Poro looked at the crescent moon in the sky and yawned, he suddenly heard -

Not far away, a slight sound suddenly came from the cottage where Hansel and Gretel lived.

"Huh? Don't those people sleep at night?"

Poro noticed through the darkness that the somewhat dilapidated wooden door of the wooden house had suddenly opened a small crack, and a figure flashed by.

He glanced at himself and the others, then quickly closed the door.

The movement was small, but it couldn't be hidden from the Poro's keen perception.

"Are they Hansel and Gretel's parents? Too excited to sleep after getting the gold coins? Or..."

Poro narrowed his dark green wolf eyes slightly and approached the wooden house in the cover of night.

He recalled what he had seen in the evening, the stepmother of Hansel and Gretel. The expression on that woman's face made Poro feel a strange sense of hypocrisy for some reason.

It's like wearing a cheap mask.

"Since you guys aren't asleep and I'm not asleep either, then I'll listen to what you guys are going to do."

Poro walked to the corner of the wooden house, pressed his wolf ears against the wall, and a hint of red light flashed in his eyes.

He used the power of "Crazy Dancer" to enhance his hearing, and in an instant, the sounds coming from the house became much clearer.

It was the voice of that couple.

Even inside the house, he tried his best to lower his voice. If the eavesdropper was not a Poro, an ordinary person would probably not be able to hear it.

"Are those people asleep?"

The woman's voice.

"Sleep, what exactly do you want to tell me? Why do you have to wait until the children and these people are asleep before telling me?"

The man's voice sounded a little doubtful.

"Humph, send them farther away next time and don't let them come back!"

The woman lowered her voice and spoke, her words revealing dissatisfaction.

"Uh, you...what did you say?"

"Hansel and Gretel, the place you chose this time is still too close. Can't you even do such a small thing?"

"But, but they are my children after all. How can I give up on them again?"

The man's voice sounded a little surprised. "Besides, aren't we rich now? Those gold coins are enough to last for a long time. Until the crops grow..."

"You, you, are such a wimp!"

The woman lowered her voice and said, "How could you abandon those two children, so young, in the forest and have them come back in the middle of the night? Think about it!"

"Ah? Why...why?"

"They must have died long ago, possessed by the evil spirit deep in the forest! They are no longer your children!"

The woman's voice gnashed her teeth as she spoke, "It's been so long, haven't you heard the stories about the monsters in the forest?
And those people, I think they are probably not good people!"

"Huh? Why? The gold coins they gave were real?"

"Do you think those gentlemen can give you gold coins? Do you think those well-dressed landlords in town can stop their horses at the door of your house and give you gold coins? Be thankful if they don't take your copper coins!
Look at those people, their clothes, how do they look aristocratic?
Have you ever touched a gold coin like this in your life?"

"Ah? What should we do?"

The man's voice sounded more and more convinced of the woman's words and became a little flustered.

"Hmph, what if you're not a wimp? Kill them?"

The woman's voice suddenly changed the subject. "If they have these gold coins, they have more. If we take the initiative, we can get even more!"

"But, but killing someone?"

"You chop trees every day, but you gained all this strength for nothing?"

The woman raised her voice slightly, then softened. "I'm doing this for our future. In this world, I'm the only one who truly and wholeheartedly cares about you."

The woman forced a soft tone in her voice, "Think about it, after we get the money from those people, we can send the possessed child away, and then buy a new house and some land in the city..."

They can give these few gold coins, so they must have quite a lot of money on hand.

If we hire a few more farmhands, we can become wealthy masters for life!"

Inside the house, there was a sound of a man swallowing his saliva, as if he was a little moved, but he still asked:
"But, but those people have swords and bows, and they look very powerful..."

"Are you stupid? Did I ask you to fight them head-on?"

The woman's voice carried a hint of "hate iron but not steel" as she said bitterly, "Don't we still have a lot of rat poison left at home?

Tomorrow morning, I'll take the remaining rice, cook some porridge, and put the medicine in it!
Then you said you wanted to thank them for sending the baby back, so you treated them to a meal, and when they had a terrible stomachache—at that time, you could do whatever you wanted, right?

As if she saw that her man was still hesitant, the woman's voice continued to press on.
"Those few people, though they look numerous, are definitely not that difficult to deal with! They're all human beings—could they possibly have eaten rat poison and still be unharmed?"

As the woman spoke, she began to describe her "plan".

"That dog looks fierce. Take some black dough, dip it in lard, apply some medicine on it, and feed it to the beast. It will make that stupid beast fall down in a few minutes!

Among those people, the one in the red cloak and the woman in the carriage, with their delicate skin, those swords and bows - they must be scary!
And there was that man who was as thin as a pole and looked like he was about to die.

You just need to kill the gray-haired, stronger one with the rat poison. Can't you take care of the others with an axe?

I promise you can chop them down faster with an axe than you can chop down trees!
Then, we can bury the body in the woods, get on their carriage, take the money and leave. Who will know?"

"But, but what if... they are really good people?"

After a while, the man uttered another word.

"Where do so many good people come from in this world?"

The disappointment in the woman's voice was evident, "Even if they were good people, did I beg them to save me?
You are too cowardly to do anything, so you can only chop trees for the rest of your life!"

The woman continued, "My sister, the guy he married, at first you said he was idle and lazy, so lazy that he didn't even cut trees—"

But what happened next? He took up his knife and landed a few deals, making a lot of money and buying a house.

Look now, is there anyone causing trouble for him?
And you? "

The woman's words seemed to be for the man's benefit, but also seemed to be provoking him, "The world is so difficult now, no matter how kind you are, you're still hungry and have nothing, right?

Opportunities like this don't come around often these days.

Do you want to be poor all your life, or be the bad guy at this moment?

What's more, most of these people are not good people.

Of course, I'm thinking about you, not forcing you. If you'd rather be poor your whole life, I have no objection..."

The man took a breath and didn't say anything.

But the Poro who was eavesdropping through the wall outside the house understood that most of the time, such silence often meant consent.

He heard a few subtle noises in the house again.

It was like a man took an axe off the wall and began to wipe it.

"Ah!"

After a while, Poro suddenly laughed out of anger.

He looked at the dark sky outside, and murderous intent flashed in the depths of his dark green eyes.

Stupidity, greed...

This is clearly demonstrated in this couple.

Got a gold coin and want more?
Even want to use rat poison to kill a few of your own people?

As expected, Hansel and Gretel, the poor brother and sister, had such a pair of parents. Even if they had gold coins, they would probably not be able to escape the fate of being thrown into the forest and "forced to take risks" again!

In the current situation, I am afraid that it will really be like in the fairy tale, waiting for this cruel and greedy stepmother to die.

Only then can their foolish father reflect a little and regain the "family affection" he has lost for a long time?

But Poro hadn't been this angry in a long time.

Of course, the anger this time is a little different from those towards those murderous giants, witch hunters, and mind-controlling bishops.

He also felt a deep sense of sadness.

"Sure enough, we have to do it like in the fairy tale. Kill this man's wife and plant some fear in his heart. Then he will understand that there is a price to pay for doing evil!"

The Poro licked his lips.

He realized that without the woman's instigation, this somewhat stupid, cowardly and indecisive lumberjack would probably not do such a thing as abandoning his child and murdering for money.

As for dealing with this kind of thing, there is no need to involve Lake.

After all, the girl had just been delighted that she had changed the fate of Hansel and Gretel with just a few gold coins.

Let Lake rest for a while in the sweet dream brought by the "Candy House"!

Besides, they are just two ordinary people.

Now, Poro dares to guarantee that even if that male lumberjack were to chop him head-on with an axe, he would not be hurt at all!
This is not difficult to understand, having fought against beings like giants and learned magic.

Regardless of how much of a role it played, Poro was not very afraid when facing a few ordinary people with evil intentions.

"If we wait until morning, they'll have to waste the porridge. Let's do it now!"

Thinking this, the Poro stretched out his claws, licked his sharp teeth with the tip of his scarlet tongue, and then possessed the body, preparing to jump into the cabin through the window.

But at this moment, a distinct breaking sound broke the silence of the night!
Poro was startled, stopped, took a few steps back, and looked towards the source of the sound——

On the beams of the cabin!
“Kacha—kacha—”

A clearer and more violent sound, more obvious than the first one!

And Poro also saw a long and deep crack spreading in all directions at the supports of the roof and walls of the wooden house!

At the beginning of the crack, there are several inconspicuous small holes.

The walls of this wooden house had probably been eaten away by ants and other insects, and coupled with the erosion of rain, they were already beginning to be unable to support themselves...

In addition, tonight, their lifespans have unfortunately come to an end.

Just as the man, the owner of the house, had evil thoughts in his heart, the wooden house finally couldn't bear the weight!

"Crack—crack—crack—"

The teeth-grinding sound of shattering instantly spread to the entire roof. After a few seconds, all the broken parts finally accumulated and exceeded a critical value!
"Boom!"

Poro watched helplessly as the wooden house in front of him collapsed in an instant!
He only had time to dodge to the side so that the flying wood splinters and gravel would not touch his hair.

The wooden house...suddenly collapsed! ?

The huge noise caused the ground to shake.

It is especially obvious in the dark night!
"What's wrong? Poro? What happened?!"

Lake and the others in the carriage were also very sharp-eyed and sharp-eared. Ordinary people could hear the clearing noise, but to them, it was like thunder!
In the few seconds before the wooden house collapsed, Lake and the veteran were already fully armed, with swords drawn, and rushed out of the carriage!

They were also shocked when they saw the collapsed wooden house turned into ruins.

"Uh, I was actually a little confused."

Poro looked at the broken wood splinters and beams beside him and shrugged, "I haven't had time to do anything yet!"

……

"Bam—"

Lake struggled to lift a beam as thick as her waist and threw it aside, splashing a cloud of dust.

Hey brave man...

Although he could jump onto the giant's back in a few steps and cut off the giant's neck with one sword.

But seeing such a slender and fragile beautiful girl throwing the thick beam like a stick still made Poro feel a little emotional.

"found it!"

Lake's eyes lit up, and the worried look in them was instantly replaced by a hint of joy.

The girl reached out her hand and carefully pushed aside several crisscrossing wooden beams, revealing a triangular cavity.

"Hansel, Gretel, don't be afraid. Hold on to my hand and climb out carefully. Don't get hurt."

The wooden house collapsed, but fortunately, Hansel and Gretel's bedroom was in a small corner of the house. Because of this, the collapsed beams formed an angle with the walls that did not collapse.

Although the two children looked pale and frightened, fortunately, apart from some scratches from splinters, they did not suffer any serious injuries.

Hansel picked up his sister, whose eyes were red, and handed her to Lake.

Then he grabbed the beam and climbed out.

He was also pale, but not a single tear shed.

"Well, I think their parents are probably really beyond help."

On the other side, the voice of the veteran was heard.

Poro and Lake walked forward. This was the center of the roof collapse, and it was also... where the couple rested.

There is indeed nothing wrong with what the veteran described.

The woman was already dead. The tilted beam had pierced her abdomen and pressed her against the wall on the other side. Her body was hanging in the air, and blood was flowing and dripping along the beam.

Her hands hung limply on the beam that pierced her abdomen.

The sides of the beams were covered with bloody scratches.

Shortly after the house began to collapse, several people outside heard the woman's screams, but now, before the Poro could take action, she was obviously dead.

Not far from her, the man was also lying on the side, covered in blood.

The Poro and the veteran stepped forward.

The man's leg artery was also cut by a flying piece of wood, and his arm was twisted, with broken bones extending through the skin.

Judging from the amount of blood on the ground, it would undoubtedly be a death sentence for an ordinary person!

When he saw Lake and the others, and Hansel and Gretel who appeared later, a complicated expression flashed in his already dark eyes. His mouth, which was bleeding, opened and closed, as if he wanted to say something.

Poro took another step forward and only then heard what the man said from his voice as thin as a mosquito.

"I'm... sorry, I'm really... sorry..."

After saying these words, the man's last breath disappeared.

"Father……?"

Hansel and Gretel, seeing this, wanted to run forward.

But to prevent them from being hurt by the sharp thorns and ruins in the space, Lake still held them back.

Different from her attitude towards that woman, a tear once again flowed from Gretel's eyes, and she trembled and sobbed.

Hansel, who was standing by, patted his sister on the back. He wanted to turn his head away, but his eyes also turned red.

"Your father just told me to tell you to live well and be strong."

The old soldier stood up, walked out of the ruins, looked at the two children with sad faces, thought for a while, squatted down, patted the two children's heads with his rough hands, and said in a deep voice.

For some reason, the old soldier's hoarse voice could bring great comfort to the two children.

Hansel raised his head, met the old soldier's eyes, and nodded slightly.

"I... understand. Thank you, sir."

(End of this chapter)