Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf Mentor

Chapter 117: Hunger Vision
With a swing of the shovel, soil was blown up and filled into the pit, covering the two dead bodies.

Although, Poro initially thought that if he died, he would just die and be buried in the ruins and rot away naturally.

After all, the couple's death was ultimately their own fault.

If they met a few of their own people, even if Hans' luck didn't backfire on them, they would probably die if they were overheard their conspiracy.

But Poro looked at Hansel and Gretel who were kneeling on the side.

There was nothing wrong with the woman, but the brother and sister obviously had some feelings for their stupid and cowardly biological father.

Leaving the body exposed in the wilderness in front of two children was obviously not a good idea.

"Ah, that's about it. That's it."

The veteran looked at the grave mounds on the ground and shook his head. He looked at a map in his hand, which came from the collapsed wooden house. The routes drawn on it marked several roads and towns beside the forest.

It's not big, but for such a small area, it is extremely detailed.

As for the rest, this wooden house can indeed be described as "bare and bare". Apart from ruins, broken bricks, and broken wooden strips, there is almost nothing useful.

"What about the brother and sister? Have they recovered?"

"They are very strong."

Poro looked to the other side and saw that both children had stopped crying. Hansel was patting Gretel's shoulder, and the two little figures were staring blankly into the distance.

"How about we find a small town and drop them off there? Considering those few gold coins—there should be someone who can take them in, right?"

"How about taking them to that paradise of plenty? Isn't there always food there?"

"Well, that's a really good idea, but... I'm just a little unsure."

The veteran was silent for a moment when he said this.

"uncertain?"

“I’m not sure how far it is. According to my previous memory, it should be somewhere on the forest, but I’m too far away from here - only the general direction can be wrong.

If we bring two children with us, it will undoubtedly slow down our progress..."

But just as they were talking, Hansel and Gretel seemed to be talking about something in the distance, and then they seemed to have made some decisions and walked over.

"What's wrong? If you're hungry..."

Hans was stunned for a moment, then he rummaged through his pocket and took out some pieces of dried meat.

But brother Hansel looked at the dried meat, swallowed his saliva, shook his head and said:

"Thank you for saving me and my sister."

Lake, who was standing by, smiled and said, "You're welcome. Everyone who sees children like you will do their best to help."

"No, that's not the case. Our father and... stepmother wouldn't do that."

Hansel lowered his head slightly, revealing a sad expression. "I know that we got lost in the forest earlier because of my father..."

I did this because I listened to my stepmother and wanted to abandon us.

I didn’t fall asleep that night because I was hungry—I heard my father’s conversation.”

After hearing Hansel's words, everyone was stunned. The family affairs could not be hidden from this child who looked only eleven or twelve years old. He might have known the truth about his parents "lost" him and his sister a long time ago.

But he still pretended not to know and tried his best to find the "home" that had abandoned him long ago in the dark.

"Well, I'm sorry..."

Hans looked at the two children and spoke with some difficulty.

"Don't say that, sir."

Hansel raised his hand, stretched it out in front of the few people, and opened it. In addition to the gold coins left by Lake last night, there were also a few dirty copper coins.

"What's wrong? You don't have to return the money to us. When you get to town, you can probably use the money to find a better family. At least you won't be so hungry anymore..."

Lake was stunned for a moment and spoke hurriedly, wanting the two children to accept the money.

But Hansel shook his head. He pushed the money forward again and looked up at the others.
"From what I heard you guys talking earlier, you guys are also going to the Plains of Plenty, which is...that paradise on earth, right?"

Hansel looked at his sister, a hint of determination in his eyes. "If it's convenient, could you take us with you? This money will be used as travel expenses, okay?"

After hearing what the two children said, Lake and others looked at each other and finally nodded.

In a sense, these two children are indeed a bit too mature. They are only in their early teens. Most children at this age are still playing around.

But Hansel and Gretel were able to find their way home independently in the dark forest.

Even after the death of his parents, he was not affected by negative emotions.

I was even able to cheer myself up in this short period of time, and even thought of using money to exchange for an opportunity...

From these points of view, if the distance is not far, these two children are actually not a "burden".

"Okay, we agreed, so... let's get in the car?"

Lake took the money handed over by the child and smiled friendly.

She could clearly feel that when she took the money, the two children in front of her were obviously relieved.

The carriage moved slowly through the woods, its wheels making a rattling sound as they collided with the uneven ground.

"You two, do you actually know where the Plains of Plenty are? Have you ever been there?"

Since they were traveling together as fellow travelers, there was no need to be wary of the two children, so Poro asked.

"We haven't been there, but we've felt it and seen it. It should be on the other side of the forest."

Hansel spoke, then pointed his hand in a direction of the forest with certainty.

Lake and the others no longer doubted the child's sense of direction, but they still found something strange about what the child said.

"But you haven't been there, so how can you see it?"

“When we are very hungry, we can see…”

Hansel thought for a moment and said, “Father saw it before, but he said it was an illusion. But what he saw was exactly the same as what Gretel and I saw!
So, it must really exist there!"

“When you’re very hungry, you can see it?”

The old soldier was stunned for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and asked anxiously:
"What did you see at that time? Can you describe it to me?"

"We hadn't eaten all day, so our mother asked us to pick mushrooms in the forest."

Hansel described it slowly, "Gretel and I were very hungry and about to faint, but in a trance, we seemed to smell some fragrance...

Our eyes seemed to have passed through the jungle and saw something on the other side of the forest. On that plain, there were all kinds of delicious food, roasted meat with sauces, and desserts that we had never seen before..."

"Delicious food? What are they like?"

After hearing this, Lake asked curiously, and the scene from the fairy tale "Candy House" appeared before her eyes.

"They have red and yellow ones with juicy flesh! And those grilled meats with lots of sauces on them!"

As Hansel described it, the longing in his eyes grew brighter.

"A small part of it we had only seen in the food placed in the center of the table in the garden in front of the house when we went to town with my father.

But that time, we saw that there was a lot of food in front of everyone in that place.

And the food that is eaten can grow again on its own!

They... must be much better than black bread!"

In a trance, I even felt that I could taste the flavors of those delicacies!

If only I had actually been at that table at that time.”

"What happened next? What else happened?"

Lake looked at Hansel who was silent and asked.

"Then, that vision quickly faded away, and I never really got there after all."

At this point, Hansel sighed.

“Even after it disappeared, I seemed to be able to sense its location, but after I ate some wild vegetables, that sense of trance disappeared.

My father said that we were hallucinating because we were hungry at that time - but I know that it was definitely not a hallucination!
Because, if it was an illusion...

How come there are so many delicious foods that I have never seen before?"

At this point, Hansel's face showed some fantasy again. He smiled and finally said, "But fortunately, every time my sister and I are extremely hungry, we can see that place and those delicious foods..."

After hearing what the child said, everyone looked at each other.

The delicacies described by Hansel are extremely delicate and can never be seen without many careful observations.

Moreover, considering the financial resources of the brother and sister's family, they probably don't even have the chance to take a good look at these delicacies, let alone taste them.

"Is there really such a place...where you can see it when you're hungry?"

Lake was stunned for a moment.

"So that's how it is. Now it makes sense."

Beside him, veteran Invi's face also showed a hint of realization. "Is this a paradise open only to those who are extremely hungry?"

"Did you know about this, too?"

Lake and the others looked at the veteran in surprise.

"Yes, like I said before, I have seen that place too. At that time, I had just left my destroyed homeland. I was sad and frustrated. If it weren't for Danse by my side, I would have almost chosen death..."

He shook his head and added, “One day, I didn’t eat much, and during that hunger, I also saw the Fertile Plains.

Later, when I passed through some nearby towns, I heard about this place from people.

I had experienced a certain degree of hunger near that city, so I could sense the location of that plain.

But now, it has been a long time and I have forgotten a little.

If ordinary people want to reach that place, if they don't fall into extreme hunger, they can find a guide, an ordinary person who has experienced hunger.

The old soldier looked at the two children and forced a smile on his serious face. "It seems that now we have two little guides."

Ahead, a signpost covered with vines appeared.

This narrow wild road reaches a fork in the road. One side leads to the town, and the other side leads deeper into the forest. The entrance to the fertile plains should be in the depths of the forest.

"Now that we have a guide, we shouldn't have to go to town anymore, right?"

The old soldier said this and looked back at the people in the carriage.

Lake and Poro nodded, but at this moment, Hans spoke:
"Wait a minute!"

"What's wrong, Mr. Hans?"

Lake was stunned for a moment and asked.

"If it's this direction, I might not go with you."

Hans shook his head and said, "Why? If the Fertile Plains really is such a beautiful paradise, why don't we go see it together?"

"Because of my 'luck', I think I have to...solve it."

Hans touched Hansel and Gretel's heads, with a complicated look in his eyes.

After the wooden house collapsed last night, he has been feeling a little worried.

Although after listening to Poro's words, he understood that it was the couple's evil intentions that led to this disaster.

But... as Hans was more like an ordinary person most of the time, he still inevitably felt a little guilty.

"Mr. Hans, perhaps we could go with you?"

"No, I don't have that much clue about this matter. It's just that I can't stay with you for too long. As for the reason, you should know it, right?"

Hans glanced at Lake and Poro, a trace of reluctance also showing in his eyes. "No matter how evil the children's parents were, and no matter how much 'misfortune' I brought upon them, the children are innocent."

When Hans said this, he looked at the little girl Gretel's face. There was a tiny wound on the child's soft face.

Although it has healed due to the effect of the ointment, it is still very obvious now.

"Polo, Lake, you guys are the same...

I can't control this thing in me that I can't tell whether it's a curse or a blessing. The harm it can cause always refreshes my imagination.

This time, the two children only suffered scratches.

What about next time?

"It's okay, Mr. Hans. Poro and I are very powerful..."

"Yes, I know. After all, we are fellow travelers. But where is this... brother Invi's wife?"

Hans gestured to Danse, who was sitting quietly in the corner of the carriage.

"And what about these two children who just survived? If there is a next time, will they still be so lucky?"

Then he pointed at Hansel and Gretel.

After hearing what he said, Lake wanted to say something, but she had no reason to solve the problem that Hans mentioned.

"Mr. Hans..."

"Don't worry, it's not a matter of life and death. If you're lucky, you can meet again."

Hans smiled and jumped off the parked carriage. "Oh, there's another reason. When I saw the town on the road sign, it reminded me of something I'd heard before.

On the other side of this small town, there is a kingdom where there are many witches and magicians.

Maybe there, I can get rid of the curse on me!"

Having said that, Hans waved his hand, turned around and walked in another direction.

"See you later, Lake and Poro, with any luck."

"Goodbye, Mr. Hans."

Looking at Hans' figure disappearing into the woods, the old soldier raised his whip again.

The two horses neighed and headed in another direction.

Everyone has a place they want to go, but there are very few people who can always stay with them.

The carriage drove through the jungle, and the trees on both sides became increasingly dense.

The ruts on the ground suddenly decreased to a very small number at some point. Later on, there were not many exposed areas on the ground, and the horses' progress began to slow down.

The sounds in the forest suddenly became still; the chirping of insects and the singing of birds were completely silent at this moment.

"Is this really... here?"

Lake looked at the two children.

Hansel nodded affirmatively. He raised his finger and pointed in the distance. "Yes, that's the direction. I can feel it..."

The smell of those delicious foods seems to be getting closer."

Up ahead, the veteran on horseback said nothing. He also confirmed the route Hansel pointed out.

"It should be here. I have some impression of it. Those who returned from the Fertile Plains also said so—

Across a silent forest."

At this time, the Poro next to Lake flipped through the book in his hand and found a page in the thick magic notebook that looked like the Queen's dictionary. After a moment's thought, he spoke:
"Lake, haven't you noticed? This section of the forest looks familiar."

"familiar?"

"It's very similar to the forest mazes we encountered before, but also somewhat different. They look more like a special kind of magical barrier."

A glimmer of magic flashed in Poro's eyes, and then quickly disappeared. Through learning magic, he also gained a lot of understanding of the principles of mazes and many other magical knowledge.

His enhanced senses also allow him to discover things that... are difficult for ordinary people to discover.

"This is a maze. The forest and other roads leading in one direction are distorted. My magical abilities aren't great, but I can figure it out...

Perhaps only those who are hungry, or have experienced hunger, can ignore this layer of maze."

This distance is not long. After all, most hungry people are not able to walk far.

The moment you pass through a curtain, the sky lights up again, the sounds that had disappeared around you instantly reappear, the trees become sparse, and the view in front of you suddenly becomes clear.

Lake and others opened their eyes wide, and the view in the distance was wide.

But the most surprising thing is not just that.

Lake and the others looked around. Behind them was the forest path that their carriage had taken, but it was not an isolated path.

In that wood, there were six or seven paths that were almost not far apart, extending from the forest.

And just as a few people were looking around.

Not far away, on another path in the forest, several people in simple clothes and covered in dust walked out. When they saw the light around them, they also showed excitement.

Looking around, their expressions looked like they were so excited that they were about to cry!
At this distance, both Rek Poro and veteran Invi should be able to hear their voices in the forest, and even see their whereabouts among the trees.

But it didn't.

The forest path, which was not too far away, was like a passage that isolated the outside world. Neither Rek Poro nor the veteran could sense the changes in the outside world.

"Is this... a shift in space that has occurred unconsciously?"

There was also a look of horror in the Poro's eyes. The more he learned magic, the more he could feel the power of the maze here, whether it was that one, with a very wide coverage, or an illusion array whose location could only be discovered by the hungry.

Or this one in front of me, the ability to twist all those who set foot on the plain to the exit here—

All of this shows the powerful magic power possessed by the spellcaster who caused all this!
Not far away, at the junction of the vast plain and the forest, there is a wide and flat cobblestone road, which is even flatter than most towns.

At the entrance to the cobblestone road, a tall wooden sign stood upright on it.

The sunlight shines through the hollowed-out wheat ear patterns and hits the ground in front of the wooden sign. A line of exquisitely carved words is affixed to the center of the wooden sign.

[At the end of suffering, the fields are golden, in heaven, there is no hunger, travelers, welcome to the Plains of Plenty]

Behind the wooden sign, there are several long rows of tables.

On it were silver bowls, plates, knives and forks, filled with countless colorful cakes, meals, hot soups, dishes and drinks.

It stretches far into the distance.

Wooden chairs with backrests are placed next to the dining table.

There was no one there, but it was spotless, as if it had already been prepared to welcome diners.

Looking across the plain, you can see golden waves of wheat rising and falling, but no one is working there. All you can see is the windmill slowly spinning in the distance.

The long wind blows in my face.

The rich fragrance instantly penetrated everyone's nostrils.

"It smells so good, Poro, is this where the masters eat? Why don't I see anyone?"

Lake tightened her small nose and looked at the dishes behind the door.

Although they had never eaten at such a banquet, it was definitely impossible for them to eat anything without permission, let alone... the food was so neatly arranged and looked like it had not been touched.

And Hansel and Gretel, though they swallowed their saliva,
But they ate a lot of game hunted by Lake and others on the way, so they could not control their behavior of stealing food.

On the other side, a group of travelers who came out from other paths in the forest also saw the empty table of delicious food.

"what happened?"

They were equally puzzled and looked at Lake and the others and asked, "Are you... from here? What are these foods..."

"We are from outside just like you."

Lake thought for a moment and said the name of the small town they passed before turning into the maze road.

"that place?"

The other travelers were stunned for a moment, and one of them reacted, "It's so far away?!"

After being stunned, their expressions became even more excited. "It seems this is the real heaven! Only God has such great power!"

Some people were even so happy that they wanted to cry. They suppressed their excitement and walked quickly towards the door.

Lake and the others looked at each other and followed.

After walking through the door, they saw a wooden sign standing next to a row of spotless long dining tables. The words on the sign cast a special magic that attracted the attention of passers-by.

At the same time, even illiterate people can instantly understand the message conveyed.

That’s the same sentence:

"These dishes are specially reserved for our distinguished guests who have come from afar. Please don't be polite and enjoy them to your heart's content. I hope they will suit your taste."

"This is……"

"God's magic?!"

After seeing these words, the travelers were stunned for a moment, and then they were filled with ecstasy.

They had already traveled a lot and were now hungry and tired.

Seeing this, they walked over carefully, sat down at the spotless tables, made various gestures, prayed or gave thanks, and then began to carefully taste the delicacies.

At first, perhaps out of respect for God, their movements were very graceful.

But after taking the first bite of food, these people's eyes showed surprise and enjoyment. They quickened their hands and began to take the initiative to take dishes that were farther away to enjoy.

What’s even more surprising is that—

The wine in those glasses will overflow again after they are finished.

The same is true for the plates and dishes that hold the dishes. All food will return to its original state after a period of time.

(End of this chapter)