Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf Mentor

Chapter 186 Goethe's Kingdom
Goethe's Kingdom, capital.

Goethe's army made way for the members of the convoy.

"Well, your identities shouldn't be a big problem, you can leave on your own, but if there are spies among you, we will not show mercy!"

To the members' surprise, the Goethe Kingdom had apparently reached its end of the road and was forced into its last capital by the Weser Kingdom.

But they did not engage in any forced plunder or conscription of soldiers.

The man leading the convoy also noticed that these soldiers were somewhat different from those from the Sri Kingdom and the Weiser Kingdom. Their expressions seemed a little heavy.

More like a dying person.

They knew they were facing a battle of unequal strength, but they did not run away.

"Thank you, sir."

The leader bowed to Officer Goethe, who had let them go, and then he couldn't help but express his doubts, "Sir, will you... win?"

"I don't know, but I believe in our king."

The officer paused, his eyes fixed, and he continued calmly, "Even if we can't win, every one of Goethe's soldiers will die on this battlefield before the people do."

The leader and other members walked into Goethe City with their own carriages.

As he walked, he looked back at the palace that was getting farther and farther away. At this time, the girl in red clothes with superb swordsmanship was walking up the stairs into the palace with several royal guards.

On the girl's shoulder stood a jet-black swallow, and at her feet followed a...

A unique wolf.

The original stereotype of the aristocratic lady was broken down, and the veil of legend and mystery became more intense in the eyes of the viewers.

"What is the identity of that young lady?"

The other team members next to the man were also talking about it.

"She killed so many armored knights by herself... Could she be a witch?"

"Besides, her swordsmanship is so good, did she learn it since she was in the womb?"

"I think she's the princess of the Goethe Kingdom. You know, every country has some...powerful mysterious forces."

Another person who knew a little about the Goethe Kingdom spoke mysteriously, as if seeing through the truth, "Also, you should know that the King of the Goethe Kingdom is no ordinary person..."

"Not an ordinary person?"

"Of course, Goethe's other brothers should know about this as well, right?"

In the crowd, several Goetheans looked at each other and nodded:
"That's why we came back here."

"You mean..."

The team leader was stunned for a moment after listening to what these people said. He saw something like faith in their eyes.

"We believe that the Goethe Kingdom will not lose here. The King will lead us to defeat the Weser Kingdom and that vicious conqueror!"

……

The royal palace of the Kingdom of Goethe.

There are countless exquisite murals carved on the walls on all four sides.

Many golden sculptures are placed around the palace, but the walls, sculptures, and everything that can be seen seem a bit old. The Kingdom of Goethe has a long history.

"Your Majesty, Miss Sipalo is here."

The royal guard said as he knelt on one knee in the center of the palace.

At the throne, a figure wearing the king's attire stood up with a long sword hanging from his waist. His skin was silver-gray, but with a faint golden glow.

On his head, a golden and white cloth covered his eyes.

"His Royal Highness Prince!"

The swallow Sipalo chirped happily and flew over with its wings flapping.

And the metal sculpture-like King Goethe listened to the vibration of the air currents, stretched out a hand, and let the swallow land on his finger.

After that, he slowly withdrew his hand, gently pressed his face against Xipa Luo for a while, and then said in a trembling voice:
"Finally we meet again, my best friend..."

"Of course, from now on, I will continue to stay with you."

Sipalo also smiled and replied, "When your eyesight recovers, you will be able to see me again. Now, how do you feel, my Happy Prince?"

"I haven't been this happy for a long time, Xipa Luo. You made me feel the same way I did a long time ago."

The king of the Goethe Kingdom, like a young man at this moment, said frankly:
“It’s like returning to heaven…”

After the man and the bird had a brief exchange after their long-awaited reunion, King Goethe, or "His Royal Highness the Happy Prince" as Sipallo called him, raised his blindfolded head and looked at Lake and Poro who were waiting in the palace.

"Sorry, both of you, for keeping me waiting. I just... haven't seen Xipa Luo for a long time, and I was a little excited just now."

The Happy Prince walked down from the throne, walked straight towards Lake, stood in front of her, and stretched out his hand.

"Thank you, Miss Lake and Mr. Poro, for coming all this way to protect Sypallo. You will be the eternal friends of the Goethe Kingdom.

You can call me the Happy Prince."

Lake also stretched out her hand and shook it gently.

After the Happy Prince shook hands with Lake, he bent down and extended his hand to the Poro who was squatting beside him, which surprised the Poro.

The hands of the "Happy Prince" were very cold, like some kind of metal on a winter day, and felt... like lead.

"Miss Sipalo is our friend, and sending her here is also an agreement."

Although the prince in front of her might not be able to see, Lake still bowed with standard court etiquette.

The Happy Prince returned the greeting.

Although he was blindfolded, he seemed to be able to perceive everything around him through his other senses.

"Before, I could vaguely see what you were going through, and now that you are actually standing in front of me, I can perceive it even more clearly—

You are truly not ordinary people. I sense from you... hope, blessings, praise, and respect...

You have saved many people, and that's why the sword chose you, right?"

The Happy Prince's blinded vision swept over the Star-Killing Sword at Lake's waist.

"You also know... the Star Killing Sword?"

"I just feel a little familiar with it."

So said the Happy Prince, in a voice calm and yet with a touch of sincerity, like the murmur of running water, and with a touch of entreaty:

"I know this may be a bit unreasonable, but... could you two please help me save the citizens of the Goethe Kingdom and rescue them from the flames of war?

I can give you everything I have, from power to life to this entire country."

After hearing this, Lake and Poro understood what the Happy Prince meant.

He wanted the two of them to intervene in this war and help the Goethe Kingdom defeat the Weser Kingdom.

But... war?

A war fought entirely between man and man.

Countless people, wielding swords and spears, tried their best to kill another person. After killing their own kind, they didn't even know the name of their opponent.

A life has been lost, but the mark of hatred has been deeply engraved in the memories of more people!

“Your Highness, you are not an ordinary person. We have learned from our communication with the outside world that the Goethe Kingdom’s military strength is simply no match for the Weser Kingdom.

But all the Goetheans still fight for you firmly, they all believe in you - why is that?"

Poro looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar "Happy Prince" in front of him and suddenly asked.

"Because I am just as determined to fight for them, and to fight for the happy life that every good person deserves to enjoy."

The Happy Prince answered without hesitation, "I have come here to my old country.

I took action, wanting to use my wisdom to free people from hunger and cold, and to bring smiles to their faces. I was almost successful, but...

I encountered war.

War, a vortex of animal desires, brings more pain—

And I’m not good at this.”

After hearing what the Happy Prince said, Lake and Poro fell into silence for a long time.

They believed in Sipalo, and they also trusted the prince, but...

Take the initiative to intervene in a war between two countries?
The soldiers fighting, whether from Goethe or the Kingdom of Weser, were not puppets or monsters.

For most people, their killing may be based on orders from their superiors that are difficult to refuse!
The massacre of ordinary people was not motivated by self-preservation. Although the enemy soldiers might have killed civilians and had their hands stained with blood, Lake was absolutely certain that this would not be sanctioned by the Star Killing Sword.

"Your Majesty, may I... reconsider this?"

Lake still spoke with some difficulty.

"Of course, it's okay, it's just a request."

The Happy Prince did not try to persuade them any further, but smiled and said to Lake and Poro:

"You can stay in the city first. If you plan to leave, it's best to go around the Qingyue Mountains within three days—"

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked towards the direction of the Kingdom of Weiser, as if he was looking at something high in the sky.

"The Weiser Kingdom's expeditionary fleet has arrived. They will launch an attack within a week. At that time, they will not let anyone in Goethe go—"

He did that in every war."

Then the Happy Prince waved his hand and asked a royal guard to come forward. The royal guard was holding a golden box in his hand.

This is a thank-you gift from the King of Goethe Kingdom.

The guard handed the box to Lake and Poro, then led them to their residence inside the palace.

……

Outside the palace, in the Gothic capital.

Lake and Poro were walking on the street, and every Goth who passed by had a look of grief, anger and determination on his face.

Many of them were holding something in their hands.

Some are food, and some are clothes.

"What are they going to do?"

Lake was a little confused.

"Should they be selling them at the market? But at a time like this, are there still markets in the Goethe Kingdom?"

Poro also hesitated, so the two of them followed one of the Goths and walked towards one direction of the city.

The buildings in the Gothic capital are all very tall. It can be said that this is the most prosperous city that Lake and Poro have ever seen. Almost all the buildings look new.

Most of these taller buildings were built within the past decade.

Poro made this judgment, and the oldest building was actually the palace where the Happy Prince lived.

"We're here, but it doesn't look like... it doesn't seem like a market."

As they walked down a street, Lake's eyes lit up, and she raised her hand and pointed ahead and said.

And Poro also saw where the Goths went. There were several Gothic soldiers wearing full body armor standing there, and a lot of supplies had been placed on the ground.

The most common items were food, as well as many swords, knives, and even metal utensils.

"What's there for?"

Lake showed a puzzled look, stopped an old Goethe man who had put away his things, handed him a silver coin and asked.

"Hmm? You don't look like a Goethean?"

The old man was stunned for a moment, but still replied, "Those are the supplies we voluntarily donated to our garrison, our King."

"Donate...supplies?"

There was a trace of confusion in Lake's eyes. She had never heard of this word in any of the countries she had passed through before.

"Your Majesty, you allowed us to live a happy life, but those foreign bastards want to destroy it all and send me back to those dark winters—screw you!"

As the old man Goethe spoke, veins popped out on his forehead and he waved his fist. "They're coming to destroy us. Even if we die, we'll tear a piece of flesh off those guys!"

After Goethe finished speaking, he coughed twice to calm himself down, then continued, "In our Goethe Kingdom, all the soldiers defending the city are volunteers. An old fellow like me can't go into battle, but I can still donate some of the little help I can."

Lake looked at the Goths around him. They didn't seem to be afraid. Instead, most of them had a hint of determination before their death.

"Do you all respect His Majesty the King in this way?"

Lake couldn't help but ask, these Goths' respect for the king was not just due to royal power and status, but a more sincere and profound admiration.

"Do you know the history of our Goethe Kingdom? Even among so many surrounding countries, it can be called the oldest one."

Old Goethe smiled and looked at an extremely high ancient stone platform in the center of the city square not far away, but now it was empty.

"Can you tell me about it?"

Lake requested again.

"Of course, I'd love to."

The old man nodded and said, "Every kingdom inevitably declines under the pressure of the nobility and royal power. Our Goethe Kingdom should have died out long ago.

At that time, our royal family and nobles fought against each other in the chaos of internal strife, and were almost completely killed or wounded.

All the citizens were waiting for death in a confused state amidst cold, hunger and plague, until that day, the true king of our Goethe Kingdom returned.

He was shining with gold and fell from the sky with his eyes blindfolded. His appearance was exactly the same as that of the prince who symbolized "happiness" in the history of our Goethe Kingdom!
With his unparalleled wisdom, he took over this dying kingdom.

Every policy he issued brought tangible benefits to all citizens.

Hunger began to fade away, the cold light was melted by the spring... We were on the road to revival, and in just a few years, we had surpassed the most prosperous era in history!
At that time, everyone was laughing happily, until——

The war has begun."

Old Goethe's voice deepened. He lowered his head and looked at the palm of his hand, where a deep scar was found, as if it had been cut by a sharp blade. "Our neighboring country, the Kingdom of Weser, is completely different from us.

Their king was an out-and-out tyrant who only knew how to develop his military. He invaded and destroyed many weak countries, and his people were oppressed by his cruel policies.

Every year, countless people die of starvation, exhaustion, and freezing.

And all those who dared to start a rebellion were bloodily suppressed by the military force controlled by King Wether.

After that, the Kingdom of Weser declared war on us."

The old man Goethe sneered, "Do you know why they declared war? They said our Goethe Kingdom was harboring criminals?!

Oh, the criminals they are talking about are all civilians who left their homes and fled to our Goethe Kingdom because they could not bear the oppression!"

After saying this, old Goethe looked a little tired. He waved his hand, turned around, and disappeared into the crowd.

Lake and Poro were speechless for a long time.

Poro looked at the empty ancient stone pillars in the city center and finally spoke:
"I'm reminded of a fairy tale, Lake."

"What's the story?" Lake blinked.

"This story is called... The Happy Prince."

// Oscar Wilde's Fairy Tales: The Happy Prince

On the new page, there is a picture of a golden prince statue above a city, looking down at the buildings and people below. His eyes are as clear as gems.

A swallow stood above his head.

[Circular Return: The Happy Prince: Sacrifice of Love]

【Fairy Tale Power: Unknown】

[Unsealing Ceremony: The Shining Prince uses self-sacrifice to dispel suffering. Such beauty will not disappear just because of this. Help the Happy Prince and dispel the villains who erode hope!]

[Description: When he finally stood above the city and possessed the power to look down on the world, he could no longer be happy.]

He discovered that his body, made of pure gold, was so powerless at this moment—it could not fill any hungry stomach, nor could it warm even a homeless child who was naked.

Lake picked up the page and compared the stone platform with the statue of the golden prince in the illustration with the empty ancient stone pillar in the center of the Gothic capital in reality.

"Let's go, Poro."

Lake returned the page to the Poro and spoke.

"Have you decided yet?"

"Well, I've decided."

Lake gritted her teeth and grasped the hilt of the Star Killer Sword at her waist. “In Dante Territory, we searched for several days but couldn’t find Bluebeard. Now, the Goethe Kingdom is facing King Weiser, who is even worse than Bluebeard.

If such a person were allowed to rule the nation——

It would be tragic, no doubt.”

"Well, in that case..."

Poro nodded, and the two stopped wandering around the city and headed back in the direction they came from, towards the "Carefree Palace" in the center of the city. "Let's go find the Happy Prince."

(End of this chapter)