The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 117

‘But why is he wrapped up in that cloak like that?’

Elodie glanced down absentmindedly and noticed his bare legs and the shoes he had barely managed to squeeze his feet into.

He was still at a growing age, yet for seven years, he had been unable to return to human form...

So, of course, the moment he turned back, his clothes must have ripped apart.

Fortunately, he had been wearing a cloak right before he was cursed, which was now barely keeping him covered.

‘If that’s the case, now isn’t really the time for him to be worried about me.’

Wouldn’t it be better for both of them if he went to put on some proper clothes before continuing this conversation?

She really wished he would realize he was basically naked except for that cloak.

Elodie averted her eyes from the awkward blond boy and buried her face into the nanny’s embrace.

"You really don’t remember..."

The boy trailed off with a murmur.

It was impossible to ignore, so Elodie immediately retorted.

"How could I remember something from when I was three?"

"I didn’t expect you to. It’s fine. I remember, so that’s enough."

And with that, the sentimental little harvest mouse left, leaving only vague words behind.

‘What the hell?’

Don’t just show up, drop hints about the past, and then disappear without explaining!

‘This is annoying.’

Of course, anyone would be curious after something like that.

But she couldn’t exactly chase after someone who had gone off to change clothes just to interrogate him about the past.

"Nanny, who was that?"

As she stared at the boy’s retreating figure, the nanny let out an "Ah" before replying.

"You two were always together when you were little. Don’t you remember?"

"Not at all..."

"To be precise, you were the one following him around everywhere. You’d waddle after him, calling ‘Danie, Danie!’"

"I did?"

"And when it was time for Lord Daniel to return to his family, you’d cry so heartbreakingly, begging him not to go."

"I did?"

"There was even talk of an engagement at one point. You used to constantly say you were going to marry Daniel when you grew up. But His Holiness was adamantly against it, so the matter was dropped."

"I did?"

Elodie could only keep repeating herself as if listening to someone else’s life story.

"Hmm, is that so?"

At that moment, Karon, who had somehow ended up next to her, asked casually.

"Apparently."

Elodie responded offhandedly.

After all, she considered the person she was back then to be a completely different existence.

‘So there was a time when I was carefree and simple like that, huh.’

That was all she thought about it.

‘Sorry, but the innocent, love-filled version of me is already dead...’

The Ratson family might be irreplaceable in the beastfolk world, but in the human world, she had been nothing more than a harvest mouse—one of the lowest-ranking ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) species.

If she had to survive alone in such a state, there was no way her personality wouldn’t have changed.

There was no going back.

‘And I have no intention of going back.’

Her current life, surrounded by Seraphina and the others, was far more precious.

‘But I get why he was looking at me like that now.’

If a child who had once followed you around everywhere suddenly looked at you like a complete stranger and asked, "Who are you?"—anyone would feel hurt.

Unlike Elodie, who had lived a different life, he had spent those years isolated in their territory, with no opportunities to meet new people.

‘He must have replayed the memories of his human days over and over in his mind.’

It was no wonder he had been stuck in the past.

It was unfortunate, but there was nothing Elodie could do about it.

Now that he was human again, all she could tell him was to let go and move forward with his own life.

"Ah."

At that moment, Sera, who had been continuously breaking curses, let out a small gasp.

Elodie was startled and quickly pulled away from the nanny to rush over.

"What’s wrong?"

"I’m sorry..."

Sera apologized first, looking troubled.

"I never had to use my ability this much at once before, so I didn’t realize there’s a physical limit. I can still keep going, but if I do, I’ll be too exhausted..."

"No! You obviously can’t push yourself to the point of collapse!"

"Since I have to lift the curses one by one, it looks like I can only do a limited number each day."

At those words, Elodie turned to look at the long line of harvest mice waiting in front of Sera.

Even though they were packed closely together, she couldn’t see the end of the line.

For a brief moment, her vision darkened.

"Sera, this isn’t going to keep us stuck in Ratson’s territory forever, is it?"

"I’m just not used to it yet. Once I get the hang of it, I’ll figure out a more efficient method."

Well, that was a relief.

Elodie scanned the people who had already returned to human form.

‘Servants and maids.’

To be properly served, the basic living conditions had to be in place.

There was nothing right now—what were they even supposed to assist with?

‘The nanny.’

The nanny would surely take good care of the children, but Elodie had no need for her care.

That said, it wasn’t as if they could really take a baby on a long and arduous journey.

‘A noble heir.’

Hmm...

‘He looked incredibly frail.’

Well, of course he did.

A harvest mouse wouldn’t have had the chance to learn horseback riding or swordsmanship.

They were doomed.

"We need someone strong..."

At that moment, a harvest mouse stepped out from the line and stood before them.

He was clad in gleaming white knight’s armor.

"Would it be possible to lift my curse first?"

A Holy Knight?

Recognizing his profession, Sera hesitated.

"Holy Knights possess divine power, which makes their curses far more complex. If something goes wrong, you could lose your life."

"I do not mind risking my life."

The Holy Knight harvest mouse thumped his chest confidently.

"I was once nothing more than a lowly farmer in the countryside, but His Holiness blessed me with the honor of knighthood."

And thus began the Holy Knight harvest mouse’s story.

"Back when I lived as a serf in a small rural village in Riera, His Holiness happened to visit our land by chance and..."

It was so long that Elodie stopped paying attention halfway through.

Judging by the grimaces on the faces of the nearby harvest mice, this man was apparently the type to talk far too much.

One by one, they subtly distanced themselves from him.

"...And that is why I am prepared to lay down my life for the Ratson family."

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Honestly, Elodie had no idea why he was so eager to die for them.

She couldn’t even bring herself to translate his long-winded speech to Sera, so she just stared blankly at him.

Anyway, it seemed he had received some great favor from Ratson.

"I have waited for this day. Though I may be but a humble Holy Knight, I long for the day I can be of service to the Ratson family."

The Holy Knight harvest mouse looked up at Sera with shining black eyes, filled with unwavering devotion.

"Ugh."

Even if she didn’t understand what he was saying, something must have gotten through to her.

Sera, who—thanks to Elodie—was particularly weak to the harvest mice, looked troubled.

"What should we do?"

"Hmm, what are the chances of him dying?"

"His divine power is much weaker than that of priests, so his survival chances are higher, but I can’t guarantee there won’t be any side effects..."

"I will accept the risks!"

Well, if he was that eager, there wasn’t much they could do.

"By the way, since you were originally a farmer, you must have quite a bit of agricultural knowledge, right?"

Elodie asked on a whim.

Securing food for the Holy Nation was a serious problem.

‘Only harvest mice and a select few authorized personnel can enter the Holy Nation due to the barrier, so even merchants can’t come and go.’

They had no choice but to keep it completely sealed off.

If an outsider managed to sneak in, the whole world would immediately realize the country was empty.

That was why they couldn’t lift the barrier until the Holy Nation was fully rebuilt.

‘If he’s a farmer, then he’s the best manpower we could ask for.’

Hopeful, she turned her eyes to the knight, who replied,

"Well, you see, I started training with a sword quite late in life, and I became so immersed in it that I... completely forgot everything I once knew about farming! Haha!"

"......."

"My body might still remember a little, but it’s been so long that I’d have to relearn everything..."

Then he was basically useless.

Elodie kept her rude thoughts to herself and remained silent.

"Haa, whatever happens, I take no responsibility for it."

Sera sighed and lifted the Holy Knight harvest mouse into her hands.

And the moment she shattered the core of his curse—

"Ooooh!"

At last, the Holy Knight harvest mouse returned to human form.

"...Who are you?"

"......."

"......."

He blinked at Sera and Elodie in confusion.

"I was plowing the fields just now... How did I end up here?"

It seemed that forcibly breaking the curse had caused him to lose his memory.

Specifically, all of his memories from his time as a Holy Knight.

‘Oh.’

Actually, that was perfect.