The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella-Chapter 125

“Do we have to go?”

Karon’s tone was so dry that I almost let it pass without a second thought.

But when I replayed his words in my head, I realized—

That had been closer to pleading.

For a moment, I was caught off guard, but I quickly hid my reaction, shifting my gaze.

And I gave the most positive answer I could.

“If you have a convincing reason, then maybe we don’t have to.”

I figured there must be a reason he was acting like this.

In fact, I started to tense up, wondering if he had sensed some sort of trap or a hidden scheme.

“...It’s just...”

“Just what?”

I asked, puzzled, only to receive a weak response.

“...Never mind. It’s nothing.”

That didn’t seem like nothing.

He had grabbed me so suddenly and desperately, clearly agitated.

“You can say whatever’s on your mind. It’s fine.”

“If I say I just have a bad feeling, you’d take it seriously, wouldn’t you? That’s why I can’t.”

Karon let out a faint chuckle as he said something cryptic, then slowly loosened the grip he had on my hand.

“I don’t think I can make a rational decision right now.”

I wiggled my fingers absentmindedly at the faint contact.

His grip wasn’t firm, just barely touching, and that somehow made it feel even more ticklish.

But in the end, his fingertips brushed against my palm before completely slipping away.

“Let’s go. It’s something we have to do, right?”

That... was true.

Sure, maybe there was another way.

But if we already had a relatively simple method, there was no reason to make things more complicated.

“I don’t plan on getting in the way.”

“...”

As I looked at my now-empty hand, I found myself feeling slightly disappointed.

Karon’s hand was always cool to the touch, and holding it felt rather nice.

Even though it started off cold, after a while, my body heat would warm it up, turning it pleasantly lukewarm. And that always left me with a strange sense of satisfaction.

‘We could just keep holding hands.’

The thought crossed my mind.

There weren’t any more pests left to kill, after all.

I glanced at Karon’s hands.

Until recently, they had been blackened and twisted from necrosis. But after continuous treatment, they had almost completely healed.

Only the tips of his fingers and his nails remained dark, their color still not returning.

“Then, shall we depart?”

The nanny’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, making me jolt in surprise.

“Yes!”

***

While Sera continued her independent research on curses, they decided to make a quick trip to the lake.

The nanny had mentioned it wasn’t too far.

However, they ran into an unexpected obstacle shortly after setting out.

The overgrown grass was so thick that they had to push it aside with every step.

“...I didn’t expect this.”

Since this forest was near the Grand Sanctuary, there must have been a proper path in the past.

People must have passed through here often.

“Can grass really grow this much in just seven years?”

Even without knowing much about plants, this seemed excessive.

“Maybe it’s because this land is sacred. The energy of life here must be incredible.”

“True, considering how massive ‘that’ was.”

It had been flapping its wings, a size beyond anything I had ever seen.

“But more than the rough terrain, the path itself is really complicated. How did I even get here alone when I was three?”

“If we took our eyes off you for even a moment, you would slip out and wander around. Since beastfolk can walk as soon as they transform, even newborns can move around.”

I wasn’t sure if that should be called ‘walking’ or just crawling on all fours.

In any case, as a harvest mouse, I must have been naturally good at squeezing through gaps and scurrying off on adventures.

I really was a troublemaker...

‘Ah.’

A sudden sting on my hand made me glance down.

It seemed like a leaf had cut me, but thanks to my self-healing ability, the wound closed instantly.

Since the lake wasn’t too far, there was no need to transform into a harvest mouse, but this was getting annoying.

Just as I was about to move on, something white suddenly entered my vision.

An arm, covered in a crisp white shirt, reached out—

Karon blocked a branch that was about to hit my head and smoothly pushed it aside.

“...Thanks.”

I blinked in surprise as I muttered my thanks.

Honestly, even if the branch had scratched me, I would have healed right away.

Of course, just because I healed quickly didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt.

A familiar tingling sensation crept up on me again.

But this time, it wasn’t in my palm.

It was somewhere I couldn’t quite pinpoint, like a ticklish brush of feathers or a sharp, lingering sting.

“...Ah.”

Karon suddenly let out a quiet exclamation.

Startled, I turned to look—

The once-vibrant green leaves of the tree had turned lifeless and withered.

More specifically, the leaves that had come into contact with Karon’s hand had shriveled up and fallen to the ground in an instant.

Right. I had nearly forgotten—he still hadn’t fully mastered his poison control.

This forest was full of life, from fragile plants to tiny insects.

If this kept up...

I cleared my throat and said,

“...I think we’ll have to hold hands after all.”

We weren’t trying to turn the forest into a wasteland, after all.

Not that the poison left in Karon’s body was strong enough for that, but still.

“Better to be careful.”

Karon glanced at my small, outstretched hand before placing his own over it, his expression softening into a bright smile.

“...Okay.”

Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting a glow over his snow-white hair.

It made him look like he had been dusted with crushed gemstones, gleaming with an almost unreal radiance.

‘Grandmother Fairy... I didn’t mean for the nickname to stick, but it really was fitting.’

He looked like a living fairy.

It wasn’t even his natural hair color, yet it suited him so well...

And then—

The lush greenery ahead suddenly blurred and overlapped, shifting into layers before my eyes.

I shut them tightly and stopped in place.

Karon noticed my reaction immediately, supporting my back as he asked,

“Do we really have to go?”

“I’m fine. This happened before when I started remembering things.”

Since my memories had been deliberately erased by a curse, the process of retrieving them was never smooth.

“Get on my back.”

“Huh? That’s a bit—”

But before I could finish my sentence—

My vision flipped upside down.

In an instant, I was lifted into his arms.

‘Wait, you said to get on your back!’

Why was I being carried like this?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I blinked in confusion but quickly gave up resisting.

Instead, I pressed a hand against my throbbing forehead, letting out a soft groan.

“...Ugh.”

Maybe it was best to just accept his consideration.

I didn’t exactly want to trip and fall in this rough forest.

Keeping my eyes closed, I murmured,

“If my memories are already reacting this much before we even reach the lake, then I must have really strong memories tied to that place.”

“...”

Karon didn’t respond.

He just kept walking in silence.

Finally—

“We’re here!”

The nanny’s cheerful voice rang out.

Lowering the hand that had been clutching my forehead, I looked down—

From within Karon’s arms, I gazed at the lake’s still surface, reflecting the soft colors of spring.

“...Ah.”

Unlike «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the brief flashes I had seen before—

A clear, vivid scene unfolded before my eyes.

And even the sensations I had felt at that time returned.

—Cough, cough!—

I was drowning.

Water burned my eyes, nose, and throat.

I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe—

Then, just as I managed to cough up the water and lift my head—

“Elodie, are you awake?”

A face filled my entire vision, overflowing with worry.

Daniel.

I stared blankly at the boy for a moment before peeling away the strands of hair stuck to my wet cheeks.

And then, the first words out of my mouth were—

“My first kiss.”

“...What?”

“You have to take responsibility for my first kiss.”

“F-First...? That’s not what this was! This was an emergency procedure! My father taught me how to save someone from drowning, and—”

“Oh, whatever! So, did our lips touch or not?”

“...They did, but...”

“Then you have to take responsibility!”

It was the most absurd, childish tantrum.

“...”

There’s a saying about a rescued person demanding compensation—

And apparently, that was me.

My vision was already spinning, but now, even my past self was giving me a headache.

This was exactly why I didn’t want to remember the past.

But there was no denying it.

My memories were coming back.

‘Great... Now I owe Daniel even more apologies.’

I sighed, about to say that we should head back—

But then, I couldn’t speak.

Because—

Those dark, restless eyes darting around in panic.

The slight downward curve of his lashes.

His flushed cheeks.

The way his lips twitched as he struggled to console me.

And then—

The way they finally curled into a gentle, sweet smile.

Like whipped cream, soft and warm.

It had lodged itself deep into my heart, leaving a lasting mark.

At that moment, I knew.

I had fallen for him at first sight.

‘So that’s why I threw such a ridiculous tantrum.’

I had expected it.

But knowing it logically and actually reliving it—

That was a completely different experience.

And faced with this flood of emotions, I was left utterly bewildered.

‘Wait... Am I not just remembering? Am I feeling everything from back then too?’

...What do I do?

I think I kind of want to see Daniel.