After hearing Fairy Greatmother's story, Ryo only felt more confused.
Cinderella had already been wearing the glass slippers by the time Fairy Greatmother descended from the sky to meet her.
It was strange. Suspicious, even.
It was as if Cinderella had wanted to keep it a secret — afraid that if she told Fairy Greatmother she found the slippers at her late mother's grave… the old woman might think she was crazy.
And yet, that still didn't answer the WHEN.
When did she get them?
Because according to Fairy Greatmother's memory, the slippers were already on Cinderella's feet before their third encounter at the riverbank.
It was almost as if the slippers had just appeared in Cinderella's life before any magic ever entered it.
But that wasn't even the end of the surprises.
Fairy Greatmother had met Cinderella multiple times before the night of the Royal Ball.
In the stories Ryo remembered, the Fairy Godmother only ever showed up once — gave the dress, gave the slippers, and poof — she was gone.
But here? In this world?
She met Cinderella at the school.
Then again near the bakery where Cinderella once worked.
And then a third time — finally revealing herself as her 'Fairy Greatmother.'
And now this new piece of information…
Fairy Greatmother once had a granddaughter.
Which meant… she must have had a daughter, too.
Ryo, too curious to hold back, leaned forward slightly and asked.
"Ma'am… sorry if this is a sensitive topic… but you said you had a granddaughter? And you… lost her?"
Fairy Greatmother turned to him, her eyes softening with sorrow.
"Why, yes," she said gently. "There was once a war… fifteen years ago, in the Fairy Kingdom. My granddaughter—though not by blood—was my step-granddaughter. But I loved her as my own.
"She was one of the Fairy Warriors who fought in that war."
Ryo straightened, eyebrows raising.
Fairy Greatmother continued, her tone calm but distant.
"In that war, the Fairy Warriors battled against dark beings from another realm. My granddaughter was knocked unconscious… and dragged into the void. Into their realm.
"And she never returned."
Ryo deadpanned, stunned. "…Huh."
He blinked. Then blinked again.
"…Ma'am… did you just say… Fairy Kingdom… War… and dark beings from another realm?"
Fairy Greatmother sighed, nodding solemnly.
"Yes. Oh, those atrocious creatures took her! My dear Thalirea. She's gone.
"My daughter and I held her funeral fifteen years ago."
Ryo's mind practically imploded.
"What is this world's lore even MADE of?! Where did all this come from?! What else does this world have besides the tales I read as a kid?!"
Still trying to process, Ryo asked again, half-dazed.
"And your daughter, ma'am…? The one who adopted Thalirea…?"
Without realizing the bombshell she was dropping, Fairy Greatmother smiled faintly and said…
"Her name is Vesmyra."
"She is the Fairy with Turquoise Hair."
Ryo's eyes widened like saucers. His entire brain short-circuited.
"HUUUUUUUUUUUUHHH?!?!?! That's the fairy from Pinocchio!
"She's her daughter?! MA'AM'S DAUGHTER?!?!?!"
Ryo slumped back down, already looking like someone who'd run a marathon made of plot twists. The nearby animals glanced at him in concern, their heads tilted.
He placed a hand over his face, his thoughts scrambled like eggs in a blender.
Fairy Greatmother leaned closer, looking worried.
"Are you alright, Mr. Detective? You look very tired."
Still blank-faced, Ryo slowly lowered his hand, eyes distant.
He muttered, his voice dry with disbelief.
"…It's nothing, ma'am… just… you know… shocking reveals. Totally normal stuff… in my world."
Fairy Greatmother blinked, puzzled.
She couldn't understand what was so shocking about what she had just said.
Even after hearing Fairy Greatmother's shocking backstory, Ryo couldn't shake a strange feeling.
These 'dark beings from another realm' — they sounded oddly familiar.
But now wasn't the time to dive into the world's hidden lore.
Finding Cinderella was the priority. Everything else could wait.
Before they could question the people of the Kingdom of Evendelle, Ryo told Fairy Greatmother he needed to review the clues he'd gathered from the stepfamily's workplaces.
Fairy Greatmother nodded, eyes firm with resolve.
She was just as eager as he was.
They had to find Cinderella — and as soon as possible.
Ryo had taken photos from two establishments:
One at the Stepmother's store, another at Seraphine's jewelry shop.
He hadn't taken a picture inside Clarisse's workplace, but he had checked the registry book and clearly remembered the details.
According to Ryo, Cinderella's name was written in the registry… but something stood out.
Next to her name, instead of the client's name, there were only three chilling words:
"Never Grow Up."
The item ordered was a gray gown — placed a month before Cinderella's disappearance.
That detail made Fairy Greatmother uneasy.
Despite Clarisse's regret over mistreating Cinderella, Ryo remained uncertain. He suspected there was more beneath the surface but couldn't be sure. After all, Clarisse wasn't the shop's owner, and the mysterious order might have been placed by someone else—perhaps the real owner directly.
With that thought lingering, Ryo pulled out his phone and began scrolling through the photos he'd taken.
Fairy Greatmother and the animal companions leaned in, curious.
She blinked at the screen and asked softly. "What is that?"
Ryo didn't feel like explaining Earth's technology. So he just said…
"It's a magic mirror."
Fairy Greatmother nodded, fully believing him without hesitation.
The first image came from Seraphine's establishment — a photo inside a golden locket.
But this wasn't a photograph.
Fairy Greatmother gently corrected him. "This is a painting."
And Ryo paused.
Of course, this was the year 1701 in this fairytale world—photos didn't exist yet.
So the colored image inside the locket had to be hand-painted.
It showed a young Cinderella, about fourteen years old, standing beside her stepsisters with a smile. Even the stepmother stood behind them, smiling.
But something felt… wrong.
Ryo zoomed in, adjusting the lighting on his screen.
And then he saw it.
In the mirror behind the stepmother — partially hidden — stood a man.
He wore a white volto mask.
The mask had a creepy, smug expression. The man stood still, hands clasped behind his back, almost as if he had been posing… watching.
Ryo's stomach dropped.
At the bottom edge of the image — just beneath the frame of the locket — were three words, written in bold…
"NEVER GROW UP."
Fairy Greatmother gasped. "Those words… again…"
Ryo didn't answer. He switched to the second image — the one taken under a perfume bottle at the stepmother's business.
There, half-hidden beneath the bottle, was another pre-order note.
Again, no name.
Only three words, scribbled neatly:
"Never Grow Up."
Fairy Greatmother's expression darkened as she turned toward Ryo.
"Mr. Detective… what could this mean? That's the third time those words have appeared."
Ryo narrowed his eyes at the glowing screen.
"I'm not sure… but whoever kidnapped Cinderella might be connected to this phrase. 'Never Grow Up' might be more than just words. It might be a symbol. A calling card."
He stood, tucking the phone away.
"We're gonna start questioning the people of the kingdom next. We need more clues."
Fairy Greatmother rose as well, nodding. "Very well, Mr. Detective."
And with that, the group stood and began.
Ryo decided to begin nearby — checking the businesses closest to the stepfamily's workplace.
If anyone strange had shown up two months ago—about a month before Cinderella's disappearance, around the same time that mysterious preorder was made, someone in the area might have noticed.
It was a long shot, but worth trying.
The clue from Clarisse's establishment still nagged at him.
That gray gown had been preordered exactly one month before Cinderella vanished.
It was likely the same suspect had placed similar preorders at the stepmother's store too.
As for the golden locket found at Seraphine's jewelry shop… that remained a mystery.
The painting inside showed a much younger Cinderella — no older than fourteen.
That meant the image had been created years ago.
There was no way to identify the man with the volto mask through that alone. The lead was cold — distant — like trying to trace a shadow through time.
And yet… there was one reason Ryo still kept it close.
McPecker.
That loyal white dove had swooped in and taken the locket for a reason.
He could've grabbed anything in the shop, but he chose that.
Maybe the locket belonged to Cinderella.
Maybe McPecker recognized it.
Ryo trusted his instincts.
And he trusted McPecker's too.
Right now, they were close to the stepmother's business.
So Ryo glanced at the neighboring building — a blacksmith's shop just across the street. Its soot-darkened sign hung crookedly, and faint sparks flickered through the open windows.
Without a word, he crossed the street, determined to ask the owner—hoping they remembered something unusual from two months ago at the stepmother's business, if they had seen anything.
Now standing before the blacksmith's shop, Ryo stepped forward.
Fairy Greatmother and the animals trailed silently behind him.
Ryo approached the blacksmith, his tone calm but direct.
"I'm investigating the disappearance of Princess Cinderella," he began. "Did anything unusual happen around Madam Rosalind's store—La Rose de Ravenswood—about two months ago?"
The blacksmith froze.
His breath hitched. His eyes flicked away.
Ryo narrowed his gaze.
That hesitation. That avoidance.
Was he hiding something?
A suspect?
But then the blacksmith sighed — long, slow — and finally spoke.
"I... don't know much about her disappearance," he said, voice low. "That all happened at the castle, didn't it? But..."
Ryo leaned in.
"Two months ago," the blacksmith continued, "around seven in the morning... Madam Rosalind's shop had just opened."
"Two strangers came in. They wore masks — strange ones. Her staff welcomed them in, but…" The blacksmith shook his head. "They looked... uncomfortable. Uneasy."
That stirred something in Ryo.
Masks.
He immediately recalled the painting in the locket — the mirror — the man with the white volto mask.
"What did the masks look like?" Ryo asked sharply.
The blacksmith hesitated, as if feeling disturbed by the memory, then answered.
"One wore gold. A smiling face."
"The other wore silver. A sad expression."
Ryo stiffened.
A golden smile. A silver sorrow.
His mind clicked with quiet dread.
These masked figures were no coincidence.
They had to be connected.
Ryo gave a slight bow. "Thank you for your time."
And turned to leave.
"Wait." The blacksmith's voice stopped him cold.
Ryo turned, raising an eyebrow.
The man's face was pale, unsettled.
"Last night…" he continued. "Did you see anything strange… in the sky?"
Ryo blinked. "What do you mean, sir?"
The blacksmith's hands fidgeted at his sides.
He swallowed hard.
"People have been whispering about it," he said slowly. "And I saw it too."
Ryo stepped closer, the tension thickening. "Saw what, exactly?"
"A boy in black. Flying through the sky... around one in the morning." The man's voice dropped to a whisper. "He looked like a teenager. And he was… laughing. But the laugh… wasn't right."
A chill slid down Ryo's spine.
The blacksmith continued, eyes clouded with dread.
"There was something coming off his body as he flew. It shimmered."
Ryo's voice was steady, but low. "What shimmered?"
The blacksmith exhaled shakily. "Purple sparkles. They trailed from him like… like stardust."
A beat of silence.
Then the blacksmith added, voice breaking. "But there was something else, too."
Ryo's eyes sharpened. "What?"
"...Black smoke," the blacksmith said in a whisper.
The words hit Ryo like a hammer.
"It came out of him with the sparkles," the blacksmith murmured. "Thick. Unnatural. Like… something cursed."
Ryo's expression changed.
His eyes widened, then narrowed.
The phrase black smoke echoed in his mind — not with fondness, but with a sinking familiarity. A memory he didn't want back.
He nodded once, thanked the blacksmith, and turned to go.
Fairy Greatmother followed, quietly observing his shaken expression. The animals huddled closer, sensing the shift in his mood.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Next, the group made their way to a nearby tavern close to Clarisse's workplace.
It was crowded—filled with noise, gossip, and whispers.
Inside, the air was thick with unease. Clinking mugs and murmurs of dread layered over each other like an invisible fog. Something had stirred the village.
Ryo approached the nearest bar guest and spoke over the noise.
"What's everyone talking about?"
The man turned slowly, eyes wide.
"You haven't heard? A boy—dressed in black. He was flying through the sky last night. Purple sparkles trailing behind him."
Before Ryo could ask more, another man stood, slamming his mug down.
"I saw it too. That wasn't magic. That was wrong. Black smoke was pouring out of him—out of his body."
Then another.
"I saw it from my window—purple light across the rooftops. Like stars, but twisted. And that laughter…" He shivered.
"That boy wasn't normal," said a fourth guest, his voice low. "He moved too fast. And the sparkles—they didn't glow. They shimmered like poison."
A fifth added, "He flew over my house at one in the morning. Woke my dog. Scared him to death."
And finally, the sixth man, face pale and serious, said.
"He looked like a teenager. But the way he laughed—like something inside was broken."
The tavern buzzed louder, voices overlapping in panic.
Ryo raised both hands. "Calm down! One at a time, please."
The room quieted.
But the weight in Ryo's chest only grew heavier.
The image of the flying boy burned in his mind—black clothes, purple sparkles, and that black smoke…
Trying to stay focused, Ryo asked the crowd.
"Did anyone notice anything unusual two months ago at Éclat d'Or? That's the shop where Madam Rosalind's daughter, Clarisse, works at—just across the street."
One man nodded.
Oh yes, I did! Two masked individuals walked right in. The owner—he's a friend of mine—told me he was shaking in his boots when they placed an order for a gown.
Ryo froze.
Masks again.
Too many appearances to be coincidence.
Just as the registry book showed, the order was indeed for a gown. That ruled out Clarisse—she hadn't taken the order from the masked individuals. It had been placed directly with the shop's owner.
He thanked the crowd, then left the tavern with Fairy Greatmother and the animals following behind. Together, they made their way to the inn near Le Fil d'Or—Seraphine's jewelry shop.
Inside, Ryo walked straight up to the innkeeper at the counter.
"Did you see anything unusual at the jewelry shop nearby about two months ago?"
The innkeeper didn't hesitate.
"Two masked individuals entered Le Fil d'Or. Staff said they made no purchase. Just walked around. Watched."
Ryo clenched his jaw.
Of course. Again.
"Anything else?" Ryo asked.
The innkeeper perked up.
"Oh, that's right! I saw a boy in black flying past my inn window last night. He let out this strange laugh—I shut my curtains right away!"
Ryo stepped back from the counter, his breath caught in his throat.
Without another word, he turned and left.
His steps were quick and firm—teeth clenched, fists tight at his sides.
Fairy Greatmother watched him with growing concern.
Everywhere they went—the market, apothecary, carpenter's shop, and more—the same answers."
No leads on Cinderella.
Only the same whispers.
The boy in black.
The purple sparkles.
The black smoke.
Ryo's heart was pounding now. His breathing was shaky.
His eyes—wild and wide—betrayed something deeper than fear.
Fairy Greatmother touched his shoulder gently.
"Mr. Detective… come. Sit. You need a moment."
He didn't argue.
They returned to the bakery where they had breakfast earlier.
A kind baker placed a glass of water and some bread before him.
But Ryo barely noticed.
His mind was spinning.
That boy…
Purple sparkles… black smoke…
He could ignore the sparkles.
But that smoke—thick, heavy, corrupted—
It reminded him of something.
Someone.
Malakar.
From the Arabian Kingdom of Al-Munira.
A cursed immortal villain—an evil entity wielding dark magic, encircled by black miasma.
The one Ryo fought.
The one he barely survived.
The one he sealed beyond the Gate of Malevolent Spirits.
Now, here in this Fairytale world… it was happening again.
Another entity. A boy in black.
Radiating that same cursed smoke.
Ryo's hands trembled as he gripped the glass of water.
Fairy Greatmother sat beside him, quiet, watching his face twist with dread.
He couldn't shake it.
Couldn't deny it.
This boy—
He might be another one.
Another Vrakul…
…In human form… again.