"It seems so, but I don't really want to become a real boy anymore," Pinocchio said.
He then thought carefully for a moment, and suddenly laughed:
"I think I'm pretty good as I am now! There's nothing wrong with being a puppet!"
Rhine smiled and nodded:
"That's right. It seems you've accepted your uniqueness.
"Who can say that a puppet is inferior to a real boy?
"Everyone has their own characteristics. You don't need to force yourself to be like others just to pursue sameness."
After hearing Rhine's words, Pinocchio became as happy as his other four companions whose wishes had been granted. He began to sing and dance.
He joyfully waved goodbye to Rhine and Oz:
"Thank you, great magician Rhine. You granted my wish! Oh, by the way, can you send me back to White Kingdom, so I can return to my father?"
"Of course," Rhine said with a smile.
Rhine disappeared with Pinocchio in the silver wind, sent Pinocchio back to the kingdom, and then returned to his original spot, a faint smile on his lips.
At this moment, Aurora, who had been hiding behind the screen, emerged.
"Teacher, I never thought you would 'grant' Pinocchio's wish in this way! I thought you would actually turn him into a boy."
"If Pinocchio insisted on becoming a person, I would do so," Rhine said.
"I would concoct a magic potion—the formula would be based on the potion that turns a mermaid princess into a human, mixing in the magic of bestowing life and transformation magic. As long as he drinks this bottle of magic potion, Pinocchio will forever become a real, flesh-and-blood human, but the talking, moving puppet would no longer exist."
Aurora imagined what Pinocchio would look like after becoming a real boy and said:
"Then I still prefer Pinocchio as he is now."
"Me too," Rhine said with a smile. "I'm glad Pinocchio has truly accepted himself."
"Being different doesn't mean it's bad. The reason everyone is themselves is precisely because of their individual traits—whether they are strengths or flaws. If everyone pursued being like others, then this world wouldn't be so rich and colorful."
Aurora thought of the adorable little puppet, and then seemed to recall something else.
Her eyes flickered, filled with mixed emotions, and she sighed:
"I remembered the Sea Kingdom, and Princess Ariel, who was willing to pay a heavy price to become human and blend into human society.
"On this continent, it seems there are quite a few non-human creatures who seek to become human."
Rhine said meaningfully: "Everyone believes that humans are always more special."
He knew that in traditional literature and religious thought, the human form was considered a perfect form, and in both Eastern and Western cultures, there were many examples of non-human intelligent beings seeking to become human-shaped.
"When I become the Queen of Rose Kingdom, I will try to change this view," Aurora said firmly.
A hint of murderous intent flashed in the golden-haired girl's emerald eyes.
"Before that, I must find Maleficent and eliminate her! She is currently in Oz Country."
When Oz Country heard them mention this, he promised:
"I will immediately send people to search throughout the land of Oz Country to find that Black Witch!"
Aurora then looked at Rhine with a slightly serious expression:
"I wonder how Maleficent's injuries have recovered by now.
"The Green Field of Oz Country is not the sea. If Maleficent's injuries have fully recovered, does Teacher still have the confidence to fight her?"
Rhine's expression was calm, and he nodded gently:
"Yes."
Seeing Aurora's joyful expression, he added:
"I am stronger than before."
He could feel that the wish power of Oz, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Pinocchio, all these Children of Destiny, were converging towards him.
Rhine heard the sound of magic boiling and surging in his soul.
This time, he had not learned any new magic, nor had he acquired any new tools.
He had sublimated, perfected, and become purer.
Just as he had predicted when he left White Kingdom, the accumulated magic from those countless wishes had finally achieved a qualitative change from a quantitative one.
At this moment, Rhine instinctively realized that as long as he went all out, any magic he had mastered in the past could be strengthened into a terrifying spell capable of covering the entire kingdom's land.
He had already become a legendary magician no less than Maleficent, and even in the Green Field of Oz Country, he was by no means inferior to that Black Witch!
Aurora clenched her fists in delight:
"Teacher, me too! After Maleficent turned into a black dragon and fought, I also became stronger!
"If we join forces, even if Maleficent recovers her full power, we can easily defeat her!"
Rhine reminded the excited Aurora:
"However, we cannot be careless.
"Although Maleficent is severely injured now, and although the two of us together are stronger than Maleficent, I plan to add another layer of insurance to prevent any accidents."
At this point, Rhine smiled:
"After all, lifting the curse on Rose Kingdom isn't entirely our business."
Aurora looked puzzled: "What does Teacher mean?"
Rhine did not explain immediately, but turned to Oz beside him:
"By the way, Oz, you are now a true magician, no longer a fraud. You can find an opportunity to demonstrate your magic to the citizens of Emerald City."
As he spoke, Rhine couldn't help but smile:
"The magician Maglido, who is secretly observing and plotting to overthrow you, will probably be very disappointed.
"I divined that he has already infiltrated the city. We can take this opportunity to capture him!"
...
Maglido saw Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Lion leaving Oz's palace together, talking and laughing along the way, their movements lively and light.
Maglido immediately felt puzzled:
"Didn't I tell them how to expose Oz's trickery? Why do they all look so satisfied leaving the palace?"
He hurried forward and asked:
"Have you all seen Oz?"
They did not recognize the disguised Maglido, thinking he was just an ordinary resident of Emerald City, and said happily:
"Yes. Great Oz and his teacher, an even greater magician, together granted our wishes."
Scarecrow rubbed his head:
"I gained a brain full of wisdom. I think I might be the smartest person in Emerald City now."
Tin Woodman patted his chest:
"I gained a beautiful heart—more perfect than the fleshy one I once had. I feel love again!"
Lion, meanwhile, lifted his proud chin:
"I drank the magical potion, and now I am filled with courage and bravery. Even if I encounter the most terrifying enemy, I will not feel the slightest fear!"
They all said together:
"Praise Great Oz, he truly is a kind and powerful great magician!"
What?
Maglido's eyes suddenly froze, his body trembled, and the fake beard he used for disguise nearly fell to the ground. He couldn't believe what he was hearing was true.
No way?
Oz actually had the ability to grant their wishes?
Scarecrow and his companions walked away cheerfully, praising Oz's kindness and greatness to the residents of Emerald City along the way, boasting about his endless magic.
Soon after, everyone in the city knew: Oz had easily granted the wishes of the outsiders.
They worshipped and loved this great magician even more.
"Oz is truly a great king. How lucky we are to be led by him."
"This miraculous magician built this beautiful city for us and protects it from being harmed by the evil witches of the east and west. Now, he has kindly granted the wishes of outsiders."
...
Were the people in Emerald City all spreading the miracle of Oz helping Scarecrow and the others?
Even many years later, the stories about the magician Oz and his teacher were still circulating in this beautiful kingdom.
...
Maglido was furious at the current situation.
"How can this be? This is impossible?"
"Why did they not only fail to expose Oz's trickery, but instead made Oz's reputation even higher?"
Maglido had a change of thought:
"That's right, this must also be one of Oz's tricks!
"He definitely did nothing; he just deceived those fools made of straw, tin, and wood, making them believe they got what they wanted!
"That makes sense. Oz doesn't know magic at all, and he's still using these deceptive little tricks."
Just then, news came from the street:
Great Oz was going to give a public speech and show his true self to the people.
Maglido was greatly surprised:
"What? Oz is going to show his true self?
"He's going to tell everyone that he's not a giant beast or a majestic big head, but a skinny, short old man?
"No way?"
Maglido speculated:
"Hmph, Oz must be going to use his magic tricks to deceive people again."
He chuckled, and an idea popped into his head:
"Since Oz is giving a public speech, I can disguise myself as an ordinary citizen and deliberately shout for him to perform magic and show his power.
"At that time, Oz will only continue to use his deceptive magic tricks. I, a true magician, will go up and directly expose his trickery.
"Soon, everyone in Emerald City will know that Oz is a big liar!"
Maglido felt his idea was flawless, so he followed the surging crowd towards the city center square where Oz was giving his speech.
...
Soon, Oz's public speech began.
The square near the palace was packed with people, all squeezed together, craning their necks, wanting to see what their king—the great magician Oz—looked like?
At this moment, everyone saw a kind-faced old man walk onto the stage.
Oz amplified his voice with magic, looked at the crowd below, and declared to his citizens:
"Citizens, I am King Oz!"