"One day, her mother asked Little Red Riding Hood to bring wine and cake to her sick grandmother, warning her:'Stick to the main road, don't run off, and don't talk to strangers!'"
Once in the forest, she met a Big Bad Wolf. The cunning wolf asked where she was going, and upon learning it was her grandmother's house, he took a shortcut and arrived there first.
He knocked on the door and tricked the grandmother into opening it, then swallowed her whole in one gulp. He put on her clothes and nightcap and climbed into bed.
Little Red Riding Hood arrived later and, seeing that 'Grandmother' looked strange, began to ask her questions one by one:
'Grandmother, why are your ears so big?'
'All the better to hear you with.'
'Grandmother, why are your eyes so big?'
'All the better to see you with.'
'Grandmother, why are your teeth so sharp?'
'All the better to eat you with!'
Little Red Riding Hood had long noticed something was wrong with her grandmother. When the wolf opened its mouth to pounce, she immediately took a large stone from her basket and shoved it hard into the wolf's mouth.
The wicked wolf's throat was blocked, and unable to breathe, he struggled and collapsed to the ground.
Finally, the clever and brave Little Red Riding Hood used scissors to cut open the wolf's belly and rescued her grandmother.
"And that is the end."
Grin's voice was magical, leaving the children completely enthralled by the story.
Of course, there was one last line he didn't read aloud:
[Half-Wolf Girl Margaret (Core Illustration), Unlock Condition: Dissect the bellies of one hundred canines.]
Petra was the first to snap out of the story; she looked a bit shaken, as if she were the one who had encountered the wolf.
"Wolves really are too scary. Luckily it's daytime, or I wouldn't even dare go out."
Grin gently patted Petra's head to comfort her. "Don't worry, Petra. In the Menzies Territory, there is a Princess secretly protecting you all."
Petra looked up with a face full of admiration. "Really? Just like Little Red Riding Hood?"
Grin chuckled. "Of course it's different. Our Princess is braver, kinder, and she loves wearing white clothes."
Among the group of children, the youngest girl, Mei, pointed to a cherry blossom tree and said, not quite understanding, "White clothes? Like That Person?"
Everyone quickly looked in that direction, but there was no one behind the cherry blossom tree.
There were only a few clusters of cherry blossoms fluttering in the air, as if startled by someone.
"Huh? Did I see wrong?"
Mei bit her finger, her eyes filled with confusion.
Grin stood up as well, stretching his slightly numb calves.
"Alright children, that's it for today's story. Finally, I must warn you too: stick to the main road, don't run off, and whatever you do, don't talk to strangers! Do you hear me?"
"Oh no, Big Brother Grin has turned into a nagging old lady!"
"Where would strangers come from in the village? Big Brother Grin, do you count as one?"
Grin gave Luca, who had asked the question, a light kick on the buttocks.
"I came off the Mejereis Household's dragon carriage, so of course I don't count. I'm talking about people of unknown origin and suspicious behavior!"
Luca clutched his bottom, grimacing as he dodged to the side. "Oh, there is one. A Little Girl named Meli came recently. When asked whose child she is, she doesn't say."
The other children quickly retorted, "How can Meli count? We're already friends!"
Petra also nodded solemnly. "Meli-chan looks so cute, how could she be a suspicious person? She's just quiet. Luca, don't you dare think about bullying her."
A name flashed through Grin's mind: Meili Portroute.
This Little Girl was certainly not someone who could be described as 'cute'.
Although she was only thirteen, who knows how many lives had already ended at her hands.
Meli had come this time bringing a magical beast with cursing abilities—the Hellhound Ulgarum.
Grin flipped through the pages of the book, stopping at the section for the story "beauty and the beast".
Stroking the majestic figure in the illustration, a meaningful look appeared in his eyes.
"A curse? It really is a case of'speak of the devil'."
"Children, for the safety of Aram Village, as a retainer of Roswaal, I must verify little Meli's identity."
"We'll take you, Big Brother Grin! Meli always likes to play by the forest fence. We'll definitely find her."
Luca and Mildo took the lead, each grabbing one of Grin's hands and dragging him forward.
Petra and the other children followed at a trot.
"Big Brother Grin, please don't be too harsh, okay? You'll scare Meli-chan..."
The figures of the group gradually receded, and the sounds of their play slowly grew faint.
Just then, a young girl dressed in white stepped out from behind the cherry blossom tree Mei had pointed to.
"That was close, Lia. It's your fault for listening so intently."
A small, grey, short-haired cat emerged from the girl's silver hair.
It wiped its forehead with a cute little paw, as if brushing away non-existent sweat.
Admiration and envy showed in Emilia's eyes. "Grin is amazing, being so popular with the children."
Puck nodded with satisfaction. "That guy seems to care quite a bit about Lia's reputation, don't you think, our Princess?"
Emilia reached out and pinched Puck's small face, pulling it slightly as she scolded, "Puck, if you keep teasing me, I'm going to ignore you."
The wind blew, and cherry blossom petals fell from the sky like snow.
A few soft pink petals landed on the tips of Emilia's silver-white hair, immediately catching her attention.
She stopped and reached up to gently brush the petals from her shoulder, her pale purple eyes looking up through the rain of flowers.
The cherry blossom tree overhead was lush and leafy, with pink and white flowers clustered together, swirled by the wind into a flowing mist of blossoms.
Puck leaped onto Emilia's head and shook off all the petals from her hair.
"Lia seems very happy today!"
Emilia gave a brilliant smile. "After all, the cherry blossoms in Aram Village are the most flourishing and beautiful in the entire Menzies Territory. I just wonder what cherry blossom cakes taste like; I've never had one before."
Puck had a sudden idea. "Why don't we pick some and take them back for Rem to make? They're bound to buy plenty of flour and brown sugar today."
"Good idea! Grin might like them too."
Emilia nodded excitedly and looked around for the fullest blossoms.
It was then she noticed that some of the cherry blossom trees already showed clear signs of picking.
Some trees even had many branches broken off; the sap at the breaks hadn't even solidified yet, suggesting they had been broken recently.
Emilia said helplessly, "What a bunch of naughty children. If the branches are broken, there will be fewer cherry blossoms next year..."
...On the other side, led by Luca and the others, Grin searched for Meli along the fence at the edge of the village.
"Haha, Big Brother Grin, she's over there!"
The chubby Mildo pointed his finger, guiding Grin's gaze.
The Little Girl named Meli Portroute was huddled by the fence, looking very small.
She wore her lake-blue hair in a braid, and her large emerald eyes appeared innocent yet hid a charm unsuited to her age.
She was dressed simply in a light blue dress with a blue collar, looking innocent and shy.
Crouching next to Meli was a blue-haired maid holding a sack; it was Rem, looking like a curious child.
As he approached, Grin realized what she was looking at.
She was looking at a chubby little puppy that Meli was holding in her arms.
The little thing had its eyes squinted and made occasional snorting sounds, and there was a circular bald patch on top of its head.