Chapter 30

Just before colliding with the tower, I saw it. The golden hair rising from the ground around Elise and Ariel. Countless strands of hair intertwined in an instant, forming a golden monster.

The two tried to grab my hand amidst the sudden chaos, but the golden monsters blocked them.

I was sucked into the tower as if being pulled in. My vision was pitch black. It felt like riding roller coasters back-to-back – my stomach churned and my head spun. Then I felt a faint light. No, it was an intense light. As the blinding sensation on my eyelids gradually subsided, I cautiously opened my eyes.

“Huh?”

The scene before me was baffling. This wasn’t the tower. Beautifully chirping birds and forest animals rested peacefully in the streets. That’s right, this was the town’s downtown area. Various shops were visible around.

What’s going on? Did I hit my head? Bogart pushed me into the tower’s barrier, I think.

Frowning, I observed my surroundings and realized there wasn’t a single person in sight on these streets.

No passersby, no one looking out from inside homes, no workers or merchants selling goods – not a soul to be seen.

A desolate street indeed.

Straightening my voice, I shouted:

“Elise? Ariel? Bogart?”

But the only reply was silence. I scratched the back of my head.

“What to do…”

Though I don’t quite understand what’s happening, one thing’s for sure: staying here won’t change anything. I have to move forward, even if it’s unsettling.

No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense. Why did Bogart shove me into the tower’s barrier?

And saying “It’s been a while” is strange too. We’ve already met, so that line feels off. Normally, they’d say something like “Come back safely” or “We’re counting on you” or “Please take care of this.”

Complicated. Thinking about it now won’t get me anywhere. I need to focus on the present.

Still wary of unexpected surprises, I carefully took a step forward. As I moved, the resting animals began to rise one by one, passing in front of me as if guiding the way. Though uneasy, their kind eyes made me feel it was safe to follow.

Looking at a sway-backed deer walking ahead, I said:

“Hey, can’t you talk? Every animal I’ve met so far could speak.”

The deer turned its head, looked into my eyes for a moment, snorted softly, and continued on its way.

“So you really are just a regular animal, huh.”

Deer, sparrows, goats, foxes – more animals than expected gathered by the road. Maybe this is an animal town after all, I thought as we reached the town square.

In the center stood a grand fountain, and before it, an elegant young lady with striking golden hair.

I knew instantly.

Rapunzel.

Her long hair reached her feet, but is this really Rapunzel? Her hair should be long enough to reach the ground from the tower. This length seems insufficient.

With hands behind her back, she approached with a bright smile.

I swallowed nervously.

“Wow! Seeing you up close is amazing! It’s been such a long time since I felt this way!”

Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and shook it vigorously up and down. Stay calm. Don’t be mesmerized by the softness of her palm. Her innocent, cheerful gaze reminded me of a puppy.

Her smiling face was quite charming, tickling my heart. The faint, sweet floral scent was intoxicating. She truly embodies a lively princess.

“Uh, what’s your name? I forgot to ask.”

“Hmm, I’m Siyoo.”

“Nice to meet you, Siyoo! I’m Rapunzel!”

Of course it’s Rapunzel. When I first heard about her using the curse’s power, I thought she might be some deranged madwoman, but surprisingly, she appears to be a cheerful teenage girl.

Still, one wrong word could instantly transform her into something cruel. After all, this is the girl who killed a maid, was imprisoned in a tower, yet used her hair’s power to curse the entire kingdom. She’s far from someone to be underestimated compared to anyone I’ve met so far.

Looks can be deceiving. She may seem friendly, but she could very well be imagining ways to torture me to death right now.

Stay calm. There’s neither Elise nor Ariel here. I’m alone in this situation. The only thing I can do now is…

Conversation.

Making an effort not to offend her, I said:

“Nice to meet you too. Uh… I remember entering the tower, but suddenly ending up here in the town is confusing. Could you explain?”

“Hehe, curious?”

“Eh? Yeah, I am.”

“Hmm~”

Rapunzel wore a mischievous expression and giggled.

“Kikikikiki, listen up!”

She pulled my hand and started skipping lightly.

“I’ll tell you if you go on a date with me!”

“Eh? Eeeek!?”

Rapunzel ran cheerfully while I awkwardly followed, tripping along. Birds chirped joyfully at our antics.

Did I hear that right? A date? Really?

My heart raced. This wasn’t from the tension of Rapunzel potentially killing me, nor the desperate desire to escape.

Could I actually be excited about this date?

I found myself pathetic, but seeing Rapunzel’s bright smile made those thoughts disappear. It was as if I’d been cast under a spell.

Suddenly, the ground began shaking as if an earthquake had struck, making it difficult to keep balance.

Petals danced in the air, showering us gently. And then, Rapunzel and I found ourselves sitting on a picnic blanket in a flower field filled with unknown blossoms.

moments ago, I was running, but now I sat on the blanket, receiving a lunchbox from Rapunzel.

“Here! A special lunchbox I prepared just for Siyoo!”

“Eh? Oh, thank you.”

An elegant silk-wrapped lunchbox. Carefully unwrapping it, I revealed delicious-looking sandwiches inside.

Rapunzel grinned like a playful child and offered me a sandwich.

“Here, ah~”

“Wha- wait a moment. Let me eat it myself.”

As Rapunzel tried feeding me, I awkwardly reached for the sandwich she held, unable to handle such situations.

“Mm-mm! No way!”

But Rapunzel easily dodged my hand and pushed the sandwich toward me.

“Ah~ come on. My arm’s getting tired?”

With the sandwich touching my lips, I reluctantly opened my mouth, and it slid in.

“Mmm!”

A familiar taste. Fresh vegetables filled the sandwich, and the tender ham released its juices perfectly. Gulping it down comfortably, Rapunzel giggled happily watching me eat.

“You’re eating so nicely! Ah~ spending time like this with Siyoo while admiring the flowers is so fun!”

Rapunzel stretched out and patted the spot beside her, inviting me to lie down. Though feeling somewhat manipulated, I thanked her and lay down next to her while asking questions.

“Rapunzel, is this still inside the tower? Did you use magic to change the location?”

“You’re so impatient! I was going to explain during our date.”

She flipped over, resting her chin on both hands as she stared at me intently. Ack, why does my heart beat so fast when she looks at me like that? I can clearly feel the heat rising to my face – something that’s never happened when looking at a woman before.

“You’re right. This is still inside the tower. You broke through a barrier that no one has ever passed to enter here. As you can see, I used magic to create this place. The original tower was too dull for my liking.”

Though expected, it’s hard to believe even after hearing it directly. Rapunzel swung her legs as she spoke.

“Now it’s my turn to ask a question.”

Tensing up, I nodded, wondering what kind of question would come out of her mouth. Rapunzel smiled playfully and poked my nose lightly.

“Wanna go out with me? I like you, you know.”

“Eh? Eh?”

I blinked repeatedly. It took quite some time to process what I heard. My ears doubted, my mind denied. There’s no way she could have said such an absurd thing. I must have heard wrong.

“Uh… What? Could you repeat that?”

Rapunzel grinned and grabbed both my cheeks, stretching my lips outward.

“I said, will you go out with me, silly.”