Chapter 79
“Ah, I found you!”
A loud shout was heard from afar. Rapunzel came running, holding up the hem of her dress. Even though her hair was braided, it was so long that it kept brushing against the nobles around her.
“Oops, pardon me. I’m so sorry! Kyaa!”
Rapunzel made a raucous entrance, whipping her long hair around as she clung to Sylvie’s arm.
“You said we’d go together!”
“You wouldn’t wake up no matter what.”
“Then you should have woken me up thoroughly.”
Rapunzel puffed out her cheeks and grumbled.
“That shimmering blonde hair…! That iconic long hair. Isn’t that Princess Rapunzel?”
“Ah, wasn’t she the one the Witch imprisoned in a tall tower?”
Murmurs arose as Rapunzel appeared. Concerns that no one would recognize her after so much time in the tower proved unfounded.
As the alleged victims displayed friendliness with Sylvie one after another, people became flustered.
“Didn’t the Witch torment poor Princess Rapunzel?”
“I did hear she was isolated for causing trouble…”
“Yes, I heard that too. That she threw a fit about not cutting her long hair.”
Whisper whisper.
The guests I had prepared were up to this point. And the one to drive the final nail was the day’s true protagonist—Snow White.
“I came to investigate the commotion… So you’re the Witch who fed me a poisoned apple?”
The mention of the poisoned apple made everyone murmur, “Of course,” to themselves.
Though other stories were famous, Snow White’s was undoubtedly the most popular among the nobles.
“My beloved told me. He said the witch meant to bring us together in a special way?”
The atmosphere stirred at those words.
Sylvie, indifferent to the reactions around her, spoke calmly.
“Didn’t you say you wanted a special love?”
“Who could have guessed anyone would hear that! Oh, how embarrassing. I was a bit surprised, but I’m grateful for the result. We’re so happy together.”
Snow White leaned against the First Prince’s shoulder, giggling shyly.
For the record, I didn’t do much.
I just checked the poisoned apple’s ingredients and analyzed the handwriting on the letter the prince received.
Then I neatly packaged that information and sent it to the palace.
In the ‘Rose Manor’ dimension, ingredient analysis and handwriting analysis were advanced, befitting its mystery game nature.
Thanks to my diligent aides, I simply sat back and received the results.
‘In exchange, I treated them to delicious cocktails.’
It was the best reward I could offer.
As people grasped the situation, murmuring spread.
“What?”
“So all those rumors were false?”
“I guess it wasn’t really a poisoned apple!”
Even without my direct intervention, the misunderstanding could have been cleared up. If they had simply asked, the truth would have come out.
But what meaning is there in rumors spreading by word-of-mouth? Unless the truth reaches everyone, it’s dismissed as just another rumor.
It’s easy to point fingers calling someone wicked, but an explained truth rarely spreads far.
Ding!
<Notice> Quest Complete!
You have revealed the truth that Sylvie is not an evil witch.
Reward: 3,500 coins, 1,000 reputation, bad rumors about Milky Way Lounge disappear
<Notice> Hidden Quest Completed!
You have changed the roles of characters in the ‘How the Witch Lives in the Fairy Tale World’ dimension!
Sylvie’s role: Villain → Protagonist
Tatiana’s Role: Protagonist → Villainess
Reward: 500 coins
A smile formed on my face as I checked the notification window.
For a fleeting moment, Tatiana’s expression turned deathly pale, as if she too sensed some change.
‘Now you’ve both taken your place as protagonists and villains.’
It was confirmed. The real protagonist of this dimension was Sylvie, and the fact that she had unfairly lost her place.
To restore Sylive role as protagonist, I had to reveal that Tatiana was the one spreading malicious rumors about her.
For that, I had prepared the second act of the operation. I didn’t know how Tatiana would react, but…
‘She’ll definitely make a play today before it’s too late.’
If today passes, the amended rumors will spread widely, shaking Tatiana’s position.
The way people looked at Tatiana had already changed.
After all, it was common knowledge the Saint was the source of rumors about Sylvie.
‘Saint, if possible, please make a spectacular self-destruction.’
🫧
A small disturbance occurred, but the engagement ceremony proceeded smoothly. After the ring exchange between Snow White and the First Prince, an after-party followed. People enjoyed the elegant melodies of the orchestra while drinking and chatting.
Today’s topic of discussion was not the engagement, but rather the witch and the saint.
‘Things seem to be unfolding differently than I thought.’
Aware of the subtle glances, Tatiana bit her lower lip.
Tatiana. The saint supporting the kingdom. A figure respected by all and wielding sacred power. However, that was not Tatiana’s true self. She was a fake saint.
Lacking any sacred power yet impersonating a saint by using magic tools, she was an extra villain character destined to be exposed and fall from grace.
This was the real Tatiana, or rather, the character she had possessed.
‘Damn it. If I had to possess someone, I wish it was the main character.’
If she had known she would be possessed, she wouldn’t have read the synopsis before falling asleep.
‘But well, doesn’t possession usually make you the main character?’
Knowing the original story, it was easy for her to suppress the main character. That’s how the extra villain’s tragic fate unfolded smoothly.
‘People get excited over simple things.’
The dichotomy of witch and saint was straightforward, so everyone easily fell for it.
Especially Sylvie, who possessed tremendous power and had a long lifespan. People chose to suppress their instinctive unease toward such a transcendent being by pointing fingers and avoiding her.
That’s how Tatiana got to this point.
‘I cannot fall back into being an ordinary extra villain again.’
Think, think.
Tatiana pressed her index finger against her brow, devising a plan.
Since Sylvie had the image of a perpetrator, a minor incident would make her stumble again.
People dislike admitting their beliefs are wrong.
A good idea came to mind as Tatiana scanned the attendants supporting her.
“Sally.”
“Yes, Your Holiness!”
“Your hand hasn’t healed yet, has it?”
“Ah, my apologies…”
Sally, who had hurriedly approached Tatiana, quickly hid her bandaged hand behind her back. She had injured her hand while clearing a broken vase not long ago.
“No need to apologize. This works out well. Our Sally will have to help me out a bit.”
“Huh?”
A perfect way to start a smear campaign had just occurred to her.
The story of the princess making clothes out of stinging nettles to break the curse that turned the prince into a swan, ‘The Swan Prince.’
Mishandling stinging nettles caused a burning sensation like a bee sting, and Sally’s hand was in terrible condition.
‘This is a fairytale too. It will surely work.’
Tatiana didn’t know if ‘The Swan Prince’ actually existed in this world.
What mattered was that Sylvie wouldn’t be able to bring the princess from ‘The Swan Prince’ here today.
Sylvie would definitely fail to resolve this. The negative views toward her would persistently linger.
Tatiana let out a wry smile.
‘It seems I’m one step ahead after all.’
However, Tatiana was unaware of the special dimension traveler above the possessor.
🫧
“Witch! Please put aside your anger and undo your curse!”
In the midst of the after-party, a woman in rags rushed toward Sylvie. As the woman knelt down, crying and begging, attention naturally turned toward her.
“What’s going on this time?”
“Oh my! That woman’s hands are completely mangled. What on earth happened to her…?”
Sylvie in her gorgeous dress and the woman in tattered rags—their contrasting appearances led people to look at the woman with pity.
At that moment, a guard who grasped the situation ran over and grabbed the woman.
“Enough. Who are you?”
Sylvie stopped the guard and glared at the woman. Under her icy gaze, the trembling woman drew sympathy from the crowd.
“W-Witch, you… turned my brother into a swan. P-Please, have mercy…”
“A swan? You mean that graceful white waterfowl? I don’t recall doing such a thing.”
As Sylvie shook her head, murmurs arose from the surroundings.
“Her saying she doesn’t remember means she might have done it but can’t recall, right?”
“Who knows? Maybe she committed so many evil deeds that she lost her memory.”
“She does seem suspicious.”
The lingering stigma wasn’t easily shed. Despite her previous explanations, doubt crept back into the glances toward Sylvie.
‘These people really don’t have any common sense.’
Watching the situation unfold, I shook my head.
🥂
Thank you for reading! ♡
