Following the Paradise's prompt, the foot in Itsuki's hand, which resembled a marble sculpture, also came alive, instantly struggling free from her grasp and retracting, hiding within the elaborately decorated little skirt.
Itsuki looked up. The Queen's eyes had opened at some unknown time. With surprise and a little confusion, she asked Itsuki, "Are you the Prince who saved me?"
Itsuki: "Uh..."
Seriously, she doesn't look like a Prince, right?
And with this kind of question, is the subsequent development going to be you marrying me as a reward?
Itsuki didn't need to give an answer, because the Queen had already seen a pair of Miss Red resting quietly right beneath her feet.
Surprise and confusion quickly turned into horror. The Queen needed to let out a scream, but her throat felt blocked by something, preventing her from making a sound.
Then, the Queen moved.
Stiffly and fearfully, she extended her feet out from under the hem of her dress again, lifted them, and placed them on the table, admiring the faint glow shimmering under the light.
"Is the Mission complete?"
Miss Red asked.
Itsuki: "It is."
Itsuki noticed that the Queen was now staring at her with pleading eyes, constantly signaling with her gaze towards the Golden Apple she had taken a bite out of, likely indicating that this item could save her.
So, Itsuki shoved the Golden Apple in her hand into her own mouth.
Seriously, her Mission was only completed thanks to Miss Red's help. Was she, Itsuki, supposed to stage a dramatic betrayal of her own ally?
You are a Strange Tale, and the Evil Queen from Snow White, no less! If I help you, I'd probably be turned into a frog and have to go find a Prince to kiss.
Most importantly, Itsuki didn't dare.
"It's good that it's complete."
The Queen put on the dancing shoes and reverted to her previous doll state.
"Excluding the top floor and the basement, Miss Nakano is free to wander this Castle. We will likely have to wait until the moon appears again before we can leave the Strange Speech Forest."
Outside the pumpkin carriage, thunder had already sounded six times, causing the dim moonlight to vanish completely.
Itsuki glanced at the Paradise Mark, confirming that her three-day trial period was judged according to the time of the Fairy Tale World, not 72 hours.
"Where did Kisaragi go?"
She cared more about this than anything else.
After all, didn't her father pay Kisaragi Rin to handle things? Did he intend to abandon us to these Strange Tales after teaching us just a little?
Although it wasn't impossible, Itsuki still found it a bit strange.
Hmm... the Queen's expressions just now fully indicated that this group of Strange Tales were absolute villains. Itsuki felt that the Gingerbread Witch seemed considerably kinder in comparison.
"He is handling some private matters."
Miss Red said tactfully.
Itsuki didn't understand, but she gave up on the idea of searching for Kisaragi Rin, and instead took the Scarecrow and the Shepherd Witch to go find Illya for revenge.
The study fell silent.
"Gak."
The Golden Goose suddenly cried out, and it laid a Golden Egg.
The Shepherd Witch plucked a feather from the Golden Goose and walked familiarly toward Miss Red, but this time Miss Red refused, "There's no need today. I will find someone else to do this later."
"???"
The Shepherd Witch put down the feather and left, her face filled with the despair of having fallen out of favor... "I was wrong, Sister Nakano."
Illya's face was already being pinched by Itsuki. Due to the Strange Tale Physique, it could be stretched into an oval shape.
"I don't believe you."
After Nino finished punishing Illya, she switched to Itsuki.
The Strange Tales in the Castle were wandering around, some gathered together, talking about who knows what. Itsuki thought for a moment and chose to walk over to the two living people, Tohsaka Rin and Sakura.
"Are you Players too?"
Itsuki asked curiously.
When Miku was controlling the body and playing Three Kingdoms with them earlier, she had wanted to ask why there were two living people joining an association composed of Strange Tales. Was it possible their situation was the same as hers?
"Not yet."
Tohsaka Rin replied.
The climate in the Fairy Tale World was a bit damp and cold. Tohsaka Rin and Sakura were sitting around the fireplace, chatting with Calcifer about the local customs of this world.
Seeing Itsuki approach, Tohsaka Rin made room for her, then took the kettle resting on Calcifer and poured a cup of coffee, handing it to Itsuki.
"Thank you."
Itsuki took a sip and was slightly disappointed to find it tasted like ordinary coffee from the Main World.
"Because we took it from the Main World. The taste of plants in this world is a bit strange."
Sakura offered the explanation, causing Itsuki to purse her lips and a blush to appear on her face.
Are my thoughts really that easy to guess?
I hadn't even said anything, yet she revealed my thoughts in a single sentence.
"Because all your thoughts are written on your face."
Sakura explained again. She genuinely didn't have any mind-reading Ability; it was simply that Itsuki, due to her multiple personalities, frequently displayed exaggerated facial expressions (Yan Yi).
"I will try hard to control it."
Itsuki felt helpless. The activity of her other personalities in her mind inevitably affected her control over her body, especially regarding emotions, which were often as complex and changeable as when visiting relatives. However, enjoying delicious food allowed Itsuki to digest all negative Energy.
At this moment, Sakura, who was observing Itsuki's expression, retrieved a Honey Cupcake from the side.
The moment it was opened, the flashing special effects of the Radiant Cuisine reached a level in the dark environment that required sunglasses to tolerate, and the special aroma caused Itsuki's stomach to rumble again.
Itsuki: "Five Ants!"
Itsuki's friendship up! up!
"She's so easy to read."
Tohsaka Rin complained, picking up a Cupcake and stuffing it into Calcifer, who was complaining about the teapot.
The flame engulfed the cake, and Calcifer showed a very happy expression. It was truly fortunate that Kisaragi Rin hadn't chosen to purchase Shokugeki Cuisine back then, or else these people would probably have to hide in their rooms and sneak bites.
The combination of bitter coffee and sweet cake made Itsuki extremely happy. The golden light from before made her realize what kind of extraordinary cuisine this was, and her interest in Players increased immediately.
Just one cake significantly reduced the sense of distance between her, Tohsaka Rin, and Sakura, and she joined the conversation over afternoon tea.
After a while, Itsuki remembered the main business.
"I heard Miss Red say Kisaragi is busy. What happened while I was gone? Or, what is our next step?"
It was also her trial, to some extent, but Itsuki felt like no one seemed to care much about that.
"Hmm... about that."
Calcifer began his vivid explanation.
Itsuki nodded as she listened, but the gaze of Miku in her mind grew brighter and brighter.