Tolu saw Totu's cold expression and understood that he could no longer lie. Totu clearly did not believe him anymore—he had already been caught.
Tolu struggled for a moment. Seeing this, Totu sighed, calmed himself, and spoke,
"Tolu, don't struggle. About this matter, only three people know about this—me, the teacher, and Toku. It must have been Toku who told you. The teacher doesn't gossip like you and Toku."
Totu spoke calmly. He already knew Toku was a shameless little puppy who loved gossip. Toku's imagination was always complex and uncontrollable. In the past, the stories Toku told were enjoyable to hear because he told them smoothly, without flaws. Even when there was a small flaw, he would twist the story in his favor and turn it into a perfect version.
Before, Toku told many gossip-filled stories, but this time the main character of his imagination had become Totu himself—something Totu never expected. Toku's imagination had gone completely out of control.
Totu had told his journey truthfully to both the teacher and Toku. But Toku took only fragments of that truth and recreated an entirely new story using his own imagination, adding twists and turns. That alone was not the problem.
The real problem was that Toku's fabricated story perfectly matched reality. If anyone heard both versions, they would undoubtedly believe Toku's story, because it was flawless and convincing.
Totu sighed emotionally.
He looked at Tolu and asked,
"Alright. Tell me exactly what that little puppy told you."
Totu already knew what Toku had said, but he wanted to confirm it again—because Toku often changed details.
When Tolu heard Totu's words, he also calmed himself. He didn't know the full truth either, and he didn't completely believe Toku's words. Tolu knew Toku's personality very well. Toku's tongue was poisonous—dangerously so. With just a few words, Toku could alter the fate of an entire emperor dynasty. In this world, no one could defeat Toku in a battle of words. Even the teacher had been defeated by Toku several times, because of Toku's poisonous tongue, shameless mind, and deceitful heart.
Tolu thought for a moment, then spoke.
"Toku told me everything. First, you gained nothing in your last few journeys to the Butterfly Fairy World. Then you were unexpectedly captured once. In your most recent journey, you were nearly captured again but escaped with great difficulty. And now, because you have no other way, you want war against the Butterfly Fairy World."
Tolu paused and observed Totu's reaction.
Totu listened calmly. He was surprised that Toku hadn't completely twisted everything into nonsense. Just as Totu was about to ask something, Tolu continued speaking.
Tolu didn't express anything and calmly said,
"There's one thing I don't believe. The Butterfly Fairy soldiers' behavior has been abnormal in your last few journeys. You've gone to their world countless times before, gained many things, and escaped easily. Normally, you weren't a real threat to them."
"But now, they chase you ruthlessly. They even captured you once. This sudden change is very abnormal. I also wonder why they suddenly became so serious about capturing you."
Tolu paused again, then asked looking totu eyes,
"Totu, do you know the reason why the Butterfly Fairies suddenly changed their behavior?"
Totu replied casually,
"I don't know. I also asked them why they changed, but they avoided the question and didn't answer me. I didn't expect this sudden change either."
"I asked the teacher about it, and he only said this," Totu continued:
"Rivers run forward, dividing the land like lines.
They want to finish those lines.
Rivers cross difficulties.
If they stop because of difficulties, they will never move forward again.
Only when rivers face and cross all difficulties
do they naturally finish their paths and divide everything they seek."
Totu understood the meaning of the teacher's words, but he didn't know how to apply them to his situation. If he was the river and the Butterfly Fairies were the difficulty, then how was he supposed to cross them?
A river cannot cross a mountain.
Only when a river becomes the sea—submerging the mountain—can it pass and finish its course.
Totu understood the meaning, but he didn't know how to turn himself from a river into a sea.
He sighed again.
Tolu heard the explanation but didn't react. Instead, he asked another question.
"Toku told me something important," Tolu said with curious eyes.
"He said the real reason the Butterfly Fairies changed their behavior… is because of you."
Tolu carefully watched Totu's expression—but caught nothing. Totu remained calm.
Totu replied evenly,
"Tolu, you know Toku's imagination. He destroys the original story, collects fragments, and recreates it into his own version."
But Tolu didn't stop.
"I know Toku is playful and loves gossip. But this time, I didn't completely reject his story. He explained your last Butterfly Fairy world journey in great detail. His words were precise, and I couldn't find any obvious flaw."
"I don't fully believe him—but I do believe some parts."
Totu frowned slightly.
"Tolu, tell me directly. What exactly did Toku say to you?"
Tolu didn't hide anything. He looked directly into Totu's eyes and asked,
"Totu, when Toku asked you about marriage, you said you wouldn't marry anyone and wanted to live peacefully in the mountains. Is that true?"
Totu didn't understand where this was going, but he answered honestly,
"Yes. I love a peaceful life with the teacher, Toku, and you, little puppy. I don't want anything else. I don't want to leave this mountain."
Tolu nodded and asked again,
"I know Toku told me that. But you always say you won't marry anyone. Why did you emphasize that word? Does it have a hidden meaning?"
Totu didn't think deeply and replied directly,
"I said I won't marry anyone and will live peacefully in the mountains. That's all. I didn't mean anything else. Don't let your imagination run wild like Toku's."
Tolu caught the sentence immediately and asked,
"So… you want a peaceful mountain life with the five Butterfly Fairy princesses. Am I right?"
Tolu expression was innocent and normal.
Totu froze.
He looked at Tolu with a dumbfounded expression.