"Mom, why is this big brother with the long staff moving inside the square?"
"...Xiao Ta, that's not a square. It's called a display screen, and the big brother inside isn't a real person."
The woman tied up her long hair, letting the ends rest casually on her left shoulder as she reached out to pull the porcelain-doll-like little girl onto her lap.
"Not a real person?" Xiao Ta blinked her large eyes, looking confused.
"That's right. The big brother on the screen is an anime character created based on a fairy tale. He's a very powerful Young Mage."
"What's a mage?"
"A mage... is just a mage. They can use powerful magic to uphold justice for people, punish evil, and specifically fight bad guys."
"What are bad guys?" The little girl seemed curious about everything and kept asking questions.
"Hmm... bad guys are people who want to bully Xiao Ta."
"Then in that case, Xiao Ta hasn't met any bad guys yet."
"Hehe..."
The woman smiled gently.
"You can't tell who a bad guy is just by looking at their actions. For example, the Big Brother Mage in the anime."
"Xiao Ta doesn't understand."
"Because in the eyes of many people, the Big Brother Mage in the anime is an absolute bad guy."
"Why? Didn't Mom say he can use powerful magic to pun... um, specifically fight bad guys?"
Xiao Ta didn't know how to say that word yet, her eyes full of confusion.
"That starts from the beginning of the story."
The woman left a gentle kiss on Xiao Ta's cheek.
"Since he was young, the Big Brother Mage was taught that with great power comes great responsibility, and that he should help those in need."
"But his master passed away before he could fully understand everything as a child."
"He still had many things left to learn from his master, but he had to follow his master's dying wish to leave the mountain and see the wider world outside."
"After descending the mountain, he happened upon a place infested with many terrifying monsters."
"There were many bad guys there who specifically caught people to eat, especially cute children like Xiao Ta."
"Many children were taken and eaten, and many families were broken. Upon learning this, the Big Brother Mage resolutely stayed, swearing to eliminate those man-eating monsters and restore peace to the land."
"But those monsters were very cunning. Even after two years of braving the elements, the Big Brother Mage couldn't completely wipe them out."
"On a night when heavy snow was falling, he fought a powerful monster for several hours. He was badly injured but managed to save two children even younger than you, only about a year old."
"The children were terrified and wouldn't stop crying. The Big Brother Mage was at a loss, so he had to take out the candy he had and put it in their mouths."
"Tasting the sweetness, the two children soon stopped crying."
Speaking to this point, the woman sighed softly.
"What happened next?" Xiao Ta asked.
"Next... was the beginning of the misunderstanding."
She stroked Xiao Ta's smooth hair, her face full of sympathy.
"When the Big Brother Mage brought the children to a nearby village, he frightened many people."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because he was covered in blood from fighting the monsters, his entire face was stained with blood and grime, and after more than two years of living outdoors, his clothes were tattered."
"It was very dark at night, so he had to use magic to summon fire for light. As a result, he was mistaken for a monster."
"The people in the village had all heard stories about the man-eating monsters. Thinking the external defenses had failed, they scrambled to flee for their lives."
"The Big Brother Mage had fought for so long and traveled while injured; he was already exhausted and had no way to chase after them to explain."
"Thus, after that night, a rumor about a Cannibalistic Mage who could summon fire, whose face was covered in blood from eating children, and who looked hideous in the firelight, spread like wildfire."
"How pitiful... He was clearly doing good deeds and fighting bad guys, yet he was misunderstood like that..." Xiao Ta couldn't help but say.
"Yes, even though he himself was only a teenager."
"Then didn't the Big Brother Mage go to explain to people during the day?"
"Xiao Ta... the world and the human heart are very complicated. Many people only want to believe what they see at first glance, and believe what they want to believe."
"...Xiao Ta doesn't quite understand."
"It's okay if you don't understand now. In fact, the Big Brother Mage tried many times to explain to people, but he could never clear his name."
The gentle woman sighed again.
"His explanations were seen as excuses and lies, bringing more attacks. He was even arrested because he didn't want to fight back, and he almost died on the judgment stand."
"Did someone save him?" Xiao Ta asked.
"Yes, but it wasn't someone else who saved him, it was himself."
"Ah?"
"The Big Brother Mage broke free from his bonds and left on the wind. From then on, he never actively helped anyone again and simply accepted the title of the Cannibalistic Mage."
"...Mom, the ending sounds so sad. Can this still be considered a fairy tale?"
"Because it's not the ending yet."
The woman wrapped her arms around Xiao Ta's petite body and smiled softly:
"Although the Big Brother Mage doesn't actively help people, he gives those in need a chance. As long as they are willing to pay the price, he will help."
"What price?"
Remembrance. Those who have been helped will not remember him, but what he tells the outside world is: he's going to eat them.
"...It's still an unhappy story. The Big Brother Mage is so kind, yet he doesn't have a good ending." Xiao Ta was even more confused.
"Don't be in a hurry, Mom hasn't finished yet. Later on, he met a young girl burdened with the mission of Deliverance."
"He told the girl, 'As long as you are willing to become my food, I will help you save the world you care about.'"
"The girl agreed. They embarked on a journey, crossing many obstacles and overcoming many crises, finally arriving at the girl's hometown."
"Xiao Ta understands!!"
Xiao Ta raised her hand excitedly.
"After the Big Brother Mage helps the girl save the world, everyone respects him very much. In the end, he and the girl live a happy life together, just like Daddy and Mommy, right?"
"Xiao Ta is so smart~~"
The woman praised her, continuing with a beaming smile:
"After the Deliverance of the world, the Big Brother Mage finally showed his most genuine smile. He didn't take away the girl's Remembrance, but instead married her, and they lived happily together."
"People also finally understood that the Cannibalistic Mage was just a rumor, and his name was cleared."
"A brand new story spread from then on, along with the sentence he had said to the girl—"
"What sentence?"
"You once said you saw me as the pillar of your entire world; then, I shall return to you a world you care about in its entirety. As long as you call for me in your heart, no matter when, I will appear by your side."
"More words that Xiao Ta doesn't quite understand..."
"Hehe... If Xiao Ta also encounters a crisis she can't overcome in the future, would you want such a powerful mage to appear?"
"I would!!!"