Episode 16: Were you worried about me?:
Huz opened a magical subspace and reached in. His hand touched something in the corner—it was a large, heavy box.
“……”
His expression darkened.
He had found the box while exploring the area near the Kabellu border. When he saw it, he stored it away like it was something precious.
‘Should I give this to Snow White?’
It might help build trust—or cause problems.
Huz looked all over the subspace, hoping to find something else instead. But there was nothing. Could he get her something different? Probably not, given the situation.
“…What am I doing?”
He realized he was worrying about things he never used to care about. He let out a dry laugh. His grip tightened on the box, crumpling a corner.
He didn’t want her to know, yet he kind of did. He wanted to pretend it was nothing, hoping she’d pick up on it. Maybe she’d get curious and figure it out herself.
It was ridiculous, really.
“Yeah……”
Just then, he heard someone mumbling in their sleep. He looked at Inea. Her face was twisted, and she trembled as she rolled over.
‘Is she having a nightmare?’
He prepared a spell to help her sleep peacefully. But as he looked closer, he noticed something strange—her ears were red. Her cheeks were flushed too. She looked uncomfortable, but not like she was in pain.
What kind of dream was she having?
Suddenly, Inea gasped and opened her eyes.
Startled, Huz instantly teleported away. He landed in a dry wasteland, heart pounding.
‘Whew, that was close.’
But then he froze.
His hands were empty. No way.
He looked down—and slapped a hand over his mouth.
He had dropped the box.
Meanwhile…
–Adele! I’m here!
A man’s voice rang out with the sound of wind chimes.
I—Adele—threw down my pencil and ran out to greet him. He opened his arms wide, and I jumped into them.
–Welcome back, Gagapa! Did you catch the bird?
–Of course. I also picked some wild greens.
Gagapa smiled with sparkling brown eyes and kissed Adele’s hands.
He noticed a smudge on her arm.
–What were you doing?
–I drew a picture!
Adele showed him a landscape drawing of mountains and lakes.
–It was hard because it was my first time. What do you think?
–If I say it’s bad, you’ll hit me. So why ask?
–So… it’s bad?
–No, it’s good. This part is a little weird though.
–I haven’t finished it yet!
–What, you want praise now?
–I’m not a child.
Gagapa laughed and hugged her.
–Are you mad? I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.
–I’m not mad, just a little upset. Comfort me!
–Shameless. But you’re cute, so what can I do?
He kissed her forehead while she pretended to pout, then smiled.
–I’ll frame it. Let’s hang it up.
–This one? I don’t like it much.
–You did great. Firsts should be celebrated.
He gently rubbed her neck like comforting a child.
–We’ll need more frames, then.
–Don’t worry. Your strong, talented husband’s got it covered.
–Look who’s bragging.
–Well, I learned from the best.
They laughed and kissed.
Soon, they were in the bathroom, kissing passionately.
–It’s broad daylight, you know?
Adele laughed.
–Go take a bath, you pervert!
–Thanks for the compliment.
–Is that all you think about?
–Well, you’re the one putting ideas in my head.
–Cheesy!
–So? What’s your answer?
Adele slid her hand down his chest.
–It’s better in daylight.
Their clothes hit the floor.
Back in the present—
“Gasp!”
Inea woke up breathless. She covered her red face and let out a weird sound.
“H-Huh… Ahaha…”
What was that dream?!
She slapped her cheeks.
“So that really happened in the dream…”
She, as Adele, had done that with a man named Gagapa.
“W-Why was it so clear?!”
She had no experience with men, yet the dream felt so real. So embarrassing! She rolled under her blanket, kicking in shame.
Gagapa seemed to know her weaknesses and teased her exactly the right way. Sometimes he led, sometimes she did, and—
“C-Crazy! Stop thinking about it!!”
She slapped herself hard. So hard she fell over and saw stars.
‘But… why Adele?’
She was called Adele in the dream. And accepted it. But her real name was Inea.
Who was she in that dream?
She remembered another similar dream two and a half months ago. Back then, she didn’t remember her name, or the man’s face—only his black hair.
‘Am I just imagining myself as someone else?’
But Gagapa and the black-haired man were clearly different. Gagapa had brown hair and a soft voice.
“…Gagapa was strange, too.”
She’d never heard that name before. It sounded foreign.
Even his face was soft and unfamiliar. His skin was dark brown. He didn’t even have double eyelids.
“Why am I dreaming of someone I’ve never seen?”
Aren’t dreams based on memories or desires?
And why am I Adele?
Too many questions.
She gave up and stretched.
Then—thud—something hit her butt.
She turned around and saw a plate of sandwiches, peaches, orange juice, and a big box on the ground.
‘A… box?’
It was huge—about the size of her upper body. She tried lifting it but it was too heavy, so she dragged it.
There was a handprint on a corner.
It was Huz’s hand.
‘Huz…’
Her heart sank. All the confused feelings came rushing back.
Trying to stay calm, she read the label:
[10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle – “Happiness on the Lake”]
‘A puzzle?’
She opened it and found puzzle bags, latex, a brush, and a rolled-up picture.
The picture was beautiful—sunlight sparkled on the lake, trees swayed, clouds looked like bird wings, and a cottage sat in the middle of it all.
‘I wonder if this is what a fairy’s house would look like in the forest.’
Then she paused.
‘…Is it normal to be given toys?’
She didn’t know. She had never experienced something like this.
Puzzles aren’t needed to survive. But they’re something many people have.
‘Maybe this is out of kindness?’
Her thoughts wandered.
‘Why didn’t Huz kill me?’
If it was just about breaking the curse, why did he look so desperate?
Why did he wake me up from brainwashing? Why give me advice?
‘Was he… actually worried?’
Toilet paper and blankets aren’t necessities either.
Letting me read the book might not have been kindness—but the tissues and blankets?
Those were.
‘The puzzle too… probably isn’t just a tool.’
Everything was getting more confusing.
Huz… are you really a bad person?
“……A-Am I crazy?!”
She caught herself feeling good about him. That scared her.
‘Don’t fall for it. He’s brainwashing me again.’
This new kindness is meant to confuse her.
The tissue, the blanket, the puzzle—tools to mess with her head.
‘I need to ignore it. Suppress it.’
No matter what Huz says or does, she had to block it out.
“I can do this. I have to.”
She breathed deeply and focused on the puzzle picture.
Then something caught her eye—near the cottage.
A man was waving.
He had brown hair tied back, and gentle features.
Inea froze.
“…Gagapa?”
It was the man from her dream—inside the puzzle picture.
