If you have time, listen to me tell me a fairy tale.

One

A snowfall that winter, covered the whole town with a light layer of pure white. After the snow stopped, the city was enveloped in an inexplicable peace and quiet. In the morning, when he woke up, he decided to go out for a walk.

There was a thin layer of frost on the inside of the window, and he brushed away the frost flowers and looked out of the window, the eaves, the dead trees, the ground, the buildings in the distance, and the cars parked nearby, all rolled around several times in a pile of marshmallows, fluffy,

soft

Soft. When I opened the door, I only dropped half a foot, and I stretched out a black footprint. He scratched his head, this foot lift is neither falling nor falling, and he always feels that it is a desecration of the snow day. I took a few more steps on tiptoe, and finally saw the distance

A few ruts, so I just walked slowly along the traces of the ruts. With their heads down, the drivers who were hurrying at night ruined the long-lost scenery and walked through two or three streets.

When I looked up, I saw her, a girl who was also walking along the ruts, looking at the snow.

The fluffy black down jacket, the velvet white ear protectors, and the pink scarf, the mist condensed into a white cloud in front of the scarf.

You know what it was, what it was—there was a strange magic to the face under the puffer hat and bangs—as if he should have known her a long time ago, and when he looked at her in the distance, a substance called pleasure appeared, as if it had originated from an unknown place in the depths of his heart, flooding from the bottom to the corners of his mouth.

Involuntarily smiled.

Two

Tell a story, the girl said.

So he told a story about the princess and the prince -- or at least he said it was the story of the princess and the prince. The girl said, it was a very beautiful fairy tale, and he said, yes, it was a fairy tale with you.

So the girl laughed.

Three

The palace's quartz bell struck eleven notes, and the moonlight opened the curtain for the grand ball. The lightness on the dance floor shimmered with agility, and it had just begun, a piano song he was familiar with, the first snow of Bandari.

The goblet in the prince's hand swayed gently to the melody, and he leaned against the wall and watched as the nobles in the distance had already gone to the dance floor in pairs. Your Highness, aren't you going to dance? The attendant asked softly from the side.

The prince shook his head. His attendants could not comprehend the prince's disdain for the delicate noble lady at the ball, and only his witch friend knew his thoughts—their prince was hopelessly in love with a girl from a peasant family, and his witch promised to help him.

The witch pulled out the well-folded evening gown from the chest, hid the white horse and pumpkin cart outside the ivory tower in her sleeve, and knocked on the wooden door of the farmer's house.

She tells Cinderella that the prince likes her.

But I don't like the prince. Cinderella said. Eventually, however, she went to the party, and at the witch's pleading, she said goodbye to her loving father, stepmother, and two sisters, and got into the pumpkin carriage bound for the palace.

I think you need a pair of shoes that fit, stepmom said, finding her crystal slipper. We thought you'd grow up, so we asked old Billy next door to make you a pair.

Thank you Mom. Cinderella laughed, like a lily of the valley smiling after the first snowfall.

The prince saw the bulky armor push open the half-hidden door of the temple, and the knight of the guard led Cinderella to the prince's side.

Your Highness, Cinderella is here.

The knight took his spear and walked away. So there was a little cramped Cinderella left, holding the palm of her right hand with her left hand.

The black evening dress revealed the purity and elegance that he couldn't take his eyes off. The clock struck twelve more slowly.

Sorry I'm late. Cinderella said.

No, the prom has just begun.

Four

This isn't a Cinderella story at all! The girl was dissatisfied, not that Cinderella's cruel stepmother and two sisters did not allow Cinderella to attend the prince's party, and the kind-hearted witch ......

So the kind-hearted witch gave her a pumpkin carriage and an evening gown? He laughed, why did he have to make Cinderella like the prince? A prince can like Cinderella too, right?

What logic...... The girl rolled her eyes, well, let's not talk about the direction of the love reaction between the prince and Cinderella for the time being, then, what about the black evening dress? Don't princesses wear white princess dresses?

But, he shrugged, you're wearing a black down jacket.

Five

After the ball, Cinderella still didn't like the prince, Cinderella who didn't like the prince liked the stars, and Cinderella liked to help her stepmother and sisters who loved her clean up the beans scattered around the room - she said it would feel like picking up the stars scattered on the ground.

Mom (sister) asked me to come, Cinderella would say so, and then take the delicate tweezers from her room and pick up her favorite children one by one.

The Prince's witch friend thinks this is a nuisance and unhappy thing to do, so she asks the ants to help Cinderella, but when her ants return, they tell her that Cinderella really likes to do it.

So the witch went to the prince's ivory tower, and the prince was staring into the air in a daze.

Well, Your Highness, the witch sighed, your Cinderella loves the stars.

It's true? The prince's eyes lit up, so please give me the stars.

That kind of thing...... The witch shook her head, and honestly, neither did I.

So the prince's eyes darkened again, didn't he......

…… The witch looked at the prince for a long time, and her gaze looked through the thin veil, and at last she turned her face, well, Jack's peas lead to the giant's castle, where the stars can be picked.

I'll find Jack's! The prince rushed out of the ivory tower, but was grabbed by the arm by the witch, and so on!

What's wrong?

…… Bring your sword and be careful.

Six

You're tampering with fairy tales again, the girl said, and how do I feel like the heroine has changed?

Ah, yes? He held his chin in contemplation, but I don't think the heroine has changed...... By the way, the prince has gone to pick the stars with his sword, do you have anything to want? Maybe I can get the prince to bring it to you.

Oh? How about a vanilla-flavored ice cream? The girl laughed.

This is simple...... He nodded and was suddenly stunned, hey, I said, my eldest lady, it's winter!

Ahh

Seven

When the dwarf came, the witch was fiddling with her broom and crystal ball in the ivory tower. The sunlight was swept in by the witch over and over again from the balcony, and the warmth of the room was flooded.

Your Highness, the dwarf bowed, I beg your pardon for being abrupt, I wonder if you could invite you to visit our village at any time?

It is an honour to be invited by you, my friend from afar, the witch owes herself, chanting a vague incantation in her mouth, and controlling the crystal ball to float and collect the color of the sun, a color suitable for the prince's hobby of reading at night, than

rise

The flickering candle wax and oil lamps, the soft sunlight did not hurt the prince's eyes. But you must know that I cannot leave here for a while, I mean, His Royal Highness will be back in the near future, and I think I should meet him here.

I'm sorry if you're waiting for His Royal Highness...... The dwarf carefully sorted out the words, and I thought......

Well? The witch's hand slowed, and though through the veil, the dwarf had no suspicion that she was frowning—the sun was suddenly cold.

Well, I mean, the dwarf sighed, and His Highness fell into a deep sleep.

Witches, dwarfs, witches' crystal balls and brooms are all gone in an instant.

Eight

She hadn't seen him for half a week when his friend told her about her - it was as if he had vanished from the world, and he had suddenly disappeared into the city. Do you know about him? She was pleasantly surprised.

yes, my friend nodded, he's at home.

At home...... The girl frowned lightly, gritted her teeth, and dared to ignore me for half a week......

Hey, didn't he tell you? My friend was surprised that he was hit by a car on the national highway and injured his leg, and he just took a plaster to recuperate at home a few days ago. I want to think about it...... About three days ago.

The friend tilted his head back and remembered, and when he turned around, the girl was gone.

Nine

The village of the dwarfs. The dwarfs were startled by the sudden appearance of the witch, but she had no intention of appeasing the wounded creatures - her eyes had been on the village from the moment she appeared - under the flowers and trees in the village - the crystal container, and she saw her prince lying quietly in the container, and the dwarfs had gathered grass from the forest with the morning dew and covered the prince.

As I remember, this container is called ...... Coffin.

He...... How so. He whispered, as if talking to himself.

His Highness climbed up from my pea and got the star above the castle, but the ferocious giant found us, and Jack stood silently in front of the crystal coffin, whispering a story that seemed prosaic, and the prince and the giant began to fight, and His Highness's sword stabbed the giant's one eye.

I mean, she still whispered, how could he be like this.

The giant who had lost his cyclops went mad and attacked everything it could touch, the castle, me, and Your Highness, the castle was destroyed, and I was sent flying from the clouds with Your Highness...... I'm sorry, Miko Maiden, but my peas can only pick up one person at a time......

Yes. She was silent. Yes, your peas can only save one person......

The dwarfs rescued His Highness, and their healing skills, you know, they healed all of His Highness's injuries, but His Highness was still unconscious......

Jack, she interrupted Jack's words, looked at the sleeping prince, and said softly, If Your Highness can't wake up, I will burn you and your peas.

However, the shrine maiden ...... I understand.

Jack fell silent, as did the dwarfs and the veiled witch.

All of them.

Ten

We still have a way, the dwarf elder said suddenly.

Yes, Jack nodded solemnly, but that was the last option.

Really, is there no other way? The witch frowned.

Yes, Jack said.

She then whispered, "Well, I'm going to ask Cinderella."

Eleven

There is such a potion that the sleeper who drinks it will be awakened by the kiss of the one he loves - but the potion has irreversible side effects or hidden dangers - when the sun sets, the sleeping person will turn into a bubble and disappear into the night, forever.

This is the most effective, but the last method.

They decided to do it.

twelve

But I don't like the prince, said Cinderella.

Eventually, however, she went to the dwarfs' village - and at the witch's behest she said goodbye to her loving father, stepmother, and two sisters, and sat on the witch's broomstick.

Do you really want to kiss it?

Well...... Well, yes.

Yes...... It was Ben's first kiss.

Well...... Well.

The witch fed the prince a potion—the kind of potion that could be awakened by the kiss of the one whom the sleeper loved dearly—and Cinderella closed her eyes and kissed it.

A baker's dozen

Nothing worked.

fourteen

Cinderella left.

The witch sat down on the ground, and she looked at the sun as it faded westward, and stood alone in the air. No one can stop the sun from going west, not even the shrine maidens. She knew that when the sun was completely silent below the distant mountains, he in the crystal coffin would turn into a rising bubble that she would never see again.

Her Highness the Shrine Maiden...... Jack came to her side with his hat in his hand, and stood, pea seeds lying quietly in his hat.

Leave me alone for a while. She whispered.

So Jack left with his hat in his arms, leaving her in the crystal coffin with the sleeping prince.

fifteen

The sun gradually went away, and the shadow of the mountain stretched long, long in the twilight. The witch saw that the prince's body had become more and more crystalline, and she knew that the time was almost up.

Do you know? The witch smiled bitterly, Your Highness, I've always liked you.

The prince fell asleep, unable to respond, except that his sparkling face gradually became transparent, as if it were about to disappear.

No! No! She suddenly went insane, unable to accept the fact that her beloved prince was leaving her.

The sunshine, the sunshine, the distant mountains, the sunshine only had a tail left, and the clouds leaning against the valley were dyed red, as if spilling blood.

Sunlight! Sunlight!

That's right, the crystal ball! Without hesitation, she smashed her crystal ball, and in an instant, the sunlight she had collected re-illuminated the entire crystal coffin.

The prince's body solidified a little, but after only a moment, it began to dissipate again.

No, it can't, it can't be like this, the witch panicked, yes, kiss, kiss, yes, kiss!

She then lifted her veil in a panic—she had forgotten the fact that the prince was desperate to pick the stars for the sake of her beloved Cinderella—and she kissed them deeply.

sixteen

Idiot, you!

She violently smashed open the door of his house, and when he came to open the door, he had a plaster cast wrapped in one of his legs, and she was angry on the spot, are you stupid? A person who runs such a dangerous place and is hit by a car!

I'm sorry...... I didn't pay attention to the road...... He apologized quietly.

A sucker! I can't see the road! Stupid stupid stupid!

I'm sorry...... He scratched his head, I didn't expect you to come and see me......

You're embarrassed to say it! She puffed up, you are evaporating when you are playing the world! disappeared for three or four days at once, and didn't even say hello! Say, what have you been doing these days!

Not...... He held on and guarded the door to prevent her from looking inside.

Hey, I said, you can't hide another woman in your house, do you?

Not! He moved away from the door. She looked inside suspiciously.

Sofa, TV, refrigerator, computer, desk...... Table......

This, this...... She covered her mouth and leaned on the table inside, a table full of ......

That's vanilla ice cream.

Well, because it's winter, it's not easy to melt, so it's just on the table...... I didn't expect you to come here...... He scratched his cheek, and I said, don't eat too much, it's going to have diarrhea...... Belch.

She hugged him.

Now, next time, don't spend money on these things......

Well.

seventeen

The prince woke up.

eighteen

The prince and the witch lived happily ever after.

nineteen

And what about Cinderella?

Many years later, the girl finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked him such a question.

He smiled, and who knows?

twenty

Cinderella eats vanilla ice cream in winter.

twenty-one

That's what I'm talking about, fairy tales.

Night God

Early 2012

In 2015

twenty-two

――Perhaps, there should be a follow-up to this story?

twenty-three

- No, it's a happy ending.

twenty-four

- What about you?

twenty-five

- Me?

twenty-six

Haha, would you like to hear the story of a Guardian Knight who has achieved nothing?

twenty-seven

Want to hear it? Let's talk about it.

It's not very long.

twenty-eight

Once upon a time there was a knight who fell in love with the daughter of a farmer's family.

twenty-nine

- Hey, Raymond, we're neighbors!

- Ah, hmm......

thirty

- Raymond, what's wrong? Suddenly called me out.

- I...... I can be a knight......

- Wow, that's so powerful, is it the prince's knight? That's great!

- Hmm...... I'm going to the palace tomorrow, I'm ...... I still...... I don't think I'm missing anything......

- Hmm...... What is lacking has to be made up, let's talk about it, what is missing?

- I...... I still lack a girlfriend...... You like that......

- Huh?

- You...... Would you like to be my girlfriend......

- Haha, yes!

thirty-one

- Raymond, have you ever thought that we are not a good fit?

- Hmm...... No.

――And what if so?

――…… No.

- Poof, Raymond, you look so stupid.

- Huh? Ha......

thirty-two

- Raymond There is a long distance between us, you see you are in the palace, so far away from me, you can't come to see me once a month......

- Ah......

- Next time, I'll see you near the palace! You're going to treat me well!

- Ah...... Well!

thirty-three

- Raymond! Are you stupid? I didn't book a hotel in advance when I knew I was coming!

- I...... I thought there would be availability......

- You! This! Piece! Elm tree! Wood! Brain! Bag!

- Ah...... I'll pay attention next time......

――Would you like to have a next time!?

- Huh? I didn't ......

- Hmph! Not! Yes! Under! Times! Finish!

- Uh-huh-hmm......

thirty-four

- Huh! Raymond, why are you back so soon!

- I...... Hehe, I missed you and came to see you...... The fare is actually not very expensive......

thirty-five

- Raymond, my mother said we couldn't do it.

- Ah...... Well......

- I'm older than you.

- Ah...... Well......

- Na, I will have to support my family in the future, and I will be almost thirty years old when you return from your service in the palace......

- Stupid. Wait for me. I'll marry you.

- Why are you so stubborn?

thirty-six

- Raymond ...... I guess we'd better break up.

- Huh? For......

-- The two of us are not suitable.

- Oh......

thirty-seven

- Hmm...... Can you still be friends?

- Yes!

- Hmm!

thirty-seven

- Raymond Raymond Raymond!

- Ah......

-- The prince is going to hold a ball in the palace!

――…… You're not a princess.

- You're helping the prince guard the door in the palace! You have a way!

- I didn't ......

- Raymond~

- Hmm...... Let me see......

thirty-eight

- Knight! What's wrong with the road ahead?

-- Back to Your Highness, the No. 1 road leading to the center of the town is under construction, please allow us to temporarily change the route back to the palace, and please ......

- Well, it's okay, I'm tired of walking that way anyway.

- Hmm.

thirty-nine

- Knight! Who is that girl!

- Back to Your Highness, she is Cinderella.

forty

……

forty-one

- Raymond Raymond! The witch is coming for me! She said the prince liked me and invited me to the ball!

- Hmm...... Happy, isn't it......

- Hmm! I don't like princes, but I'm glad I was invited to the ball!

- Hmm.

forty-two

――Remember to call me when the time comes.

- Definitely!

- Hmm. By the way, this time I booked a room for you in advance.

- Haha, thank you~

――There are also tickets......

- No, the witch gave me a pumpkin cart and a white horse! I'm a driver's license!

- Hmm.

forty-two

……

forty-three

- Your Highness, Cinderella is here.

forty-four

So Raymond left Cinderella's life.

forty-five

-- Always in touch.

I put it this way.

Night God

September 28, 2015

forty-six

Then I decided to start over.