I Thought It Was a Fairy Tale but the Genre Is Strange

Rapunzel (12)

“T-this isn’t a dream, right?”

“Heeey, babe, are you getting sleepy or something?”

Alice chuckled, swatting away incoming blades with her mace. Ariel, her face crumpling at the sight of my wounds, conjured a giant bubble of water and shoved me inside.

[WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING! WHAT IF YOU GET HURT LIKE THIS!]

“Haha, I’m… sorry.”

The moment I was submerged, a comforting sensation washed over me, and the vitality slowly returned to my almost-broken body. Bubbles fizzed from my fatal wounds as they started to knit back together.

I glanced over at Ariel and Alice’s injuries. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises, coated in dirt as if they’d been rolled around on the ground. And yet, they still stood there, protecting me like this.

“B-but… how did you guys get in here? The barrier?”

“Ah, the barrier.”

Alice caught an incoming blade barehanded and spoke with her signature deadly smile.

“It seems like that thing’s gone.”

“What? Gone?”

[Let me break it down. After the Prince vanished, the arrogant villagers and monsters attacked. Unlike before, our attacks had no effect on the monster, so it eventually fled. After discussing it with this crazy b*tch, we went back to the tower, half-hoping, and found the barrier was gone. Which means, no matter what the Prince did, he broke the barrier.]

I was so shocked, I could only gape. The barrier just… broke that easily? Just after I got here? All I did was play with Rapunzel and see her past, then struggle my way up here. I didn’t really do anything special.

“I… I didn’t do anything, really?”

“Why so surprised? You’re our Grim Reaper, honey, just being in this tower would have had a major impact on the barrier. But, can we kill that nasty little girl now?”

Alice glared at the fake Rapunzel, looking annoyed. I cautiously pointed at the fake, who was radiating a terrifying aura, and asked.

“You mean the one over there, seething with hatred? Yeah, you can take her out. But don’t kill the real Rapunzel behind her. She’s the one we need to save.”

“Hmmm~ Your eyes look kinda strange, honey.”

Alice alternated her gaze between me and Rapunzel, who looked relieved and safe on the bed, and tilted her head.

“Why are you two exchanging such tender looks?”

[Now that you mention it, what was that about you calling him your boyfriend!]

Ugh, suddenly my breath catches in my throat. I forced a smile under the pressure of their combined stares.

“I’ll explain later, for now, taking that one down is the priority.”

“Well, just so you know, I might accidentally kill the one behind her.”

[Yeah! We might accidentally do that!]

“Ugh, please, just be careful.”

*Pshhht.* Blood started flowing from Alice’s body, from which you’d never expect a single drop. She was deflecting countless hair attacks but couldn’t possibly block them all. She was slowly letting attacks through, and the damage was accumulating. Even just blocking Rapunzel’s attacks was beyond human capability. And she was protecting me and Ariel with impossible, dazzling movements.

Right now, Ariel is busy healing me, so she can’t join Alice.

At this rate, there’s no hope.

I barely moved, and yet the pain was unbearable, like all my bones were twisting. Still, I forced myself to sit up. Ariel looked alarmed and waved her hands at me, telling me to stay down.

[What the hell are you doing! Prince, your injuries are serious, you need more treatment!]

“Ugh. No, I’m fine. I’ve recovered somewhat. You guys said it, right? That you couldn’t hurt that golden monster. It’ll be the same here too.”

“So, what kind of plan do you have? Are we just gonna run away with our tails between our legs?”

I chuckled and shook my head.

“No. I can cut it with the scythe Ariel gave me. I’ll cut down that fake and break Rapunzel’s curse. So, you guys need to assist me.”

“Ooh, so you’re finally gonna show us your full grim reaper power? Fine, go tear that arrogant b*tch to shreds.”

[Ugh, honestly, I’m worried, but if the Prince wants it, then okay. I’ll do my best to support you!]

“Thanks, everyone.”

I took a deep breath and gripped the scythe handle. Just moving still made my muscles feel like they were tearing and my lungs felt like they were collapsing, but it was way better than before. This is the final hurdle. If I get past this…

I can save my girlfriend.

“Let’s go!”

I shot forward.

“You disgusting lot! How dare you show such nauseating friendship here!”

The fake Rapunzel raged, transforming the strands of hair around me into spears and launching them. Spears rained down from all sides. There was nowhere to dodge. But I believe in them, the fairytale protagonists obsessed with me!

Clang! Sparks flew as Alice’s mace and blade collided. Ariel poured a huge bubble of water onto the hair, stopping it in its tracks.

A path is opening up! I can do it. I can do this. I can overcome this obstacle! I will break Rapunzel’s curse!

As soon as that thought went through my head, a huge shadow zoomed in right before my face. Looking up, I saw a massive hammer, capable of easily crushing my body, descending on me.

I gritted my teeth and prayed, begged, to every god I’d never believed in or prayed to before that this would work. I swung the scythe with all my might.

It’s all or nothing. If I succeed, I’ll reach the fake, if I fail, I’ll become jerky. The moment the scythe blade met the hammer…

A soft sensation, traveling through the scythe handle, washed over my whole body. And with it, something electric exploded in my head.

The hammer sliced off like tofu, reverting to faded hair.

“Kuh, I am Rapunzel’s hatred!! No one can stand before me—!”

The fake screamed, blood tears streaming down her face. As she gestured with both hands, countless strands of hair that hung from the ceiling crashed down like a downpour.

“W-wait, what?”

This is too much! How am I supposed to dodge that?! Just imagining those thin, sharp needles piercing my body sent shivers down my spine. Even if I used my scythe, those fine hairs would surely find their way through the gaps.

[No way in hell!]

Then, suddenly, water rippled around me, rising in a rough surge. The barrage of hair daggers aimed at me was deflected by the torrent, embedding themselves in the hapless floor and walls.

I’m alive! Ariel, you’re the best!

“You are meaningless to Rapunzel! Rapunzel is enraged. Even at this moment! She doesn’t want to be manipulated by your whims; she wants to burn the outside world to the ground!”

Whoosh. What’s that on the fake’s head? It was burning. Her hair. Golden strands swirled above the fake Rapunzel’s head, then formed a gigantic fireball that blazed fiercely.

The heat was so intense that the surrounding water began to boil, creating steam.

Before I could react, the fake launched the orb, and the fireball, which looked like it could melt anything it touched, hurtled towards me at a speed that was hard to follow with the eyes.

*KANG!!!!*

With an ear-splitting screech of friction, the fireball veered sideways and slammed into the wall.

*KWA-ANG!*

A mighty explosion erupted, collapsing the entire wall. Alice, who had sent the fireball flying like a baseball, cocked her head.

“Go, honey. It’s time to cut that b*tch’s throat.”

“Okay!”

As I dashed forward, Alice hummed a satisfied tune, deflecting the golden attacks that rained down. Ariel erected massive walls of water on either side of me, completely blocking any other attacks.

I glared at the figure blocking my path. A terrifying fake Rapunzel, dripping blood from her entire body. She emitted an unintelligible scream and unleashed a straight attack, spewing a mix of blood and golden hair.

I can do it. I can do it.

I repeated it to myself, twisting my waist, pressing the scythe handle tight against my body, then sending the blade backward. I stared straight into the furiously whipping tendrils of hair, screaming back so I wouldn’t falter.

“I’ll cut away all of Rapunzel’s hatred—!!!”

I swing the scythe like a storm. The continuously moving blade mercilessly cuts through the hair. My arm cracks with a sickening sound, like something’s gone wrong. The hot, needle-stabbing pain in my lower back spreads throughout my body. Thin strands of hair graze my cheek, drawing thick, dark blood. I feel the sensation of golden hair, not cut in time, piercing through my limbs.

Don’t think. Don’t feel. Only look ahead. At the girl crying beyond the hatred. At the child who doesn’t want to be swayed by hatred. At my girlfriend who just wants to live normally!

Only remember the single-mindedness of saving her!

“Ughhh!!!!”

Thud.

“Ah…”

The fake looked down at the scythe embedded in its chest. And then looked up again at me, my body riddled with thin strands of hair.

“I, I am Rapunzel’s ha…”

*Slurrrp*. The fake’s face, weeping blood, crumbled back into ordinary hair.