It's been 3 days since Ryo returned from Al-Munira, 1 day since the fairytale convention.
And so far? No clients yet.
And now we arrive to today, it's the morning.
Ryo woke up early before opening up his office, Odyssey Investigation.
But before opening, he decided to go out to the convenience store to buy some breakfast.
He locked the door behind him… and started walking down the quiet street.
Then…he sighed to himself.
"Seriously… my parents sure gave me an earful last night…"
Right after returning from the fairytale convention, Ryo decided to send some money—
—not some… but kinda a lot… just to help support his parents, like the good son he is.
But man oh man… he got roasted hard.
Like, burned at the stake hard.
His parents suddenly turned full detective mode—asking if he had robbed a bank or stole from someone.
Because they knew he was about to go broke, right before he got that sudden mysterious client from the Arabian fantasy kingdom.
Ryo has a mom, dad, one older brother, and a younger sister, A family of five.
And since Ryo can't seem to switch off his sarcasm even around his own family, they just started calling him Mr. Sarcasm or Mr. Jokester— never really calling him by his real name anymore.
So when they started interrogating him through a phone call, it went something like…
"Mr. Sarcasm, where the heck did you get this kind of money from?!"
Of course… Ryo couldn't exactly tell them about the hidden Arabian magical kingdom, or that he helped save it from a maniacal immortal villain.
Yeah—no way they'd buy that. So he just played it off.
He told them he got a very rich client who needed his help to find their lost child, and that the client paid him big… and even gave him a huge bonus as thanks. And luckily… his parents believed it.
They let it slide.
But Ryo? He just kept walking… rubbing his temples.
"Next time, I'll just send a decent amount… so my old folks won't start suspecting me again…"
Ryo finally arrived at the convenience store and stepped inside.
He grabbed a basket and went around quickly—bananas, bread, a jar of strawberry jam, eggs, and a couple of boxed orange juice.
Just enough to fill his fridge and fill his stomach.
While he stood at the counter, waiting for the cashier to finish scanning, something changed.
The light outside… dimmed, the sky was turning dark.
Heavy rain suddenly came pouring down, fast and loud, hammering the streets outside.
Ryo turned his head, looking at the drenched world beyond the glass.
"Great, now I'm stuck here for a while."
But then—he spotted something. Near the cashier… an umbrella for sale.
"…You know what? Add the umbrella too."
He paid quickly, grabbed his bag, popped open the new umbrella, and hurried out.
The rain was pounding the pavement, bouncing off rooftops and signs, flooding the sidewalks.
As he was walking back toward his office, trying not to trip in the puddles…
he heard something, he suddenly stopped.
A sound.
"La… la… la… LALALA… LAAAALALALAAAA… LAAAALAAAAA…"
It echoed softly… like it was coming from nowhere—and everywhere.
Ryo blinked, looking around.
"What the… Who's making all this melody…?"
It sounded… enchanting.
Not like any street performance. Not like any voice you'd just casually hear in passing.
It was delicate, aged, like the song of a wise old soul— but grand, like a voice that once sang for kings. Like a lullaby floating from an ancient opera… a sound that shouldn't be in the middle of a rainy Tokyo street.
And then—The melody stopped.
Abrupt.
Ryo stayed frozen, umbrella still raised, eyes scanning.
"What was that all about…?"
But then—the sky answered.
Above him, the rainy clouds began to twist—slow at first, then spiraling rapidly, like something unseen was spinning the heavens themselves.
Ryo looked up, eyes starting to panic.
"Wh—what the…?"
The clouds spiraled faster, forming a circular shape like a divine vortex—
Then suddenly— they BURST outward.
A ring of clouds exploded in the sky.
Rain stopped, not slowed… Stopped.
Like someone pressed pause on the weather.
The sunlight pierced through the hole in the clouds—a golden beam shooting straight down to the earth. Warm, glowing, powerful—like the hand of a god had reached through the sky itself.
Ryo stood there, jaw dropping in awe and horror.
"HUUUUUUUUUUUHHHH!!!!! WH-WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
It didn't feel like natural weather. It felt like… Magic.
Like some divine being had just made its presence known—and Ryo just happened to be right under it.
He scrambled to grab his phone and checked the news.
Sure enough—BREAKING NEWS alerts were already flooding in.
Video clips. Photos.
People recording from balconies, parks, even office windows.
Comment sections were going wild.
"Some divine event??"
"Are the gods angry??"
"Is this a sign from the heavens?"
"It felt… holy."
"The voice… did anyone else hear that voice?"
Ryo's hand was trembling as he stared at his screen.
"The heck…?! I was hoping for no fantasy-like stuff in Japan—but why does this happen now?!"
Ryo was still panicking when he finally reached his small office. He rushed inside, closing the door behind him and catching his breath.
"I really hope some magical boss-like character doesn't start descending from the sky…"
He locked the door out of instinct, his heart racing as if something else might be coming.
So, he sat down, hoping for nothing more to happen. After all, his office wasn't a place for sudden magical phenomena. He needed to eat.
Ryo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He began to prepare his breakfast—a simple strawberry jam sandwich, fried egg on the side, and a banana with a glass of orange juice.
As he ate, his phone rang. Ryo sighed, already knowing who it was.
"He's definitely gonna talk about that weird sky-bursting-out phenomenon."
He picked up the phone, and as expected—
Kaji in a loud voice. "SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCK!!!!!!"
Ryo flinched, holding the phone away from his ear. "YOU DON'T NEED TO BE SO LOUD ON THE PHONE AGAIN, FANTASY-CHAN!"
Kaji stuttered, his voice filled with excitement. "BUT… BUT… DIDN'T YOU SEE WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE SKY? IT LOOKS LIKE A FANTASY MOMENT!!!!"
Ryo calmly, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, weird, right?"
Kaji continued, barely containing his excitement. "I was patrolling around the city, and the sky started swirling so creepily and burst out like a ring! THAT'S DEFINITELY FANTASY STUFF LIKE YOU'D SEE IN ANIME MOVIES!!"
Ryo wondered aloud. "You got any idea how that happened?"
Kaji, the self-proclaimed expert on everything fantasy-related, answered nonchalantly.
"Nope, but there is a possibility of a certain thing that's about to happen."
Ryo, suddenly intrigued, leaned forward. "Really? Tell me if you have any leads!"
Kaji grinned from the other side of the line. "There is a chance that a god-like character is about to descend from the sky, ask someone to be the hero, and have him get transported to another world to defeat the demon lord of their world!"
There was a looong silence on the line.
Kaji, laughing. "I know that silence… you're probably baffled by what just came out of my mouth! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Ryo, rubbing his temples in disbelief. "YOU'RE SO… GOD DAMN RIGHT!"
Kaji, still laughing. "HAHAHAHAHA! Anyway, if that were to happen, hopefully that god-like character appears in front of me, chooses me to become the hero, and I get isekai'd! Transported to another world without getting hit by a truck, become the hero, form my own harem party at a guild, and slay the demon lord! And come back to this world with my girls from my harem, and introduce them to you, Sherlock!"
Ryo groaned, his headache intensifying from the absurdity of it all.
"Suuuuuuure, introduce me to that cat-girl character you always like if she were to join your party…"
Kaji, practically squealing with excitement. "DEFINITELY!! Anyways, I'm gonna go back to my patrolling duties now. Wish me luck on getting isekai'd!"
Ryo sighed in exasperation. "Good luck with that, isekai protagonist…"
And with that, the phone call ended.
30 minutes later…
Ryo stood up from his desk, stretching his arms.
He walked over to the window to check if any fantasy god-like character had indeed descended from the sky.
Though he highly doubted it—And fortunately, there was nothing.
He exhaled in relief. "Guess I'll just open up the office now."
Ryo unlocked the door, walked back to his desk, and sat down, scrolling through his phone, trying to find more details about the mysterious phenomenon in the sky.
But before he could focus… Knock knock.
Ryo looked up, his heart jumping a little. "Oh! Is that a client?"
He quickly cleared his throat, sitting up straight. "Eheem! Yes, please come in."
The door slowly creaked open, and what stepped inside made Ryo freeze in surprise.
An elegant old lady, with silver hair neatly tucked under a dark blue gown, stood in the doorway. She wore a moon-shaped brooch at her neck and carried a wand with a crescent-shaped tip.
Her voice was soft but commanding. "Why, hello there. I've heard you're a detective—and detectives are the sort who help those in need, aren't they? Well then, I do believe I could use a bit of your help, if you don't mind."
Ryo's eyes twitched, his mouth going dry. He was so stunned by the sudden appearance of this woman—who looked like she had stepped out of a fairytale—that he could barely form words.
"A… A… a…"
The lady raised an eyebrow, confused. "Is there something on my face, dear? Ah, yes, I believe it is… Mr. Detective, yes?"
Ryo's mind was reeling. This lady, dressed like a character from a fantasy tale, was asking for help… And she didn't even seem to know what a detective was.
Inside his head, Ryo groaned sarcastically. "Great, a cosplaying old lady who looks like she just walked out of a fairytale. Just what I wanted today…"
Ryo decided to ignore the lady's fairytale-like appearance and treat her like any other regular client. After all, it was more respectful that way.
Ryo smiling. "Uh… yes, I am a detective, and I am here to help."
Lady, relieved, with a regal air. "Oh, finally, I was in dire need of help."
Ryo gestured toward the chairs. "Welcome, ma'am. Take a seat. Do you want to sit on the sofa or the chair in front of my desk?"
Lady, with a gentle smile and a soft wave of her hand. "I shall take the chair, thank you kindly."
She walked toward the chair and sat directly in front of Ryo. As she did, Ryo noticed something. Her speech, her movements—everything about her seemed… different. Not quite like a regular person. It was as if she'd been lifted from another world altogether.
Ryo asking. "How about a drink, ma'am?"
Lady, with a graceful nod. "Tea, please."
Ryo nodded, slightly puzzled at her composure. "Okay, ma'am."
He stood up and walked over to the coffee station. Fortunately, the newly bought coffee machine had a tea-making option, so he set about preparing it for his new client. After a moment, he brought the tea back to the lady.
Lady, taking the tea with a soft, regal smile. "Thank you very much. How kind of you, young man."
Ryo sat back down in his chair, grabbing his notebook and pen, ready to start the questioning.
"So, how can I help you?"
The lady's expression shifted to one of concern.
Her voice soft but filled with sincerity. "Actually, there's a lovely young lady who has gone missing. I've been searching for her for a month, and to this day, I cannot even find her. Oh, my dear, I just hope she is well…"
Ryo smirked inwardly, thinking. "I see... a missing person case. Right up my alley!" He jotted down notes.
As he scribbled, something caught his eye. The lady looked… foreign. Another unusual-looking client—like Shahira from Al-Munira. But this one… she didn't seem like she was from an Arabian fantasy kingdom.
Ryo continued. "So, where are you from, ma'am? You seem to be a foreigner."
Lady, with a serene smile, as if the question were no surprise to her.
"I am from the Kingdom of Evendelle."
Ryo froze mid-sentence, then slowly looked up at her. His eyes twitched. "Kingdom… of… what?"
Lady, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, as if the confusion were amusing to her.
"Did I say that incorrectly? My apologies. I am from the Kingdom of Evendelle."
Ryo stared at her, his pen still in his hand, his eyes twitching. "Riiiiiiight."
Once again, another unusual-looking client from yet another strange-sounding kingdom. He sighed inwardly, hoping this wasn't becoming a trend.
Ryo took a deep breath and exhaled, composing himself, shifting back into serious mode.
Since this person claimed to be from the so-called Kingdom of Evendelle, Ryo couldn't help but grow more curious.
"Can you tell me your name, and the name of this missing person?"
The lady, with a gentle smile, responded in a voice full of grace and nobility. "I am the Fairy Greatmother."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Huh?"
The Fairy Greatmother continued, her voice like a soft melody, serene and full of quiet strength.
"The person who is missing... is Cinderella."
Ryo's eyes grew even larger, almost comically so. "Huuuuuuuuuuuuuh...?"
Lady, her tone filled with concern as she observed Ryo's shock.
"Oh dear, Mr. Detective, are you quite well? Your eyes appear to have grown as large as a saucer."
Ryo stuttered, still recovering from the bombshell. "Oh, yeah?...Totally...sorry about... that... ma'am."
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Umm… Ma'am, are you sure you're okay in the head? You sure you're not just roleplaying some fairytale character? I mean, look at your cosplay."
The lady tilted her head, puzzled. "What ever are you talking about, Mr. Detective? I am not roleplaying as anything. And… what, pray tell, is a fairytale?"
Ryo blinked.
He gestured. "I mean… shouldn't there be the word 'God' in your name instead of 'Great'? And did you just say you've never heard of a fairytale?"
The lady smiled, unbothered.
"Oh, not at all. I am not the Fairy Godmother—Heavens, no—I am the Fairy Greatmother."
"And as for this fairytale you speak of… I'm afraid I've never heard the term."
Ryo internally groaned, his sarcasm fully active.
"Great… An old lady cosplayer. And not just any cosplayer—a knockoff Fairy Godmother with a title swap. And she doesn't even know what a fairytale is. Meanwhile, she looks exactly like the storybook version of Cinderella's fairy godmother—if that version stepped out of an anime. And now she's acting like Cinderella's a real person she deeply cares about… Wonderful. This just keeps getting better."
Ryo narrowed his eyes. "And why do you sound so worried over Cinderella? Isn't she… you know… a fictional character?"
The lady's expression turned unimpressed, her gaze suddenly sharp.
The Fairy Greatmother asked flatly. "What did you just say?"
Ryo's nervous chuckle surfaced. "Uh… I mean… isn't Cinderella from a storybook?"
Without warning, the lady slammed the side of her fist down on the desk, causing the tea to jump in its cup.
The Fairy Greatmother said sternly. "How dare you! Cinderella is a real lady!"
Ryo flinched, throwing up his hands. "WOW—Okay! Please calm down, ma'am!"
The Fairy Greatmother said seriously. "And she is gone! Disappeared after only three months into her engagement with Prince Vaelric!"
Ryo blinked. "Prince… Vael-what now?"
Before she could respond, Ryo quickly held up a hand.
With his arms crossed and tone serious. "Okay, ma'am. Since this is starting to spiral into something way more confusing… I need to ask something first."
She calmly sipped her tea, leaning back in her seat.
Fairy Greatmother, composed and calm. "And what might that be, dear?"
Ryo with sharp gaze. "I want you to prove something to me before we dive deeper into… whatever this is."
Fairy Greatmother gave a soft smile. "Very well. What proof do you seek?"
Ryo recalled how Shahira demonstrated her water magic during her visit.
"You said you're the Fairy Greatmother, right? If that's true… then you have magic, yeah? I want you to prove that magic is real."
Her smile turned confident. "Oh, how delightfully easy. I can prove it to you in two ways."
Ryo squinted. "You sound awfully confident, ma'am."
She raised a delicate finger upward. "First—earlier, I cleared the rain clouds above."
Ryo stared, stunned.
He pointed at her. "Hold up… are you telling me you're the one who made that huge dramatic ring burst in the sky earlier?"
She nodded, gracefully placing her hand under her chin.
"Indeed. The people here looked dreadfully glum beneath that gloomy weather. So I flew myself up to that striking red tower and cast a spell to let the sunlight back into this kingdom."
Ryo in disbelief. "…Okay, two things. This isn't a kingdom, this is Tokyo, a city. And that's Tokyo Tower, not a castle or anything."
Fairy Greatmother smiled politely. "Ah, Tokyo, is it? What a lovely name for such a large village."
Ryo, baffled, thought to himself. "Did she just call Tokyo… a large village?"
She set her teacup down. "And now for the second method of proof."
She rose from her chair with elegance, gently sliding it aside. Then she stepped back from the desk, lifted her crescent-shaped wand, and took a poised stance.
Ryo blinked in confusion. "Sooo… now what, ma'am?"
She raised her wand and pointed it at her teacup. Then she began to sing.
Fairy Greatmother chanted. "La… la… la… LALALA… LAAAALALALAAAA… LAAAALAAAAA…"
Ryo gasped, thought to himself."Wait a minute… that's the same tune I heard earlier before the sky split open!"
Her wand shimmered with radiant gold light—then ZAP!
A bolt shot out and struck the teacup with a flash and BOOM!
Ryo nearly fell backward out of his chair. "WHOA!!"
Smoke billowed from the desk… then a strange croaking sound emerged from within the mist.
"RIBBIT."
Ryo blinked several times. "Huh?"
The teacup was gone—no, it had transformed. In its place, a green frog blinked back at him.
Ryo screamed in shock. "HUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHH?!?"
"RIBBIT."
She gracefully lowered her wand, clearly proud.
"There we are, Mr. Detective. I do hope that's sufficient proof."
Ryo sat frozen, mouth hanging open.
He stammered. "Y-yeah… I-I guess I'll believe you now…"
"RIBBIT."
And just like that… another case with magic involved.
Ryo massaged his forehead, clearly frustrated that another magical case was already taking shape.
"Okay ma'am… you can sit back down now."
"RIBBIT."
The Fairy Greatmother gracefully slid her chair back into place and sat with perfect poise.
Ryo adjusted himself too, leaning forward and flipping open his notebook. He clicked his pen, ready to begin. "Alright… you said Cinderella disappeared after three months into her engagement. But I need you to start from the beginning."
The Fairy Greatmother smiled sweetly. "Of course, Mr. Detective."
Ryo was puzzled.
Cinderella's story was over 300 years old, dating back to the 1697 version, and it ended with her 'happily ever after' with the prince.
Yet this so-called Fairy Greatmother claimed she went missing just three months after getting engaged to Prince Vaelric.
The prince didn't even have a name in the original tale—now suddenly he did?
And how could Cinderella still be alive?
None of it made sense.
"RIBBIT."
Ryo paused, his pen dropped.
The frog on his desk stared at him with big, unblinking eyes. Like it knew something.
It was sitting perfectly still. Too still.
"RIBBIT."
Ryo raised an eyebrow.
He said dryly. "Uhhh… ma'am, before you start, could you, uh, turn this frog back into my cup?"
He pointed at it, still locked in a staring contest. "I can't focus on your story with Mr. Ribbit over here judging my soul every few seconds."
The Fairy Greatmother gasped lightly, as if just remembering. "Oh dear! My apologies—allow me."
She gave her wand a single twirl in the air. With a gentle shimmer of stardust and sparkles, the frog transformed back into Ryo's tea cup.
Ryo awestruck. "Wow…"
The tea inside even looked warmer than before.
Ryo readied his pen, flipping to a fresh page in his notebook. "Okay ma'am, you may begin."
The Fairy Greatmother folded her hands neatly on her lap, her voice gentle and refined as always.
"After dear Cinderella's slipper was matched to her foot by Prince Vaelric's royal servant, she was taken at once to the palace. She wanted nothing more to do with her stepmother or those dreadful stepsisters—who, I must say, treated her with appalling cruelty. Prince Vaelric, bless his heart, announced to the King and Queen of Evendelle that he would marry her in three months' time."
Ryo paused mid-scribble, glancing up. "Oh yeah… the kingdom also has a name now too…" he thought dryly.
The Fairy Greatmother went on, sipping her tea between words with dainty elegance.
"Everything was prepared. The royal wedding venue was selected, the ballroom was adorned with flowers and silk, and nobles from far and wide were invited. But just a few days before the ceremony… Cinderella vanished."
Her voice darkened slightly.
"At the time, I was buying bread at a humble bakery, trying not to draw attention—after all, I am a fairy, not exactly inconspicuous. While waiting in line, I overheard whispers… 'She's missing.' 'Did she run away?' 'Someone must've taken her for revenge.' Oh, the horror of it! I could scarcely believe it. I dashed into the streets, my bread left behind, and flew straight to the palace—only to find it under strict lockdown. No one allowed in or out."
She narrowed her eyes, tapping her wand lightly against her sleeve.
"So I took matters into my own hands. With a swirl of my wand, I floated to Cinderella's bedroom window and snuck inside. But what I found… was most alarming. Her bed—covered in ice."
Ryo surprised. "ICE?! What the hell is that all about!?"
She spoke gravely.
"I fear it was the work of a Frostreaver. Vile beings with control over ice magic. I believe one of them took her, which explains the frozen sheets left behind."
Ryo squinted, baffled. "Frostreaver? Never heard of that thing in the original books."
Fairy Greatmother tilted her head. "Original books? What do you mean by that, dear?"
Ryo groaned. "Nevermind… carry on."
The Fairy Greatmother gave a delicate nod and continued.
"I searched the entire kingdom of Evendelle—her stepmother's manor, the deepest woods, even the forbidden mountains. I even crept into the Frostreaver domain itself… but there was no sign of her. For one whole month, I searched tirelessly… until I lost all hope."
Her voice softened.
"So, as a final act of desperation, I turned the nearest apple into a carriage. It carried me across the veil between worlds. I arrived here, in this village of Tokyo, hoping to find someone in this realm who might help me find Cinderella… and bring her home."
Ryo blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.
He stammered, pointing at her. "Did... you just say... you carried yourself here... from your own realm?... Your OWN WORLD?!"
The Fairy Greatmother gave a simple, elegant nod. "Yes."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Not a secret country… not a hidden land… but an entirely different world!?"
Fairy Greatmother asked, genuinely confused. "Why? Is that unusual?"
With no words left, Ryo let his face fall forward onto his desk with a dramatic smack.
Fairy Greatmother, concerned. "Oh my! Are you alright? Did I say something peculiar?"
Ryo, face flat against the desk, groaned sarcastically in his head.
"An isekai plot has officially invaded my life! GREAT. AMAZING. TOTALLY NORMAL. Maybe tomorrow I'll meet ALICE'S WONDERLAND TOUR GUIDE!
Ryo slowly lifted his head off the desk, dragging his face upward like it weighed fifty pounds. His eyes already looked like he'd aged three years.
He curiously asked. "Ma'am… earlier, you sounded like you didn't even know what a detective was. Did someone refer you to me? Like, specifically me—a detective?"
The Fairy Greatmother brightened with a nod, her expression serene and unbothered, and began explaining cheerfully.
"Oh yes, indeed! While I was wandering through your rather chaotic big village—such noisy wagons and glowing signs—I must have looked terribly confused, because a kind young man came over to help me. I told him I was searching for someone dear to me, but hadn't the faintest idea where to begin. He said I needed… what was the word again? Ah, yes! A 'detective.'"
She smiled fondly.
"So, he brought me here in his strange, horseless carriage—what did he call it? Ah, yes, a car! He whisked me all the way to your humble dwelling, then told me to send his regards to you. He said—what was it again? Oh yes: 'Tell sherlock it's from the Oh Noble Prince Fantasy-chan.'"
Ryo froze, dropped his pen again.
His eye twitched.
Then his hands slammed the desk.
"THAT'S DEFINITELY 100% KAJI!!!"
He practically screamed it toward the heavens, shaking his fists like an anime protagonist betrayed by his childhood friend.
Fairy Greatmother, still smiling as brightly as ever with her eyes closed, completely unaware of Ryo's growing frustration. "Oh, your big village sure has a wonderful prince!"
Ryo groaned internally. "Oh great! now she thinks Kaji is the prince of Tokyo!"
And then came the moment of truth.
Fairy Greatmother asked with a hopeful tilt of her head. "So, when shall we depart, Mr. Detective?"
Ryo stiffened, pointing at her nervously. "Are you saying… I'm going to be transported to your world… to help you investigate and search for Cinderella!?"
The Greatmother nodded cheerfully. "But of course! That is precisely why I've come—under the kind recommendation of the Oh Noble Prince Fantasy-chan."
Ryo sighed, dread bubbling in his gut. He was about to be isekai'd.
To another world…
Not only that—but before Kaji, the "Oh Noble Prince Fantasy-chan" himself, ever got a shot.
Kaji would lose his mind with excitement if he heard.
Ryo almost said no. He wanted to say no. Cases in another world sounded like too much.
Way too ridiculous.
Too big. Too… fictional.
But then…
He remembered that thing.
That strange, pann-like guy at the fairytale convention. The one in black who whispered into his ear…
"Welcome to the Fairytale World…" His voice… slithered into Ryo's ear like mist.
And he disappeared seconds after.
That moment had stuck with Ryo like a bad dream. And now, here was the Fairy Greatmother, talking about taking him to Evendelle—a fairytale world.
Not just the usual fantasy world you'd see in an anime… but a Fairytale world.
It was too weird. Too much of a coincidence.
That creepy pann-like guy had to be connected. This wasn't just about Cinderella anymore.
His curiosity got the better of him—so he decided...
Ryo sighed in slow defeat. "Alright, ma'am… I'll go with you. I'll help investigate and find Cinderella."
Fairy Greatmother lit up in relief, hands pressed together. "Oh thank the heavens! I was worried… you looked like you didn't want to go with me."
Ryo let out a small chuckle. "Sorry for the confusion. Let me just pack up a few things before we head out."
"Very well, Mr. Detective," she beamed, "I'll be waiting right there at the sofa!"
Ryo started packing—some basic clothes, a few tools, emergency snacks, and, of course, a few weapons... just in case fairytales turned out to be as violent as that Arabian fantasy kingdom.
He zipped his backpack closed and let out a long, tired groan.
"Another adventure, huh… And this time, it's in another world. Yeah… great. Real upgrade from last time..."
Then, he walked over to the hanger next to the desk.
And with a deep breath…
He took his signature gray trench coat, swung it dramatically over his shoulders, and slipped his arms through in one swift motion.
The coat flared behind him like a cape in a movie.
Fairy Greatmother's eyes sparkled as she gasped in awe. "My goodness… you look amazing, Mr. Detective! It reminds me of when I summoned that magical gown for Cinderella before the royal ball!"
Ryo arched an eyebrow and gave a dry, amused chuckle. "So me putting on a trench coat… is equal to your magical dress-up scene of Cinderella?"
Fairy Greatmother clapped her hands with a smile. "Indeed! Very magical!"
Ryo muttered under his breath. "Yeah… except instead of glass slippers, I've got steel-toed boots."
And finally… Ryo stood ready, backpack strapped on tight. "I'm ready, ma'am. So, how exactly are we getting to your world?"
Fairy Greatmother rose with a bright smile… then suddenly paused, tapping her cheek with concern.
"Umm… I need to turn a fruit into a carriage, but—oh dear me—I don't see any food lying around. The apples I used before vanished after it served its purpose."
Ryo, raising a brow. "So… any kind of food will do?"
Fairy Greatmother, nodding with a pout. "Yes, anything edible really… Oh, what should I do…?"
Ryo suddenly remembered his half-eaten breakfast. "I think I got something."
Fairy Greatmother, perking up. "Really? Oh, how wonderfully helpful!"
Ryo walked to the corner of his office and opened the small fridge, pulling out a plate with a strawberry jam sandwich, a fried egg, a banana, and a box of orange juice. He placed them neatly on the table by the sofa.
Ryo: "Will any one of these do, ma'am?"
Fairy Greatmother clapped her hands in joy. "YES! Not just one—I'll use all of them!"
Ryo's eyes widened. "All of them?!"
In a flurry of excitement, she scooped up the food and rushed outside. Ryo, already second-guessing everything, quickly followed—making sure to lock his office door behind him.
Fairy Greatmother gently arranged the food in the middle of the empty street.
Ryo crossed his arms, glancing around. "Uh… are you really casting spells in public? What if someone sees?"
Fairy Greatmother, calm as ever. "Don't worry, Mr. Detective. It's still very early. No one's around but the morning pigeons."
Ryo glanced around. She was right. Not a soul in sight… except a pigeon who waddled off as if it saw too much.
Fairy Greatmother stepped back beside Ryo and raised her wand with flair, the crescent-shaped tip catching the morning light.
"You're going to love this. Just watch, Mr. Detective!"
Ryo's brow furrowed as he mumbled. "I hope so, ma'am…"
She took a stance, aimed her crescent-tipped wand at the banana, and began to sing in her usual whimsical tune:
"La… la… la… LALALA… LAAAALALALAAAA… LAAAALAAAAA…"
The wand shimmered. A spark of magic zipped toward the banana—and suddenly, glitter burst out around it. The banana glowed, twisted, stretched, and—
POOF.
A carriage.
Except, not just a carriage.
It was a shimmering, golden, BANANA-shaped carriage—complete with sparkles.
Fairy Greatmother, awkwardly laughing, holding the back of her hood. "Ahaha… oh my. That's… quite the shape, isn't it?"
Ryo, staring blankly at the banana-carriage, slowly facepalmed, muttered to himself.
"…Are we really getting transported to another world… inside… THAT?!"
He sighed and straightened up, smiling weakly, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
"It's… perfectly fine, ma'am. Limited food options. Let's roll with it."
Fairy Greatmother, touched. "You're far too kind, Mr. Detective."
Then, she turned to the fried egg. With a flick of her wand—zap!—the egg glowed and transformed into…
A radiant white unicorn, its mane shimmering like moonlight.
Ryo, stumbling back. "HOLY MOLY!! IS THAT A UNICORN!?"
Fairy Greatmother, proudly posing with hands on her waist. "That's right! This noble beast shall pull our banana carriage!"
Ryo, rubbing his eyes. "I can't believe it… A real unicorn. What's next? A dragon pulls up in a truck?"
Next, she pointed at the strawberry jam sandwich. With a zap, it morphed into a dashing royal coachman, complete with a tiny jam stain on his collar.
Ryo, eyes twitching as he pointed. "Uhhh… ma'am, don't tell me he's—"
Fairy Greatmother, nodding brightly. "Our coachman! He shall guide us!"
Ryo, muttering to himself. "Great… my breakfast sandwich just got promoted to Driver of the Banana Express…"
Finally, she pointed at the boxed orange juice. A flash of magic later, it transformed into a proper footman, bowing deeply.
Fairy Greatmother, proudly. "And this is our loyal footman! He will open the door and assist the coachman!"
Ryo, staring deadpan at the scene. "…Yup. My orange juice is now the guy opening the door to the banana… Not strange at all..."
The footman, once just a humble box of orange juice, stood tall and proud in a finely pressed royal uniform. With one hand across his chest and the other elegantly gesturing to the gleaming banana carriage, he bowed deeply.
Footman, regal and refined. "Your carriage awaits, milady… and good sir detective. Please, step aboard and allow the wheels of wonder to carry you forth."
Fairy Greatmother, smiling with a nod. "Thank you, footman."
She turned to Ryo, her robes swaying gently with her movement.
"Come now, Mr. Detective. Let's get inside."
Ryo, however, was still processing the fact that his orange juice was speaking in full sentences.
He stared at the footman.
Ryo, awkwardly. "Yeah… thanks… and um… sorry I drank you earlier for breakfast."
The footman held up a gloved hand with grace and gave a light shake of his head.
Footman, sounding like he belonged in a Shakespeare play.
"Oh no no, it is quite all right, sir. You had every right to drink me. Worry not, good detective—I shall ensure I can be drunken by you again once we arrive in Evendelle."
Ryo's eye twitched. "Drunken… by me again?"
There was a beat of silence as the sentence echoed weirdly in his brain.
Ryo, flinching like he just bit into a lemon. "Yeah… no thanks, Juice. I think I'll just stick with water from now on."
The footman looked genuinely disappointed, like he'd just been dumped at prom.
Footman, wistful and slightly too intense. "Oh… that is a shame. It felt wonderful when you drank me."
Ryo, spiraling into full panic mode, waving his hands. "OKAY MA'AM! LET'S GET IN THE BANANA NOW!"
Without another word, Ryo practically dove into the golden banana-shaped carriage, dragging his dignity behind him. Fairy Greatmother followed with a calm, dainty step and sat beside him as the door gently shut behind them.
Outside, the footman took his place beside the coachman—the former jam sandwich—who held the reins of the elegant unicorn with a noble air, despite still smelling faintly of toast.
Inside the carriage, the cushions were oddly squishy, and everything had a faint fruity scent. Ryo adjusted his seat, still recovering from the juice's emotional monologue.
He turned toward Fairy Greatmother, eyebrows drawn in confusion.
"So… to get to your world, is there like… a portal somewhere in the city or forest or something?"
Fairy Greatmother turned her head with a bright, innocent smile, her tone cheerful and casual as if commenting on the weather.
"Oh, of course! The portal is on the moon. We shall be flying there shortly!"
Dead silence.
Absolute.
Utter.
Paralyzing silence.
Ryo blinked once.
Twice.
Three times.
Ryo, sweating profusely, eyes twitching, a finger pointing upward.
"Ma'am… did you just say… the moon? Like, the actual space-rock in the sky? And we're gonna… go there first before we even enter your world??"
Fairy Greatmother gently placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, still smiling like this was perfectly normal.
"Yes, Mr. Detective. Relax, and enjoy the journey!"
Ryo, internally screaming while staring into the cosmic void of his imagination.
"RELAX!? How the heck am I supposed to relax?! We're basically STRAPPING OURSELVES TO A FRUIT AND BLASTING INTO SPACE! Do I even breathe out there!? I'm a detective, not a banana-naut!!"