"I'll open the door."
One of the dwarfs stood up, gripping an axe, and made his way toward the entrance.q
The others immediately became alert, reaching for their weapons.
The world was full of dangers. Night had already fallen, and now, out of nowhere, someone was knocking on their door. They had to stay on guard.
Creak.
The door swung open.
A gust of wind, snow, and biting cold rushed inside, instantly chilling the room.
Standing in the doorway was a slender girl dressed in a flowing white gown, a small crown resting atop her head. She stood shivering in the freezing wind, hugging herself for warmth.
Outside, the world was swallowed in darkness, making it impossible to see her face clearly. But even in the dim light, her silhouette exuded an elegant, fragile beauty—like a figure straight out of a classic painting.
"Eh? Hey, hey?"
Chika hastily swallowed the food in her mouth, reached out to poke Amamiya's waist, and leaned in to whisper:
"Could that girl be... Snow White?"
Amamiya responded casually, "Stay calm. You've already met Little Red Riding Hood—why be surprised if Snow White shows up too?"
"Hmm? Master Brave?"
Little Red Riding Hood, who had been quietly eating, looked up in confusion.
"It's nothing. Keep eating."
"..."
At the door, the dwarf tightened his grip on his axe and asked cautiously, "Who are you?"
The girl's voice, soft and melodic like an oriole's song, carried over the howling wind.
"I'm Snow White. I just escaped from the castle... It's freezing out here. May I stay the night?"
The dwarf didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Amamiya.
"Master Brave, should we let her in?"
Amamiya hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Let her in."
A wild Snow White appearing out of nowhere—most likely a side quest.
Of course, the quest itself wasn't the priority. What was important was meeting the so-called 'most beautiful girl in the world.' How could he pass up that opportunity?
"Understood, Master Brave." The dwarf stepped aside, opening the door further. "You may enter."
"Thank you."
Snow White whispered her gratitude and stepped inside.
And then—
The entire cabin fell into stunned silence.
"Oh—huh?!"
A dwarf's eyes widened in shock.
Chika's hands shot up to her cheeks, her voice filled with excitement. "S-So cute!"
A girl sitting by the fire clutched her chest. "No, my heart's gonna melt..."
Hayasaka, usually calm and composed, muttered without thinking, "Impossible... She's even cuter than the Young Miss."
"..."
It wasn't just the girls.
Even Amamiya found himself momentarily speechless.
Until now, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen was that silly lady. All those so-called 'once-in-a-millennium' internet beauties paled in comparison to her.
But at this moment—
For the first time ever, Amamiya felt like he had encountered someone whose cuteness surpassed the limits of human understanding.
Snow White didn't just outshine Kaguya in every way—she was in an entirely different league.
Only in one aspect was she equal to Kaguya—
The sheer, lamentable poverty of her chest luck.
Of course, no one knew Snow White's exact age. She might still have room to grow. But as for Miss Silly Girl... She was doomed to be stuck with Lucky E for life.
Amamiya's gaze drifted downward, tracing the curve of Snow White's swan-like neck before landing on her face—
And then, he found himself unable to look away.
A second later—
A system prompt flashed before his eyes.
[After careful observation, you have detected the enchantment curse on Snow White.]
[You are currently under the influence of Charm. The longer you stare, the stronger the effect. If you continue, you will become a bootlicker.]
A warning bell rang in Amamiya's mind.
A... bootlicker?!
Licking boots? Groveling at someone's feet?! No way in hell!
The fate of a bootlicker was grim—no one who licked the dog survived unscathed. Absolutely unacceptable!
No wonder she was this cute—her presence practically irresistible.
It wasn't natural.
It was a curse.
Amamiya took a deep breath and immediately tore his gaze away, breaking free from the spell.
"We need to put this Snow White in a sack… No, wait, that's too rude. You can't just throw such a cute girl into a sack."
Two conflicting thoughts surged through Amamiya's mind.
Realizing that the charm effect hadn't completely worn off, he acted decisively—reaching under the table, he pinched his thigh hard, using the sharp pain to fight off the lingering influence.
At the same time—
Snow White had already stepped up to the table. Her delicate face was tinged with a faint blush as she spoke softly, her voice carrying a gentle plea:
"I... I haven't eaten anything since this afternoon. Could I have something to eat?"
"Me! Me! Me!"
"Please, take my food!"
"Idiot! How could someone as pure and beautiful as her eat something you've already touched?! I'll cook something fresh for her!"
"..."
The dwarfs immediately fell into a heated argument, their faces turning red as they pushed and shoved to get closer.
Chika and Tsubame weren't spared from the charm's influence either.
"This venison hasn't been touched yet! Here, take it!" Chika eagerly offered.
"Come have some soup!" Tsubame waved enthusiastically. "It's freezing outside—be careful not to catch a cold!"
Among the girls, only Hayasaka showed any resistance. Her expression twisted with internal struggle—she remained silent, but even she was on the verge of becoming a bootlicker.
Meanwhile, Snow White's eyes landed on Amamiya.
She tilted her head slightly and asked in a gentle voice:
"Pardon me, but why did the dwarfs call you 'Brave' just now?"
Amamiya didn't even have a chance to answer before the seven dwarfs, completely entranced, all spoke up at once.
"Master Brave saved us!"
"He has a special ability—he can remove the mushrooms from our heads!"
"That's right!"
"..."
Wait, you can remove mushrooms from people's heads?
Snow White's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Raising a delicate hand to cover her pink lips, she let out a soft gasp.
"That's… amazing."
"Oh huh—!"
The seven dwarfs let out inexplicable, awestruck noises in unison.
Snow White walked gracefully toward Amamiya, her smile radiant as she turned to Hayasaka and spoke in an impossibly sweet voice:
"Could I have your seat?"
"No…"
Hayasaka hesitated, struggling against the influence.
Snow White clasped her hands together, her big eyes shimmering. "Please?"
"P-Princess, please sit!"
Hayasaka broke almost instantly. She shot up from her seat and pulled the chair back for Snow White, bowing slightly. "I can just stand."
Snow White smiled and murmured a soft thank you before taking a seat right next to Amamiya. She then tilted her head, her long hair cascading over her shoulder, and gazed at him with a curious expression.
"My lord, why won't you look at me?"
Amamiya's voice was flat as he answered:
"Because I'm preparing a gift."
Snow White blinked. "A gift?"
"Of course—a hood!"
"..."
Finally, fully breaking free from the charm's hold, Amamiya swiftly pulled out a black hood and, without hesitation, shoved it over Snow White's head.
Snow White had never expected to be ambushed. Completely unprepared, she didn't even think to dodge—within seconds, the hood was snugly covering her head.
"M-My lord, what are you doing?!"
"Let go of Snow White!"
"I will protect Her Highness, even if it costs me my life!"
"..."
The seven dwarfs immediately turned on Amamiya, their loyalty shifting in an instant.
In the span of just three minutes—after barely knowing Snow White—they were already willing to betray their supposed master and curse him like rabid fanatics.
"Nobody moves!"
Amamiya sprang to his feet, wrapping his arms around Snow White from behind in a firm hold, locking her hands in place.
If she managed to remove the hood, the curse of bootlicking would be unleashed again—he couldn't allow that.
"If any of you move again, I'll break Snow White's neck."
Amamiya's voice was low and steady, his gaze sharp with unwavering resolve.
In ancient times, a Prime Minister held the emperor hostage to control the feudal lords. Today, Amamiya was holding Snow White hostage to control the dwarfs. In that moment, he felt a fleeting sense of satisfaction—perhaps this was the joy that the Prime Minister had once experienced.
The dwarfs, who had been on the verge of rushing forward, froze in place. Their expressions turned desperate, but none of them dared to move.
"We won't move, just… please don't hurt Snow White!"
"That's right! We'll do anything—just don't harm Her Royal Highness!"
"..."
A chill ran down Amamiya's spine.
The dog-licking curse really is terrifying.
If he hadn't noticed the warning in time, he would have ended up as humble and pathetic as the seven dwarfs.
"It hurts… my brave hero, please let me go."
Snow White's voice trembled with pitiful vulnerability, carrying an undeniable charm. Even her tone seemed to weave a spell.
"Don't move." Amamiya's voice remained calm. "Say another word, and you'll bear the consequences."
But Snow White still didn't believe him.
"May I ask why you're doing this, Brave One?"
"You're talking again."
Without hesitation, Amamiya reached out, grabbed the hem of her dress, and lifted it slightly.
"W-what are you doing?!"
Snow White's composure finally cracked.
Amamiya remained unbothered. "I told you—speak at your own risk."
The lifted fabric revealed her slender, porcelain-white legs, as pale as the snow outside.p
The seven dwarfs' eyes widened. Their breathing grew heavier.
Just as she was about to be completely exposed, Snow White finally gave in.
"I was wrong! I won't say another word!"
"Tsk."
Amamiya clicked his tongue in disappointment, releasing the fabric and letting her skirt fall back into place.
"I don't have a habit of forcing people. Since you're being so obedient, I can't bring myself to bully you."
Snow White: "..."
Liar.
Fraud!
There's no way this man is a hero! No real hero would be this despicable and shameless!
An odd standoff ensued between the two sides.
A Few Minutes Later
The first to regain her senses was Hayasaka. Her strong willpower helped her snap out of the charm's influence. She groaned slightly, rubbing her forehead as a frown crept across her face.
"Senpai… what just happened?"
Amamiya pointed at Snow White's hood.
"Don't look directly at her face. Her charm creates a curse… I call it the 'dog-licking curse.'"
"Dog… licker?"
Hayasaka's eyes widened. Memories flashed back—her willingly giving up her seat, treating Snow White with overwhelming reverence. A chill ran through her.
That was close!
She had almost become a bootlicker without even realizing it.
This place really was full of dangers—it was impossible to let her guard down for even a moment.
Amamiya turned to her and instructed, "Come tie her hands behind her back."
"Leave it to me."
Hayasaka responded immediately.
Assisting evil? No. She was eliminating a threat. And that was something she excelled at.
Shortly after, Chika and Tsubame also woke up, their faces pale with lingering fear.
"That was terrifying." Tsubame clutched her chest. "For a moment, I felt like I'd give up everything—so long as it made Snow White happy."
"Right? It was really scary." Chika nodded in agreement. "I felt like I'd do anything just to see her smile… I never realized just how pathetic a dog-licker could be until today."
Stop talking. Someone's going to start crying at this rate.
Time Passed
A few minutes later, the seven dwarfs finally shook off the charm's influence, returning to their normal selves.
"Can you please let me go now?"
Snow White sat on a chair, her hands bound behind her back, her voice soft and pitiful.
"I didn't curse anyone. I don't know what you're talking about."
"You can't take off the hood." Hayasaka crossed her arms over her chest, her tone firm. "The dog-licking curse is silent and far too dangerous."
"That's right." Tsubame nodded in agreement. "No one should look at her face anymore, and we absolutely can't let her remove the hood herself."
Becoming someone's bootlicker, obeying their every whim, losing all dignity and sense of self just to please them—that kind of curse was terrifying.
No wonder, in the original fairy tale, aside from the queen who actively tried to kill Snow White, everyone else—guards, hunters, wild animals, dwarfs—was unwilling to harm her. It wasn't just blind kindness. They were under the influence of the dog-licking curse all along.
Chika, standing beside them, spoke up.
"Just hearing Snow White's voice makes me want to take off the hood. What about you?"
Amamiya nodded. "Her voice must have a charm effect as well."
"Then we just need to gag her, right?"
The passerby girl casually reached into her backpack and pulled out a small, peculiar-looking ball. It was hollow in the center, with black leather straps attached to both sides.
Amamiya suddenly fell silent.
…What kind of adult fairy tale is this?!
Snow White was already hooded and tied up—now she was going to be gagged too?
"Ahem, wrong one!" The passerby girl blushed, hurriedly stuffing the strange object back into her bag. "That's… a prop I got from a blind box! It's not mine!"
Amamiya sighed. "Just ask one of the dwarfs to get a towel."
"I'll grab one!"
One of the dwarfs quickly scurried away and returned with a towel.
Amamiya reached out to take it, preparing to cover Snow White's mouth.
But before he could—
"You filthy commoners, get that disgusting rag away from me! It stinks!"
Snow White's sudden outburst stunned the entire room.
"Huh?"
Chika blinked in surprise. "Did… did Snow White just talk back?"
"Is it possible…" Hayasaka folded her arms, her gaze thoughtful. "That this is her real personality?"
She was breathtakingly beautiful, of noble birth, and a princess—someone cherished by all. If her personality was also flawless, she wouldn't be human. She'd be a saint.
Tsubame suddenly turned to Amamiya. "Amamiya-kun, I think there's a mushroom under the hood."
"Good catch, Senpai."
Amamiya approached, carefully opening a small slit in the hood. He peered inside—and sure enough, a mushroom was growing on Snow White's head.
Reaching in, he touched it lightly, triggering the game's identification system.
"What kind of mushroom is it?" Chika asked curiously.
Amamiya's expression remained neutral as he responded.
"It's a Pride Mushroom."
In this world, appearance is shaped by one's inner nature.
And just like the curse, these mushrooms seemed to be tied to personality traits. For a Pride Mushroom to be growing on Snow White's head, it was clear—Snow White had a naturally haughty personality.
This fairy tale world didn't value equality. It thrived on hierarchy, bloodlines, and royal supremacy. Those who treated everyone equally weren't seen as virtuous—they were seen as heretics.
Amamiya tapped the handle of the kitchen knife he had pulled out, looking down at Snow White as she instinctively shrank away.
"The mushrooms meet the harvesting conditions," he said casually. Then, flashing her a reassuring smile, he added, "Don't worry. I'll be quick. Just bear with it."
Snow White's face paled.