A Stepmother's Märchen — Chapter 1

A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, IN A COUNTRY VILLAGE,

THERE LIVED A LITTLE GIRL WITH PINK HAIR.

THAT TITLE MAY AS WELL NOT EXIST!

A LOWER VISCOUNT?

HER FAMILY WAS ROYAL,

BUT THEY WERE POOR.

YOU NEED TO BE QUICKER WITH YOUR HANDS!

THE GIRL CARRIED MAGIC BEANS IN HER HEART.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: IF I SELL THREE BAGS OF BEANS, I CAN BUY ONE CHICKEN.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: AFTER SELLING NINE BAGS OF BEANS, I CAN BUY THREE CHICKENS.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THEN I'LL SELL THE EGGS TO BUY A PIG.

CHICKEN—

PIG—

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THEN I'LL RAISE THE PIG...

AND SELL BACON!

THE HANDFUL OF BEANS IN HER HEART...

BECAME DREAMS THAT SPARKLED.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THEN I'LL RENT OUT THE HORSE AND CARRIAGE.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: FROM PUBS TO HOMES, FROM HOMES TO WORK.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: ONCE I SAVE ENOUGH MONEY, I CAN GO TO THE CAPITAL TO SELL TO OTHER MERCHANTS AND THE NOBILITY.

ABILITY. DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL REALLY SPEND THEIR COIN JUST TO RIDE A CARRIAGE?

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: YES, I THINK SO. IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO RAISE A HORSE.

THEN ONE DAY,

DAUGHTER!

A HIGHLY IMPORTANT MAN CAME TO THE VILLAGE.

THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT MAN CALMLY STARED AT THE GIRL...

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY.

AND THEN THANKED THE GIRL'S MOTHER FOR HER KINDNESS...

THEN HE LEFT THE VILLAGE.

WITH GREAT HAPPINESS, THE GIRL'S MOTHER SPOKE TO HER.

MY DAUGHTER! BE THANKFUL! I'VE CHANGED YOUR LIFE!

YOU'LL BE GOING TO THE CAPITAL! YOU'RE TO BECOME A MARCHIONESS!

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: I DON'T WANT TO BECOME A MARCHIONESS!

WHAT?! YOU INSOLENT BRAT! YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!

THIS IS WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!

THE GIRL SHOUTED WITH ALL HER MIGHT.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: I... I'M GOING TO SELL BEANS TO BUY LIVESTOCK!

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THEN ONE DAY, I'LL OPEN UP MY OWN SHOP! THAT'S MY DREAM!

THE GIRL'S MOTHER BURST INTO LAUGHTER.

AS DID HER OLDER BROTHER. AS DID HER FATHER.

THEIR PEALS OF LAUGHTER DID NOT STOP.

THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T LAUGH WAS THE GIRL.

*CLIP CLOP*

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: I'M NEVER GOING TO TALK ABOUT BEANS EVER AGAIN.

A FEW DAYS LATER, THE GIRL GOT INTO THE CARRIAGE SENT BY THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT MAN...

ON A WINDING ROAD, ON A LONG, WINDING ROAD.

AND SHE FINALLY ARRIVED AT A HOME THAT GLITTERED WITH GOLD.

THE HOME WAS FULL OF TREASURE

AND UNDER THE WARM SUNLIGHT, A NEVERENDING STREAM OF JADE SPRING WATER FLOWED.

AFTER CUTTING ACROSS THE GARDEN WITH THE SINGING BIRDS, THE FRAGRANCE OF ROSES IN FULL BLOOM DELICATELY SURROUNDED HER.

WITH THE TRAIN OF HER SILK DRESS FLUTTERING IN THE WIND, THE WHITE MARBLE FLOOR CHIMED LIKE BELLS

AS SHE CAREFULLY CLIMBED THE STAIRS.

THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT MAN GREETED THE GIRL.

WELCOME. YOU ARE NOW MY MARCHIONESS, BUT THERE'S JUST...

ONE THING.

IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ALL THE BLESSINGS OF THIS HOME, YOU MUST CLIMB ALL THE STEPS OF THIS STAIRWAY.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: BUT... THE STAIRS SEEM ENDLESS.

I HAVE FAITH THAT YOU CAN DO IT,

WITH THOSE CRYPTIC WORDS, THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT MAN GREETED THE GIRL.

STRENGTHENING HER RESOLVE, SHE BEGAN TO CLIMB THE STAIRS OF THE GOLDEN HOME.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: I CAN DO IT.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: I CAN DO IT.

ONE STEP, TWO STEPS...

JUST THEN, THE TWINS OF THE GOLDEN HOME APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE GIRL.

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: WAIT!

[Leon von Neuschwanstein]: ARE YOU OUR NEW STEPMOTHER?

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: BUT YOU'RE JUST A YOUNG KID!

[Leon von Neuschwanstein]: OUR MOTHER WOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS...

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: OUR MOTHER IS A LOT STRONGER!

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: YOU'RE A FAKE!

THE TWINS OF THE GOLDEN HOME RAGED LIKE FIRE.

THE GIRL WAS OVERWHELMED WITH SADNESS, BUT SHE PASSED THE TWINS AND CONTINUED TO CLIMB THE STAIRS.

ONE STEP, TWO STEPS...

*RIBBIT*

*HOP*

ALL OF A SUDDEN, A FROG HOPPED ON TOP OF THE GIRL'S HEAD.

IN A PANIC, THE FRIGHTENED GIRL FELL DOWN THE STAIRS, WHEN...

[Elias von Neuschwanstein]: HAHAHA! THAT SCARED YOU?!

[Elias von Neuschwanstein]: YOU'RE PATHETIC!

THE MOCKING LAUGHTER OF THE SECOND CHILD OF THE GOLDEN HOME RANG OUT.

THE GIRL WAS OVERWHELMED WITH ANGUISH, BUT SHE PASSED HIM AND STARTED TO CLIMB THE STAIRS AGAIN.

ONE STEP, TWO STEPS...

ONCE SHE HAD CLIMBED UP HALF THE STAIRS,

THE ELDEST CHILD OF THE GOLDEN HOME ASKED HER A QUESTION.

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: WHY ARE YOU HERE?

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: YOU DON'T LOVE FATHER,

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: BUT YOU TOOK UP ALL OF HIS REMAINING TIME.

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: IF HE HADN'T GONE TO SEE YOU...

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: IF HE HAD RECEIVED TREATMENT MORE QUICKLY...

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: IF ONLY YOU DIDN'T EXIST...

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: THEN FATHER WOULDN'T HAVE LOOKED FOR YOU UNTIL THE END.

[Jeremy von Neuschwanstein]: HE WOULD HAVE COME TO ME INSTEAD!

AT THE ELDEST CHILD'S RESENTMENT, THE GIRL THOUGHT THIS:

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THIS IS IRREPARABLE.

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: THE CHILDREN OF THIS HOME AND I...

[Shuri von Neuschwanstein]: WE CAN NEVER BECOME CLOSE.

THE GIRL CONTINUED TO CLIMB THE STAIRS.

WITHOUT KNOWING WHY,

WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WAS WAITING FOR HER AT THE END...

AND THEN AS TIME PASSED...

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: WE WERE CRUEL!

[Rachel von Neuschwanstein]: WE SHOULD GO APOLOGIZE TO HER NOW AT LEAST!

EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE CHANGED A LITTLE...

ALL ALONE, SHE CONTINUED TO CLIMB UNTIL THE END.

AH...

THIS HOME, FULL OF TREASURE...

WHERE A NEVERENDING STREAM OF JADE SPRING WATER FLOWS,

WITH A GARDEN FILLED WITH THE FRAGRANCE OF ROSES IN FULL BLOOM... THIS HOME...

ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING SPARKLED BRIGHTLY,

THE PINK- HAIRED GIRL...

NEVER FOUND OUT...

WHAT SHE WAS.