Ryo internally facepalmed so hard, the echo rang across the cliché fantasy world — so loud, in fact, that even an overpowered isekai harem protagonist (currently struggling to stop his Yandere elf girl and demon princesses from killing each other) paused mid-chaos, looked up, and said…
"Huh? That wasn't one of my girlfriends screaming… Who just leveled up in frustration? Wait—do they have their own harem too? Or are his harem members joining mine? No… please. I'm done increasing my waifu numbers… I don't even remember half their names anymore…"
BOOM! (A fireball explodes behind him.)
Demon Princess: "KYAAAA~!!"
Yandere Elf Girl: "That demon witch is seducing my future husband again! Should I burn her kingdom down or just RIP OUT HER SOUL AND GIFT IT TO HIM?!!!"
Inside his mind, Ryo looked absolutely done. Just last night, the stepsisters had looked shockingly beautiful — even prettier than the original Cinderella from the classic fairytales.
Now? They looked exactly like they had when he first met them… only worse. Somehow, impossibly, worse. It was like a magic marker war had exploded across their faces.
And why was Madam Rosalind okay with this?
Had the stepmother witnessed her daughters' makeup disasters so often that she'd simply given up?
Or was she just as tragically fashion-blind as they were?
So, with a sheepish grin and barely-concealed horror, Ryo asked.
"M…M-Madam Rosalind… why are your daughters wearing such… heavy makeup?"
Stepmother placed a finger to the side of her chin thoughtfully.
"Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," she cooed, "last night, when you entered the dining room and stared at my daughters, I feared you weren't attracted to them. I assumed perhaps your standards in beauty were… exceptionally high."
And then, right on cue…
Ryo internally facepalmed again… this time so violently, the second echo blasted into another cliché fantasy world, where a brooding, edgy isekai anti-hero (currently plotting revenge on his entire summoned class, who betrayed him in the first chapter) flinched and muttered…
"The hell was that chill…? The wind? No… betrayal. AGAIN! Just like that cursed day—the day everything shattered! I SWEAR I'LL SLAUGHTER THOSE TRAITOROUS CLASSMATES—EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!!"
(His cursed sword, BloodSucker, pulsing with blood-red energy, whispers in a low, guttural voice)
"Yesss… soak me in their agony. Feed me their screams… their delicious, shrieking regrets…"
(He tightens his grip, smirking as his eyes glow crimson.)
"Soon, BloodSucker. We dine on despair."
Ryo was screaming inside.
"WHYYYYYY DID SHE MISUNDERSTAND ME?! Last night, I wasn't judging their looks — I was shocked! They were actually beautiful! I thought they were rival princesses from a spinoff musical! NOT because I have ridiculous beauty standards! And now I know for sure… Stepmother has ZERO sense in makeup fashion!"
Then, without warning…
Seraphine dashed up to him, stopping way too close, her leveled-up nightmare makeup now visible in full HD horror. Her eyes sparkled with delusional love.
"My dear husband Sherlock!" she beamed, stars sparkling in her eyes. "How do I look? Are you finally ready to start making babies with me? I know an inn where we can be as rough and loud as we want — no one will hear the bed creaking~"
Clarisse, not to be outdone, stomped forward and snapped.
"HEY, SERAPHINE! Who said you're his wife?! Don't act like you're already married to him!"
Seraphine whipped around, ready to fight.
"HAH?! We already had our wedding in my sleep! You were there as my bridesmaid, remember?!"
And then… once again…
Ryo facepalmed internally so catastrophically that it echoed into a third cliché fantasy world.
This time, it reached an old man reincarnated as a 10-year-old demon lord protagonist with maxed out skills, who sat on a throne made of skulls, paused mid-scroll on his floating menu screen, and glanced up.
"System… was that an interdimensional facepalm I just felt?"
[System Notification: Dimensional Frustration Surge detected. Source: Planet FairyThalia. Severity: Critical]
"Figures. Probably some poor bastard watching his IQ get dropkicked by side characters."
(He sighs, resting his cheek on his fist)
"Log it under cosmic tragedies. And remind me NEVER to visit that world — it sounds like one of those musicals my war-obsessed orc general used to scream-sing and dance to before battle. I nearly lost all my stat points from secondhand embarrassment… and permanent hearing loss.
[System Notification: Affirmative]
Then came the flashback — the protagonist screaming openly in agony and cringing, hands clamped over his ears, as his war-obsessed orc general scream-sang "I Raised an Army Just to Impress My Crush" while salsa-dancing wildly in front of the troops. The soldiers stood there, deadpan and silent, before marching into battle against a kingdom that appeared noble… but was rotten underneath.
When the memory ended, he flinched, overwhelmed by secondhand embarrassment all over again, like it was trauma. Then he facepalmed. HARD.
In his mind, Ryo wandered through a wonderland of deadpan sarcasm.
"Great… We already had the wedding… in her dream. Totally real. Totally legit. Even my old cop partner Fantasy-chan was there tossing rose petals. It was such a normal wedding."
Fairy Greatmother, wisely wanting no part in this chaos, edged away with a nervous laugh.
"Ahahaha… I'll just… go admire the new perfume display over there."
And vanished from the battlefield like a cowardly RPG party mage.
Stepmother, meanwhile, clenched her fists in motherly resolve, eyes sparkling with passion.
"I'm counting on you both to win his heart, my daughters!" she cheered, completely unbothered by the fact that both her daughters were aiming to marry the same guy.
In the original tale, the Stepmother desperately wanted her daughters to marry into nobility for status.
But in this twisted fairytale?
The Stepmother already had riches and noble standing. Now, she just wanted them to find a worthy man. Someone unique… mysterious… and maybe even isekai'd—if she knew what that word meant.
They didn't know Ryo was from another world… or that the isekai trope was a very common thing.
But they already decided one thing: {He's husband material }
And Ryo?
He was now terrified for his life.
He threw his hands up high in panic, trying to stop the chaos.
"OKAY! OKAY! Easy, ladies, calm down!!"
Finally, the stepsisters relaxed and stopped their harem-fighting-for-the-male-protagonist mayhem.
Ryo exhaled, panting, already exhausted like he just had to witness a catfight that was about to go horribly wrong.
Fairy Greatmother, having returned from her quick cosmetic window-shopping trip, stepped beside him and gently rubbed his back like a therapist who'd seen this type of emotional trauma before.
Then, as if summoned by the gods of social understanding, an employee approached Ryo with a knowing smile, like she already understood his harem disaster. She carried a tray with two cups of chamomile tea.
Ryo took his with a grateful nod.
"Thanks… I needed this more than a health potion." He sipped it.
"Health potion?" she repeated, confused and clearly unfamiliar with the gaming term from Earth.
Fairy Greatmother accepted hers with a chuckle.
"Oh, bless your heart." She took a sip and visibly relaxed.
Ryo wasn't here to please his unintentional harem… but to investigate that perfume with the suspicious 'Never Grow Up' label.
But first, he wondered why the stepmother's store was empty… and why the stepsisters were here at their mother's store when they should be at their workplaces.
Were the stepsisters' working hours over?
Ryo wanted to find out.
So he asked.
"Seraphine, Clarisse, so what are you two doing here? Aren't you two supposed to be at your shops working?"
Seraphine brightened.
"Oh, that's because ever since the Royal Herald announced the new Royal Ball, everything in my shop sold out in under half an hour! Noblewomen and commoners stormed in, grabbing rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, even tiaras like their lives depended on it. I could barely keep up. We had to close early… there was nothing left to sell."
Ryo and Fairy Greatmother stared at Seraphine and went…
"HUH?!" — stunned.
Then Clarisse nodded.
"Same with my shop. Gowns? Gone. Fabrics? Gone. Corsets, embroidered stockings, satin petticoats, sewing needles — everything! I thought we were being looted, but no, it was a full-blown fashion panic. The owner and I barely survived the rush. We had to close early too. Completely sold out."
Ryo and Fairy Greatmother stared at Clarisse and went…
"REALLY?!" — shocked.
Just then, Madam Rosalind strutted forward like the queen of a capitalist empire, lifted a gloved finger with poise, and declared.
"It's the same for my store. Look around you."
She gestured grandly.
All around them, employees scrambled to restock what little remained, bracing for another rush of panicked customers. The perfume displays stood nearly empty, powder jars and rouge pots were down to their final samples, and only a few kohl pencils, ivory combs, and glass scent vials lingered in the corners — the store looked like it had barely survived a beauty-starved noble frenzy.
A few workers were slumped over in chairs, sipping water like they'd barely survived a siege.
Ryo spun around slowly, impressed.
"Holy cow… your store's almost empty, Madam Rosalind."
Stepmother crossed her arms elegantly, super proud.
"Why of course, my dear. When a royal event is announced, a true businesswoman seizes the opportunity."
Then she rubbed her chin.
"Still… while I'm pleased with the profits, something about this time feels different. The Royal Ball four months ago caused a rush too, but it wasn't nearly this hectic — and that one was announced three weeks in advance. Today? This chaos broke out in mere minutes."
Fairy Greatmother nodded, frowning slightly.
"It makes sense. The Royal Herald said the ball will be held in just two days. That explains the sudden frenzy. Everyone's scrambling."
And that's true.
Ryo figured it out — now that Prince Vaelric was searching for a bride (despite somehow forgetting he was already engaged to Cinderella), nobles and commoners across Evendelle were rushing to buy out products from the stepmother's and stepsisters' shops — and likely others too.
Everyone hoped to impress the prince, to appear beautiful and elegant in the hopes of being chosen as his bride and gaining power and status. It was as if they all believed they had a real chance — even if it meant completely ignoring the fact that Cinderella, the missing princess, was supposed to be his fiancée.
Ryo also had a feeling that the Royal Herald's new Ball announcement hadn't just reached the entire kingdom of Evendelle… but had spread far beyond its borders.
This Royal Ball wasn't just a dance.
It was a race — ruthless, blind, and fueled by ambition.
Ryo's tone shifted to something more serious.
He asked carefully, his brows furrowing.
"Can I ask… what do you three think about all of this? I mean… the royal ball being announced, even though Cinderella—who was once part of your family—is still missing. Doesn't it feel like… like the prince has forgotten her?"
The air grew heavy. The atmosphere turned somber. The stepfamily, cheerful just moments ago, suddenly quieted. Clarisse and Seraphine looked down, their expressions uneasy.
Seraphine's voice trembled slightly.
"Honestly… I feel sick thinking about it. I used to dream about marrying Prince Vaelric. I even practiced writing my name as 'Princess Seraphine Vaelric' in my diary."
She clenched her fists at her sides.
"But now? After he just forgets about Cinderella like that? I can't believe I ever liked someone like him."
Clarisse looked equally bitter, arms crossed, a pout on her face.
"Right? I used to swoon just seeing him at festivals. I thought he was this perfect, charming prince… but now I can't even look at him without gagging. What kind of man just forgets his fiancée after three months of engagement?"
She groaned. "Ugh. I feel so stupid for ever having a crush on that sparkle-teeth disappointment."
Suddenly—
"I CAN'T BELIEVE PRINCE VAELRIC WOULD ABANDON CINDERELLA LIKE THAT!" Madam Rosalind shouted, slamming her right fist into her left palm with fiery wrath.
Her eyes burned with fury as she raised a finger and wagged it.
"I should march to that castle and execute him on the spot!!"
Fairy Greatmother, startled, nearly dropped her tea. She lifted her free hand in a calming gesture, her expression tightening with concern.
"T-There, there now Rosalind! You can't do that—otherwise you'll be punished by the courts!"
She forced a laugh. "Ahahaha… and I don't think any of us want to spend the rest of our lives in a dungeon, do we?"
Ryo raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected these reactions.
Sure, the stepfamily had shown regret, especially since yesterday, after his subtle interrogation had forced them to confront how poorly they'd treated Cinderella.
But this? The way they fiercely defended her now?
It was... genuine. Like they'd come to care deeply for the girl they once tormented.
Ryo narrowed his eyes.
Something wasn't adding up.
"Wait…" he thought."If they really regret it… then what made them turn cruel to her in the first place?"
His mind flashed back to the original fairytale—the classic tale where jealousy, status, and bitterness pushed the stepfamily to mistreat the kind-hearted Cinderella.
But… what if things were different here in this Fairytale world?
His curiosity burned through.
So he asked the question, voice low but direct.
"I wanna ask… Four years ago… what made you all start mistreating Cinderella? What made you treat her like a servant?"
The words landed like a blade.
The entire stepfamily flinched. His question struck a nerve, painful in its honesty.
But then… they gave answers that were oddly strange.
Clarisse blinked, stunned. She scratched her head, looking baffled.
"Now that you mentioned it… why did we start becoming jealous of Cinderella?"
Ryo's brows shot up. Fairy Greatmother sipped her tea… then immediately choked on it.
Fairy Greatmother leaned in, wide-eyed.
"What are you saying? Didn't you hate her?"
Seraphine tilted her head back, staring blankly at the ceiling. She tapped her chin, looking genuinely puzzled.
"Wait a second… you're right, sister. Why did we start hating her? Even I don't understand…"
Fairy Greatmother turned sharply to Seraphine, eyes nearly popping out.
"What do you mean you don't understand?!"
Then—Stepmother, arms crossed, suddenly furrowed her brows. She touched her temple with two fingers, as if something deep inside her mind itched.
"…Hold on… That's right…" Her voice dropped into disbelief. "…Why did I become so cruel to Cinderella?"
She shook her head slowly. "This is strange… I… I don't remember why."
Fairy Greatmother stumbled back slightly, placing her teacup onto the tray held by the nearby employee, as panic crept into her voice.
"W-w-w-wait a minute… Why are you acting like you don't even remember why you were cruel to Cinderella—your own stepdaughter?!"
The stepfamily looked at the panicked Ms. Roselia, confused by her reaction.
Fairy Greatmother had every reason to panic. She had long held negative feelings toward the stepfamily for their cruel treatment of Cinderella — so much so that she had to step in with magic, send the girl to the Royal Ball, and give her a chance at a happily ever after.
But now? The stepfamily acted like they didn't even know why they ever mistreated Cinderella at all. That confused her — deeply. How could they forget something so awful?
It left Fairy Greatmother both puzzled and alarmed.
It was just as Ryo had feared. The reason the stepfamily hated Cinderella wasn't simple jealousy or the usual talebook rivalry. This was something else. Something deeper. Something twisted. They looked genuinely confused about why they had ever hated her at all.
Ryo's gaze sharpened. He narrowed his eyes, voice low and serious as he pressed on.
"Can you all tell me… what happened four years ago? Tell me how you came to hate and envy Cinderella. Tell me anything you remember."
Despite the unease in their expressions, the stepfamily nodded.
Slowly, they began to recall…
It started four years ago.
A month before Madam Rosalind married her new husband, Edmund, she gathered all three girls to tell them they'd soon have a stepfather. Back then, Seraphine and Cinderella were both fifteen. Clarisse was fourteen.
All three were thrilled at the idea of having a father in their lives. So thrilled, in fact, that they planned a grand welcoming celebration at the manor.
They decorated the interior with tall candelabras lit with warm golden flame, silk drapes laced with floral embroidery, polished mahogany furniture dusted to perfection, and delicate lace doilies on every surface.
Cinderella, who was working as a baker at the time, prepared a full table of treats:
Soft white bread.
Cherry tarts.
Almond macaroons.
Honey-glazed puff pastries.
Sugar-dusted lemon cakes.
Rosewater cream rolls.
And apple compote galettes.
Every corner of the manor smelled like a dream.
A month passed, and Edmund arrived.
He greeted his new daughters with a wide, emotional smile and embraced all three girls, his wife Rosalind included. They had a simple garden wedding behind the manor. No guests, no noble fanfare. Just the family and a handful of loyal servants. For the first four months, life in the manor was peaceful. Warm. Loving. They felt like a real family.
But then came the fifth month.
Rosalind woke up one morning with a strange, uneasy feeling clouding her thoughts. Her head felt... off, but she couldn't explain why. She went to the kitchen, still drowsy, and saw Cinderella helping the servants prepare breakfast.
Just like always, Cinderella wanted to be helpful. She'd always been kind.
But the moment Rosalind laid eyes on the girl, an unfamiliar wave of disgust swept over her.
She didn't know why.
She couldn't explain it.
But she looked at Cinderella and felt... hate.
Rosalind turned and walked off in silence. Cinderella was stunned by her stepmother's sudden coldness and began to worry.
Later that same day, Rosalind sat her real daughters down and told them sternly that they had to outshine Cinderella—that they needed to be better than her. She recalled how many village folk and nobles often praised Cinderella's beauty and grace, and how it wouldn't be surprising if a prince or even a duke fell for her.
Clarisse and Seraphine were caught off guard by their mother's tone. They disagreed. They didn't want competition. Cinderella was their loving stepsister, not a rival. They believed she should be free to be herself.
Rosalind, disappointed by their refusal to compete, huffed and smacked the wall before walking away.
Two weeks later, Clarisse and Seraphine woke up one morning with that same strange fog in their minds. Their thoughts felt distorted, almost… poisoned. They walked out into the garden where they saw Cinderella trimming the hedges, smiling softly as she helped the servants with the daily chores.
And then—just like that—envy flared up inside them.
They didn't know why.
But they suddenly couldn't stand the sight of her.
Seraphine threw a wooden bucket at Cinderella. Clarisse pushed her to the grass. Both of them began mocking her without a second thought. Cinderella was stunned. The servants, equally shocked, rushed in to help—but Clarisse and Seraphine slapped them back.
Rosalind stepped into the garden. And instead of reprimanding her daughters, she turned on the servants. She expressed disappointment that they dared defend Cinderella and fired them all on the spot.
Cinderella tried to plead for the servants' jobs, but Rosalind silenced her with a threat:
if Cinderella dared defy her, she would be disowned from the family… since she wasn't related by blood.
That was the day it all fell apart.
The servants left the manor. And Cinderella, still trembling from the threat, was forced into servitude.
From that point on, the mistreatment began.
They mocked her while she worked.
When she cleaned the fireplace, they laughed at her soot-stained clothes and called her names like "little ash girl." When she scrubbed the floors, Clarisse and Seraphine splashed her with water and howled with laughter. Rosalind burdened her with impossible chores—tasks that would normally require three or four people. But Cinderella did it alone. Quietly. With tears held back.
And so, it went on… for four whole years.
Until the day a royal servant from the castle arrived.
When the glass slipper fit her foot, the servant escorted Cinderella away from the manor. She didn't even look back once.
But her stepfamily didn't care.
They hated her so deeply they couldn't feel anything but contempt.
And then, the next day…
They woke up. And something had changed.
Their thoughts were clearer now, like someone had flipped a switch. It was as if they'd woken from a nightmare. They looked around at the empty halls, no Cinderella in sight, and finally realized what they had done. Regret crept in like cold wind through the cracks. Shame clung to them like a shadow.
They began to remember everything—everything except one thing.
They still didn't know why they had treated Cinderella so cruelly.
It was as if their hearts had been twisted by invisible hands. Manipulated. Turned inside out.
And that… was their story.
The truth behind the hatred.
The mystery of four years of cruelty… without a reason.