Hmm? How did this come back to me again? Why do I have the bloodline of the East Carleighwen Kingdom?

"Because of your hair and eyes."

After looking into Leon's dark eyes, the blue-haired old man explained with a chuckle:

"The East and West Carleighwen Kingdom, besides being called the Twin Kingdoms, are also known separately as [Black-haired Country] and [Snow-haired Country] due to their people's characteristics.

The citizens of the West Carleighwen Kingdom generally have snow-colored hair and white eyes, thus they dislike bright light and prefer darkness. Their state religion was formed by the Darksayers into the Abysmal Church. On the other hand, the black-haired, black-eyed East Carleighwen Kingdom loves light, their state religion was established by Light Worshippers into the Luminous Church. The color of the hair is the most distinctive feature of the citizens from these two countries.

Although, apart from these two major kingdoms, there are black-haired and white-haired people in other kingdoms, their hair and eye colors are generally a bit mixed, not 'pure' enough. Only those with ancestral ties to the East Carleighwen Kingdom, like you, have such untainted black hair and black eyes."

Is that so? But I remember my hair is not that black?

Holding up the empty plate on the table, and looking at the reflection inside, Leon suddenly realized, to his amazement, the blue-haired old man was right, his hair and eyes were indeed pure black.

Previously, he didn't notice it, but after becoming a Cleaner, his hair, once dry and yellowish from malnutrition, was slowly reverting back to black. The fatigue and muddiness in his eyes were gradually fading, no longer bloodshot, and looked like two sparkling black gemstones.

"Am I right or am I right?"

Seeing the hint of surprise in Leon's eyes, the Aquarius Director couldn't help but smile, and then, as if discovering something, stared closely at his pupils.

"Hmm... speaking of which, your facial features make me feel a bit familiar. When the royal family of the East Carleighwen was still around, I had interactions with them, and I feel you resemble the royal family of the East Carleighwen Kingdom a lot.

If I didn't know your background beforehand and knew you had never been to the East Carleighwen Kingdom, I might have thought you were a branch of the East Carleighwen royal lineage or even simply a royal bloodline carrying the fragment of the [Brave] Authority... uh... my apologies!"

The blue-haired old man's chest suddenly puffed up, and he hurriedly reached into his bosom to grab something, apologizing before getting up and quickly walking out of the dining room.

And Leon, left in place, stared blankly at the reflection of himself in the dish.

His own affairs were best known to him. The blue-haired old man thought he was from the Kingdom of Lutung, but Leon knew in his heart, he was not Anna's real brother, but a 'fake' brought by her using an abnormal object.

So... could it really be that I am from the East Carleighwen Kingdom? And possibly even a royal descendant carrying a fragment of the [Brave] Authority?

As he tugged at his eyelid and looked at the reflection of his pure black eyes, an absent-minded Leon couldn't help but murmur to himself:

"Could it be this dramatic... and do I really look [Brave]? Am I someone with a lot of courage?"

'Whether you have courage or not I wouldn't know, but facing you indeed requires some courage on the part of those creatures from the Realm of the Dead and the Dream Realm.'

"Hmm?"

Interrupted by the sarcastic voice in his mind, Leon instinctively looked towards the nearest mirror - the plate. The Black Goat, holding a small mirror in its mouth, popped its head out of the clean, reflective dish, grumpily saying:

'Hey, that red-haired woman is looking for you!'

The Director is looking for me?

Taking the small mirror spat out by the Black Goat, after wiping off the sticky goat spit on its forehead, Leon reached out to touch the engraving of the Dung Beetle Lady on the mirror's frame. The small mirror flashed a couple of times and reflected the image of the Red-haired Director.

"Little Leon~ hic... Leon-ha~"

After blowing a breath of alcohol into the mirror, the red-haired Director in the mirror laughed with confusion:

"The Northern Kingdom's snow lime wine and polar bear fresh beer are famous, would you bring me some when you come back... Wait! Don't tap the mirror yet! I've got something else! Hold on!"

After calling out to Leon who was ready to "hang up" with a dark face, the red-haired Director dared not mess around anymore, quickly raising the old broom in his hand and asked:

"Leon, do you remember this broom?"

The broom? [Lazy Witch's Rental Broom]?

After recognizing the broom in the red-haired Director's hand, realizing it was indeed the one he had broken, Leon couldn't help but ask in surprise:

"Wasn't it said that this thing couldn't be repaired after being sent back?"

"The point isn't whether it can be repaired or not, it's that when this broom was carried back by a cat, there was a handkerchief wrapped around the handle, with a letter for you written on it."

"???"

A letter for me?

Squinting at the small mirror, after recognizing the handkerchief unfolded by the red-haired Director, Leon's brow couldn't help but furrow.

Aside from saying the letter was for him, most of the handkerchief was blank, with only three exclamation mark-like cat paw prints in the bottom right corner.

However, just as he was about to inquire further, a line of embroidered words suddenly appeared at the top of the handkerchief.

'Help! I need your assistance!'

"..."

So this is a distress letter? But you didn't even provide a name or address, how am I supposed to know who you are?

And the person who sent the handkerchief seemed to know what Leon was thinking, as the embroidery on the handkerchief gradually appeared, perfectly answering the question Leon wanted to ask.

'I can't say my name, as soon as it's said, it will be known by others; I can't tell you my address either, or I will be captured immediately! As for who I am, you'll know when you arrive!'

"..."

This damn... not enough money, no actors hired yet, no script available? You didn't even leave an address, how can I find you even if I wanted to help!

'Don't worry, you can still find me without knowing the address.'

Before Leon could respond, the embroidered pattern on the silk handkerchief reappeared.

'When the time is right, you just need to ride that broken broom, it will lead you to me.'

"But I haven't decided yet to..."

'You haven't decided to come save me just now, but the Bedtime Story has already begun. When the time is right, you will certainly come according to the story, and we will surely meet then!'

"So the Bedtime Story you mentioned..."

'This can't be said either, and it's better for you not to mention it at all!'

"Then you..."

'I'm safe for now, but if you come too early or too late, whether I'm safe or not can't be guaranteed. As for when you should come, you will know later.'

"So..."

'I know what you want to ask because I saw it in advance... you get what I mean, right?'

Saw in advance...

After staring at the slightly old embroidery on the handkerchief, Leon's brow slightly arched, and he began to have some guesses about the identity of this enigmatic person.

Regarding Time, could she be the High Witch King's daughter? The missing princess from the Witch Kingdom of Mifalana?

'It's just like you guessed, but do not reveal it.'

As if an invisible skillful hand was deftly embroidering on the handkerchief, once more it completed a big red cross before Leon could speak.

'If we follow the content of the Bedtime Story, it's highly likely we'll end up dead. But if you break the story or meet "characters" you shouldn't before the story starts, the outcome would be even worse than death!'

"..."

So, you mean that I'm already involved in your troubles over there? Is your stuff so jinxed?

'It's not that you're caught up in my troubles but rather I'm dragged into your affairs! I'm the one being implicated here, okay? Boo hoo... and I was almost getting away with it, but...'

The heart of this royal witch princess seemed to be extraordinarily distressed, as the embroidery on the silk handkerchief became faster and more erratic, expressing resentment over several lines before leaving behind a puzzling reminder, and then the entire embroidery vanished.

'When you come, remember to bring a high-grade toilet with a plush ring cushion.'

'ฅฅฅ'

"Huh?"