163 - The Freed S*aves Became Obsessed

The Liberated Slaves Obsess - Chapter 163 "Hey, you. Why does it end like this? My daughters cried their eyes out when I read it to them, just as you said they would." Ulvram grumbled at me, and he had his reasons. The core conflict of Snow White revolves around the Queen, driven by jealousy of Snow White's beauty, attempting to exile and ultimately kill her. Despite several assassination attempts, the Queen is thwarted repeatedly by the dwarfs. But despite this, she finally succeeds in feeding Snow White the poisoned apple, causing her to fall into an eternal slumber. That's where my version of the fairy tale ends. Those familiar with the tale may sense something amiss, but for those unfamiliar, innocent children hoping for Snow White's happy ending ended up witnessing a sad ending. The innocence, utterly shattered. "And why is the dwarf portrayed as a coward while the elf is brave?" Another complaint from a dwarf. In the original tale of Snow White, there are no elves, but in my rendition, there are. Inspired by the fairies like Tinker Bell from Peter Pan, I added golden-haired, long-eared forest sprites into the story. For those unaware of Tinker Bell, they would simply appear as elves, much like how the dwarfs are interpreted. This was intentional. In my adaptation of Snow White, instead of the dwarfs who help the princess in every possible way, they are scared and don't leave their homes, while the forest sprites take their place to assist her. The reasoning is simple. Creating tension is one of the best ways to captivate and provoke the audience's emotions. And especially when pitted against elves, it becomes even more effective. "Is there really a need for such deep immersion? It's just a fairy tale. Don’t trouble yourself over it." Though I said this, seeing their reactions gave me the assurance that my plan would succeed. It was time to spread the 'poison' in Doomheim. *** The Boozy Barrel, Doomheim’s most famous tavern, which was always lively, had an unusually somber atmosphere that day, particularly among the household heads sighing deeply. It was enough to make everyone feel a sense of camaraderie. "Did you read Snow White to your daughter too?" "You too?" Recently, Snow White, the fairy tale that took Doomheim by storm, told the story of the unfortunate Snow White, chased away by her stepmother just because she was beautiful, ending with her eternal slumber after eating the poisonous apple given by the stepmother in disguise. "My child cried so much, saying Snow White had died. Even when I said it's just a fairy tale and not reality, it didn’t help." "You know what my kids said? They wondered why the dwarfs, unlike the elves, didn't help Snow White and said they wanted to be born as elves, not dwarfs!" The pride of the dwarfs, stemming from the legendary blacksmith Vargan, was shattered, and the dreams of the future generation of Doomheim were steeped in defeat. All because of a mere fairy tale. “Who wrote this trash?” “I heard it’s some human living in Lord Torvar's house.” “What?” “There’s even a rumor that they plan to sell this book all over the continent.” “This is nonsensical! We can’t let this happen!” The dwarfs couldn’t stand to have their honor tarnished by a fake fairy tale. They hurried to Torvar's house, leaving their drinks behind. The place was already bustling with countless dwarfs. "You skinny human! Don’t hide, come out now!" “Did you think you could insult dwarfs in Doomheim and get away with it?” The dwarfs shouted their protests loudly. Peeking through the curtains, Ferka stepped away from the window. Beside him, Karami sipped coffee, spectating the scene. “It’s like spilling caramel popcorn. Makes me want to grab a handful.” Joking about the situation he created, all Ferka could do was let out a heavy sigh. Ferka had read Snow White, too. The story of the princess who lost her mother, was driven out of the palace by her stepmother's jealousy, and faced constant peril. In the end, she fell for a scheme and was cast into eternal sleep. The narrative uncannily mirrored Ashies' life. The illustrations didn't quite match her looks, but Ferka knew immediately they resembled Ashies. Karami ended the story with such a dark fate for Ashies. “How do you plan on cleaning up the mess from writing such a fairy tale? The people have turned into an enraged mob.” While the sprites did what they could to help Ashies against the stepmother, the dwarfs were too busy hiding. In Doomheim, not comparing dwarfs to elves was a grave mistake. Though half-human, Ferka, who was also part dwarf, understood their outrage. It was strange if people weren't angry. With another sigh, Ferka glanced at Ashies. She was quietly reading the fairy tale on the bed. What strange feelings must she harbor, seeing her story end in a sad way? Her face was expressionless, yet surely she felt something odd. Though fairy tales usually have happy endings, Karami was sinister indeed. Just then, Ferka realized. Karami was a slave envoy. He had recently overlooked it. Perhaps all this time, this was just a prelude to indulging in his petty pleasure. Ferka thought so. *** Four days since Snow White’s debut. The new fairy tale, with its cheap price, posed no burden on parents who wanted to gift it to their children. Parents bought the book for their children, read Karami’s version of Snow White to them, and as a result, the children were plunged into gloom. The girls who saw themselves in Snow White experienced a vicarious eternal slumber, while the boys who anticipated the heroic deeds of the seven dwarfs fell into a sense of loss. Adults weren't much different from the sensitive children. In a world where cultural activities were scarce, the impact was even greater—like the poisoned apple of the witch. The reaper had indeed spread the poison of despair in Doomheim. The dwarfs set aside their mining and drinking, gathering in front of Torvar's house to stage a furious protest. Demanding he come out immediately. To apologize and amend the content. Being Torvar's roommate, he was fortunate they were protesting peacefully; otherwise, they would have broken down the door long ago. However, even the dwarfs' patience was running thin. Frustration grew not only towards the firmly closed door but also towards Torvar, who seemed to be shielding Karami. Just as emotions reached their boiling point, ready to erupt like a volcano: "Greetings, everyone. I am at a loss for words seeing you gather here at such a late hour." The moment the tightly closed door opened, Karami finally appeared. "So you finally crawled out, you elf spy!" "Ha ha, while it's true I have connections with elves, I assure you I'm no spy." Even as many hurled vile emotions his way, Karami responded nonchalantly. "What brings you all here? Is it a festival?" "It's your funeral! Did you think you'd remain unharmed after peddling such garbage as a fairy tale?" "A fairy tale, you say?" "Don't play dumb! Do you think we don't know you wrote that Snow White story?" Karami tilted his head with a genuinely perplexed expression. "Why would you consider it a fairy tale?" "What?" "Snow White is, in fact, based on a true story, with only slight embellishments." "How is that a true story? Are you joking with us?" The dwarfs, united in pride, raised their voices as one. But Karami smirked, mocking them with a blatant scoff. "I have visited the great forests. They fought bravely, showcasing their martial prowess. But what about the dwarfs? Did they not abandon virtue to cower and hide in fear?" "T-That’s..." "And yet you expect fairy tales to be filled with laughter and joy? Escaping reality, indeed. It’s laughable." Though he spoke thus, he understood. Going against a dragon would be terrifying. Yet the fact remained that they fled, and Karami simply wrote it as it was. "The endings filled with dreams and hope were abandoned by the adults. Hence, the children have no choice but to witness these sad endings." Karami shrugged his shoulders, and despite his taunts, the dwarfs couldn't retort. They were on the verge of barging in, but suddenly, they hesitated, exchanging unsure glances. "In truth, there's a secret with Snow White." At that moment, Karami’s convincingly smooth voice wafted amidst the crowd. "The Snow White published this time is only the first volume. There’s a second volume with the actual ending." "Is that true?" "Indeed. The first volume merely serves as a bridge to the ending. I'm in the process of writing the second volume." In other words... "If you all were to demonstrate bravery... the ending might change." "..." "There is still a chance for you. An opportunity to create a happy ending. To show your children dreams and hope." The dwarfs’ eyes wavered. Karami didn't miss a beat, delivering an irresistible pitch. "And that’s not all. As the slave envoy, there isn't a soul on the continent who doesn’t know me. People simply cannot ignore the books I write." "And...?" “If you stand your ground against the dragon, oh yes, even I must acknowledge that dwarfs are superior to elves.” Karami delivered the final blow. "Your bravery will be immortalized in fairy tales, honored by future generations, akin to the great Vargan." Silence spread among the crowd. Some dwarfs thought, others pondered, and yet some, though inclined to act, hesitated. Amidst them, a dwarf head of a family with five children raised his voice. "Yes, children! Can we show our kids that we are cowards? How can we face them proudly if we drive guests from Doomheim?" That was the spark. "Right! Can we let ourselves be outdone by mere elves?” “Whether it’s a dragon or a lizard! Let us hunt and prove the valor of dwarfs!" The dwarfs united their voices in a rallying cry. "We are the dwarfs! Born of steel, with flames of undying spirit! Only hammer and anvil can forge our destiny! None shall hinder our path! Raise your hammers, fortify your shields! We are the children of the earth, smiths of even the gods!" The resolute declaration echoed through the underground. The dwarfs, gathering their resolve, declared their intention to join the battle. Karami smiled silently. All that was left was preparation. Vulture 2024.12.31 09:36 신고 It's more like Goebbels if we’re talking about inciting… 1 SKKQ12 2024.12.31 10:54 신고 I mentioned a really famous German figure associated with Germany who also incited, delivered speeches, and waged wars—Hitler. 0 Vulture 2024.12.31 13:53 신고 In reality, Hitler was quite incompetent. His book "Mein Kampf" was just a garbage self-pitying essay, and the real mastermind who lifted an insignificant minor party to power was Goebbels. 0 적강 2024.12.30 10:30 신고 Karami, indeed. 1 피폐너무좋아 2025.01.05 12:59 신고 It just feels like an insult, haha. 0 Karon 2024.12.30 04:15 신고 Considering how good Karami is at dividing people, he seems destined to be a politician. 0 공명참 2024.12.30 08:14 신고 A sharp mind, indeed. 0 qhtm 2024.12.30 17:19 신고 Master of incitement. 0 퍼리충이아니되고시퍼 2024.12.31 00:22 신고 He’d probably be good at art too. 0 Karon 2024.12.31 01:54 신고 A certain Austrian figure comes to mind. 1 아디쉐 2024.12.31 12:51 신고 But then Arpia shows up! “Whaaat!? An elf? No way!” 0 알칼 2025.01.19 07:24 신고 Why do these dwarfs seem less intelligent than orcs? Haha. 0