The Hunting of Snow White: A Grim Tale - Chapter 17

Tap…

A sound beyond the door. That faint whimpering. There was no mistaking it…

When Prina crept up to the door, a fluffy white paw appeared under the crack, then disappeared. Seeing it, she was certain.

It was Lucky.

When she peeked the door open, a fluffy creature with a cute ribbon sat looking up at Prina.

“…Lucky?”

It really was Lucky.

“You came to find me. You didn’t forget about me, did you?”

Squeak. Lucky whimpered in answer, as if to say yes.

Prina quickly bent down to scoop Lucky into her arms, but at the door, she noticed a tray covered with a domed lid. She looked down the corridor, but there was no one there.

“Don’t tell me… You brought all this yourself?”

No way.

She knew it was impossible, but there was no one else except Lucky.

Crouching down, she carefully lifted the lid, and underneath was a splendid meal.

Steam rose in billows, carrying a delicious aroma.

Inside was a still-warm steak, a small basket of soft bread, tiny jars of butter and jam, and neatly arranged cutlery.

Compared to the hard bread she’d eaten at the monastery, the meal was unimaginably lavish.

The plate still held a gentle warmth, as if the food had just been prepared. Surprised, Prina quickly covered the dish again, feeling as if she’d done something wrong.

“…Is it really okay for me to eat this?”

She felt uneasy. As if someone were watching, she glanced nervously down the hall and, confirming again that no one was there, closed the door tightly and retreated back into the room.

* * *

The more she thought about it, the more foolish she felt for hiding here.

It was like she’d willingly become a rat trapped in a jar.

But even if she went outside, there was nothing she could do. She didn’t know where this mansion was, if it even was a mansion, or if that man was really its master. She knew nothing, and the idea of fleeing was simply overwhelming.

Looking at the window, it seemed about the height of a second floor, and outside was nothing but thick forest. Would she survive if she jumped? Even if she managed to land safely, would it be safe outside?

The moment she escaped, she would only find herself lost in endless, deep forest.

Prina liked the secret forest, but she had only ever ventured into its outer edges, never this deep.

She remembered Sir Arthur’s monstrous hands and beastly eyes trying to consume her. When she’d collapsed on the wet grass, the dense trees overhead seemed to smother and strangle her.

A forest that had once been her comfort and refuge had now become an object of fear.

This place was so quiet it made her uneasy, but outside could be far worse. No matter how hard she ran, no matter how desperately she struggled, she might never escape.

In that case, it was better to just stay hidden here.

At least nothing had happened to her here yet.

But what if that man came? What would she do then?

The more she thought, the more anxious she became, to the point she couldn’t stand it. Prina curled up on the bed, burying herself under the blankets, but then a chill crept up her back and she hurried over to the door and crouched in front of it.

She pressed her ear to the door, listening intently for any sounds outside.

But as time passed, nothing changed.

The man, in contrast to her wariness, seemed strangely indifferent. He didn’t knock, nor did he try to come into the room.

He simply left food at the door, whether she ate it or not.

Exactly three times a day, at the same time, he would bring meals, and the menu changed each time, always as if freshly prepared and still warm.

The carefully arranged food was beautiful, but with a tightness in her throat, Prina couldn’t swallow a single bite.

She just couldn’t eat. Clutching her empty stomach, she endured as best she could. It was a foolish thing to do, even in her own mind, but her fear of the unknown was greater than her hunger.