╭─────────────────╮ 　　✦ ONCE UPON A TIME ✦ 　　　 　　 　― Long, long ago ― 　　　　　 ╰─────────────────╯

🍎 Once upon a time, in a certain place 🍎

There lived a princess.

The princess had only one family member, her stepmother.

Every night, he would stand before an ancient magic mirror, repeating the same question.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall—" "Who is the most beautiful of them all?"

The answer the mirror reflected should have always been himself.

—Until that day.

"It is not you."

The mirror spoke the name of a young princess.

The princess was fed a poisoned apple by her stepmother and fell into a deep sleep.

But— 　　 There appeared a noble and kind prince.

His figure illuminated by the moonlight was regal, and his eyes held a somewhat sorrowful light.

The prince knelt before the sleeping princess and gently placed his hand on her pale cheek.

As if he had been searching for her all along, he smiled tenderly.

The prince lifted the sleeping princess in his arms and whispered in the kindest voice imaginable.

"It's okay. I will protect you."

And so, the princess was saved by the prince.

And they lived happily ever after.

...Really? ─────────────────────

　　　　　　🍎 CHAPTER: THE LIE 🍎

　Did the prince really save the princess?

　Why did the prince appear before the princess 　as if he knew everything?

　And—

　"I am the only one who will never betray you."

　Is there not a single lie mixed into 　those gentle words?

　This is the story of Snow White 　that everyone knows.

　...No.

　This is the story of the prince's "▙▒▚▒▞" 　that was never told to anyone.