"Kill the Queen directly?" Hearing Aurora's suggestion, Rhine couldn't help but mutter in his heart:
"That's truly an idea only you would come up with, Aurora."
This child always acted overly aggressive in certain situations.
"The Queen tried to harm us and is also a member of the Witch Society; she's certainly not a good person and her death would not be regrettable." Rhine stared at the unconscious but still breathing Queen on the ground.
"However, if the Queen suddenly disappears and dies, there's no guarantee the King won't take some drastic action, which could cause the entire White Kingdom to fall into chaos!"
As Rhine spoke, he also knelt down to observe the unconscious Queen on the ground:
"When I was in the Sea Kingdom, I heard that the King of the neighboring White Kingdom had become incredibly obsessed with this beautiful Queen ever since he married her, neglecting affairs of state.
"Now I finally understand. The Queen cast an enchanting spell on herself, doubling the King's love for her."
Rhine believed this was why the Queen feared women whose beauty surpassed hers! It could reduce the King's affection for her.
"Since we can't kill her, how should we deal with her?" Aurora was troubled. "Are we supposed to persuade her to become a good person from now on?"
"That's not necessarily impossible," Rhine said meaningfully. "Her motive itself is somewhat normal, but her methods are both wicked and foolish. Such a clownish villain might still have a chance to turn over a new leaf."
It's well-known that in various novels and anime, villains who are too foolish often have the chance to transform into comedic characters! Rhine thought.
"How do we persuade her to turn over a new leaf? She's still unconscious," Aurora asked.
She noticed Rhine smiled without speaking, as if he already had an idea in mind.
"Has Teacher thought of another new idea?" Aurora pondered, confused.
Aurora knew very well that from bestowing the warrior's blessing upon her to facilitating the alliance between the Sea Kingdom's merfolk and humans, the Sage of Rose Kingdom always had many novel ideas that transcended the times.
Just then, the Dwarves who had gone up the mountain to mine also returned in groups.
As soon as they saw the unconscious Queen, they were all stunned:
"Oh my goodness, isn't that the Queen of White Kingdom? We've seen her portrait. She tried to harm you, but you retaliated and defeated her?"
"She tried to harm others, but it backfired, and she fell victim to her own methods," Rhine explained simply.
"Now the Queen is unconscious. What do you think we should do with her? Should we just kill her?" Aurora asked, seizing the opportunity when the Dwarves returned.
The Dwarves discussed among themselves and came up with an answer:
"We heard that how a country's King is handled should be decided by the people of that country. We think the same principle applies to the Queen.
"Why don't we ask the people of White Kingdom how the Queen should be dealt with?"
"Such an innocent suggestion, yet it makes some sense," Aurora pondered the Dwarves' seemingly childlike words.
"You're right. It just so happens I was also planning to meet Hunter Angus's carpenter foster father," Rhine said.
So, they dragged the unconscious Queen into the house, where the Dwarves placed her in a crystal coffin for safekeeping, while Rhine and Aurora teleported away from the mountain forest and went to the urban area of White Kingdom.
Like most small kingdoms on the Western Continent, White Kingdom also had only one large town, which was their royal capital.
As soon as Rhine and Aurora entered the town, they felt the barrenness and chaos.
Oh, this city was terrible! It was dirty everywhere, the roads hadn't been repaired for years, and mud and foul water were everywhere.
Robbers and thieves were encountered from time to time; beggars with hunched backs always held out bowls on both sides of the road, begging passersby; Soldiers swaggered, hitting pedestrians who didn't make way for them with large clubs.
"The situation in White Kingdom doesn't look too good either," Aurora said thoughtfully.
They walked to a large, dark, gloomy building with iron bars on all its windows.
Everyone said that was where the Kingdom Prison was located, and it was filled with people.
"If all the bad people are in prison, then why are the streets still so chaotic? If most of the bad people aren't in prison, then who is imprisoned there?" Aurora wondered.
Just then, at the entrance of the prison, Aurora and Rhine heard a sorrowful cry.
"Why was my son put in prison? He clearly didn't commit any crime! He's an innocent, good child."
"Let me see my son! Please, I beg you. At least let me know why he was thrown into death row."
"Everyone says he's going to be hanged next week. Why? Why?"
An elderly old man at the prison entrance cried and pleaded with the Soldiers, begging them to let him in to see his son.
"Why so many questions? This is the King's or the Queen's decree!"
The large Soldier roughly pushed the old man to the ground; it looked quite painful!
"Your adopted son is about to be executed. He's going to die, forget about him!" another smaller Soldier also snapped.
"Please, I beg you, take this treasure. Just let me see my son, please?"
The old man endured the pain in his body, stood up again, and looked at the two Soldiers with a fawning smile.
He carefully unwrapped a handkerchief, revealing a pearl inside, and handed it over with a flattering expression.
The pearl was large and bright, clearly very valuable—it was the very one Rhine had given to Hunter Angus's family, a pearl from the Sea Kingdom!
The large Soldier snatched the pearl and examined it.
"It looks like the real thing, boss," the smaller Soldier said.
"How could an ordinary carpenter like you have such a large pearl? It must be fake," the large Soldier scolded. "Get out of here, and don't come back before we throw you into prison too!"
Despite saying that, the large Soldier simultaneously slipped the pearl into his pocket, a hint of glee flashing across his lips.
Several Soldiers together drove away the old carpenter; they were about to hit him with large clubs, scaring the old carpenter into retreating and falling to the ground.
Watching this scene, Rhine sighed softly.
"It's Hunter Angus's carpenter foster father. Was that hunter thrown into prison because he failed to complete the Queen's task?"
The Little Magician's index finger twitched slightly.
The sticks in the Soldiers' hands suddenly came alive, jumping up and hitting their own heads, leaving them with bumps all over.
Then all the sticks went to hit the large Soldier who looked like an officer, scaring him into shouting "There's a ghost!" and collapsing to the ground, his pants even turning yellow.
Taking advantage of this, Rhine pulled the bewildered old carpenter away from the prison entrance.
The Little Magician merely snapped his fingers, and all the bruises from the old carpenter's beating and falling disappeared.
"Oh my goodness, was it you who helped me? Is this magic? I actually saw real magic!"
The old carpenter was stunned, as if something from a fairy tale book had appeared in reality!
"Thank you, I really don't know how to thank you! My house is nearby, please come and sit at my place."
In a corner of the street, the old carpenter said excitedly, two lines of tears streaming down his cheeks.
"You must be a very powerful Magician, can you save my adopted son? His name is Angus, he's a Hunter. Some time ago, he was arrested and thrown into prison for some reason, and he's going to be hanged next week!"
Rhine nodded and readily agreed:
"Don't worry, I will rescue your adopted son and ensure he is safe and sound."
On the way back to the old carpenter's house, Rhine asked:
"Old man, what is your name?
"We are outsiders, tell us about what has happened in White Kingdom these past years."
The old carpenter nodded gently:
"My name is Geppetto, I am an experienced carpenter in the White Kingdom's royal capital, and I suppose I'm somewhat well-known."
Geppetto? Rhine raised an eyebrow.
You are the future father of Pinocchio?