In many versions of "Sleeping Beauty," the story began directly after the princess's birth, when the 12 Witches were invited to bestow blessings upon her.
But in other versions, the story began much earlier.
At the beginning of the story, the scene Rhine now witnessed was this—the King and Queen had longed for a child for years, yet their wish had never come true.
If he was truly in the story of "Sleeping Beauty," then the King and Queen, as the female lead's parents, counted as important figures in the story—among the "protagonists of fate." That made sense!
Rhine knew perfectly well not to be fooled by the King and Queen's current despair and hopelessness.
Since this was the kingdom of "Sleeping Beauty," the predicament facing the King and Queen could not possibly be unsolvable!
After all, they were destined to have a Little Princess in the future.
And she would be the story's protagonist—Sleeping Beauty! The young man was both astonished and thrilled. I actually came to such an early era?
An era before the story had even begun! Suppressing his surprise, he bowed lightly. "Your Majesties, King and Queen, there is no need to worry. I have a way to fulfill your wish."
Hearing Rhine's promise, the King trembled all over and immediately sat upright.
He was unsure whether the young wizard before him was merely boasting or truly had a plan.
The Queen, who had remained silent beside him, was equally shocked as she looked at Rhine with doubt and hope.
Over the years, because she had never borne a child, her relationship with the King had gradually grown distant, and in recent years, she had been repeatedly neglected.
The Queen had always suspected that not having a child was not her fault, but she could never say such words aloud.
After seeing even the 12 highly skilled Witches prove helpless, the Queen had long since given up hope of having a child of her own.
Thus, when she summoned Rhine, she had not expected any turn for the better.
Yet the unwavering attitude displayed by this overly young wizard made the Queen regain a measure of confidence.
Perhaps this child really could create a miracle? "Your Majesties, allow me to cast healing magic upon you."
Rhine gently raised his hand and began chanting a spell. A soft, pure white radiance blossomed from his palm, bathing both the King and Queen in its warmth.
Healing Art!
A spell obtained after fulfilling the wishes of over a thousand people to be "restored to full health."
As they felt the warm radiance wash over their bodies, the King and Queen immediately felt refreshed, as though they had become several years younger. Their old wounds and hidden ailments seemed to have been cleansed away.
The rumors were indeed true. Though this little wizard looked young, his abilities were anything but ordinary!
The King and Queen marveled inwardly.
After the light faded, the King asked eagerly, "Rhine, is it complete?"
"Not yet, Your Majesty. To complete the treatment, medicine must be used as well."
Rhine requested paper and pen, then wrote out a prescription.
"Your Majesty, take the medicine according to the prescription I have written. Before long, you and the Queen will surely have a child."
Once he had finished, Rhine revealed a worried expression. "However, one of the ingredients is exceedingly rare. I do not know whether it can be found within Your Majesty's kingdom."
The King waved for an attendant to deliver the prescription to him and examined it with a smile.
He was not worried in the slightest about any hard-to-obtain medicine.
He was the ruler of a kingdom. So what if an herb was rare? What herb could he not acquire?
"They are all common ingredients..."
The King's gaze passed over one medicine after another.
Just as the Old King thought Rhine had exaggerated the rarity of the ingredients, his eyes fell upon the final item.
The gaze of this sovereign froze at once.
"What is this final ingredient?"
Ingredient: A blessing spoken in human language by an animal living in water.
Method of use: Have a fish or frog living in water offer the Queen a blessing in human language. Bless the Queen with a child of her own.
The King's expression immediately turned unpleasant.
Even on a fantastical continent, animals that spoke human language usually existed only in legends.
At the very least, the Old King himself had never seen one!
Suppressing his anger, the King set down the prescription. "Rhine, please tell me where I can find a fish that speaks human language."
Neither servile nor overbearing, Rhine slowly replied, "Let us follow fate's arrangement.
"Fate will guide us all."
As a visitor from beyond this world, Rhine knew that compared to the other wizards in this world, he possessed an unknown advantage!
He knew how fate and the future would unfold.
In this fairy-tale world, he was the most brilliant seer and prophet! According to what Rhine knew, at the beginning of the "Sleeping Beauty" story, the Queen, who had gone childless for years, gave birth only after receiving a fish's blessing—though in some versions, it was a frog! Therefore, as long as events followed their normal course, the King and Queen would inevitably receive the fish's blessing and ultimately have a child.
He merely needed to push the process along to fulfill the King and Queen's wish as well.
Naturally, the Old King could not know what the little wizard beneath the throne steps was thinking. He only assumed this wizard was spouting meaningless mystic nonsense.
The ruler's expression suddenly darkened.
His clouded eyes dimmed once more.
So... there truly was no hope after all?
The King let out a long, sorrowful sigh.
As a monarch who had ruled the kingdom for decades, the King understood this much:
When wizards and learned sages believed a goal was too difficult to achieve, they would deliberately propose impossible conditions and unobtainable materials, giving both sides a way to save face.
The little wizard before him clearly believed that his request was simply too difficult.
Even the 12 powerful Witches had failed to accomplish it! Therefore, the little wizard had no confidence that the medicine would work, so he had deliberately written an ingredient that could never be obtained at the end of the prescription.
That way, even if there was no effect in the end, it would not be too embarrassing.
So be it. This was fine as well.
Asking a newly fledged wizard to solve a problem that even the 12 mighty Witches could do nothing about really was asking too much...
The aged monarch waved helplessly, signaling for Rhine to leave.
"Very well, Forest Sage, thank you for your prescription.
"I will reward you with Gold and Silver."
No matter what, Rhine had at least done his best. He had written a prescription and used healing magic to make him healthier than before, so he naturally deserved a reward.
Rhine thanked the King and turned to leave.
"Wait, Wizard!"
Just as Rhine was about to step through the Palace Gate, the Queen suddenly called out to him.
"May I ask whether our child will be a boy or a girl, and what she or he will be like?"
Seeing the excitement on his wife's face, the King found it somewhat amusing, yet could not bring himself to expose the truth in front of her.
Under the King's astonished gaze, the little wizard clad in a hood and robe turned around, bowed lightly, spread his arms, and said with the certainty of someone stating a fact, "Your child will be a Little Princess, both beautiful and clever.
"She will bear a legendary destiny. She will surely take the stage of fate and become the protagonist of a Legendary Chapter!"
Three months had passed since Rhine left the palace.
During those three months, the King had completely given up on the idea of having a child and accepted reality.
He knew that even if he took more concubines at his advanced age, it would still be difficult for him to produce an heir.
The vast kingdom would inevitably fall into his brother's hands.
He also took the medicine prescribed to him on schedule.
But he did so only while holding onto the faint hope of waiting for a miracle. He did not truly believe the medicine could bring any change.
To the ruler's surprise, Rhine's medicine was genuinely effective!
The Old King could feel that ever since taking the medicine from the prescription, his health had indeed improved day by day. Every day, he felt more energetic and vigorous.
But even so, the Queen showed no sign of pregnancy.
Unlike the King, who had already given up hope, the Queen still remembered Rhine's words from that day.
The little wizard's parting words echoed again and again in the Queen's waking hours and dreams.
"He spoke with such certainty."
"He even clearly said that I would have a beautiful, lovely Little Princess."
"Is he a seer or a prophet?"
"He must be. I have heard that many wizards can foresee the future!"
"As long as I receive a fish's blessing, I can have a child of my own!"
"Should I... take the initiative and go to the riverbank to seek a chance for a blessing?"
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