The Wizard of Fairy Tale World

Chapter 126: Rhine’s Own Wish

"Teacher, I often feel like… you’re too detached, as if you have no desires of your own," Aurora said.

"You always help others, yet you never seem to have any strong personal goals or ambitions."

Rhine remained silent.

He had never given this much thought before, but hearing Aurora say it now, he realized—she was right.

Since coming to this world, he had gradually become this way.

He knew he hadn’t always been like this. Not in his past life, and not even in his first year after arriving here.

"When did I start feeling so indifferent? When did I become so emotionless, so devoid of personal desires?"

The bird perched on his shoulder—Aurora in her transformed state—continued, recalling their journey together.

"Everywhere you go, you help people and fulfill their wishes.

"In Rose Kingdom, you stood against the Black Witch Maleficent alongside the Twelve Witches, blessing my newborn self with a gift no one else would have thought of.

"In the Western Asia Kingdom and the Sea Kingdom, you helped mend the divide between humans and merfolk. You made it possible for Ariel and Prince Eric to be together. You helped Ariel obtain an immortal soul.

"In White Kingdom, you came up with the genius idea of ‘governing through the Magic Mirror.’ You reformed the kingdom and even changed the evil Queen herself.

"Whether it was Huntsman Jax, the old craftsman Geppetto, or even the Queen herself—because of you, they all found a better future.

"Teacher, you’ve made so many people’s wishes come true…"

She paused, then fixed her gaze on him.

"But Teacher—what is your wish?"

My wish?

Rhine opened his mouth to answer—only to find he had no response.

I’ve never thought about it…

In that instant, he finally understood why he had become so indifferent, why he seemed to have no desires of his own.

He had no sense of belonging in this world.

He felt like a player in a game, a mere observer, moving through events as a bystander. He helped where he could, but he had no deep passion, no emotional waves stirring within him.

"I’ve turned into a gender-swapped Frieren, haven’t I?" Rhine thought dryly.

"My wish, huh…"

He seriously considered it.

What did he truly desire?

With near-immortal life, powerful magic, and the respect of entire kingdoms—what was left for him to want?

To become the world’s greatest magician?

Rhine knew he wasn’t the strongest. His magical foundation and experience were still inferior to most of the Witch’s Covenant members, except for the Sea Hag and the Queen.

But that goal… it didn’t stir his heart.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"I want to go home.

"If I truly have a wish—one that comes from the depths of my soul—it’s to go home."

"Home?" Aurora blinked. "Well… I guess you’re not a native of Rose Kingdom, right?"

Rhine shook his head.

"Not just this kingdom. Not this world."

Aurora, still in bird form, stared at him in confusion.

Seeing her bewilderment, Rhine explained in terms she could understand.

"You remember what the Sea Hag once said? That all humans have an immortal soul.

"Some souls move to another world after death. Some reincarnate, returning as newborns.

"When an old man dies, somewhere in the world, a baby cries its first breath. Death and birth are twin sisters—always together, never apart.

"So, think about it. If every newborn was once an old soul, then maybe—just maybe—one in a million, one in ten million… will remember their past life."

Aurora nodded, recalling the Sea Hag’s teachings. It made sense. But she still asked, "Has that ever actually happened?"

Rhine chuckled.

"It happened to me."

Aurora froze.

"Wait—Teacher, you remember your past life?!"

She was stunned.

Rhine had never told her this before.

"So transmigration… is actually this simple? And it even fits this world’s logic perfectly,"

"Yes," he said, "and you’re the only one I’ve ever told."

"My past life wasn’t in this world. It was somewhere completely different."

Aurora’s golden eyes widened in awe. "Another world…?"

"Yes," Rhine murmured, gazing out the window. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The wind played with the drifting clouds, scattering them, reshaping them.

"That world was my home.

"For years—every night—my past life has replayed in my dreams.

"In my dreams, I feel like I’ve gone back. Or sometimes, I think I never left, that this entire journey in this fantasy world is just a long, strange dream.

"But then I wake up.

"And I remember—I’ve been away from home for so many years."

Aurora listened quietly.

"In my past life, I had parents who loved me. I had a home filled with warmth.

"But… I wasn’t strong. I had no magic. And I was very, very sick.

"I spent most of my life in hospitals.

"In the end, I lay on a hospital bed and thought to myself—

‘Will I ever grow up? Or will I stay like this forever, never reaching adulthood?’

"And funny enough… my intuition was right.

"I never did grow up.

"I closed my eyes… and when I opened them, I was here.

"And in this world, my body has really stopped growing."

Aurora’s nose stung.

Rhine didn’t look at her. He simply kept gazing out the window, speaking in a calm, detached voice, as if recounting someone else’s story.

"I wonder… were my parents heartbroken after I was gone?

"I keep thinking—what if I could go back? What if I could return with all my magic, all my power, and see them again?

"What if I could hug them, and tell them—

‘Your child didn’t die. He just went to another world. He’s been living well. He even became a great magician.’

"What if I could show them my magic and make their lives better?"

Aurora couldn’t hold it in anymore.

With a rush of swirling mist, she transformed back into her human form.

Tears welled up in her golden eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

She glanced across the room—where the Queen was still holding Snow White in a loving embrace.

"Was Teacher just as small as Snow White before he came to this world? Or was he older?"

"Teacher has granted so many people happiness… Why isn’t he allowed to have that happiness himself?"

Rhine patted her head gently, comforting her.

"Strange, isn’t it?" he mused. "I’ve been in this world for so long, yet my past still feels more real to me than this place.

"I don’t even know if my memories are accurate anymore—if they’re the truth, or if they’ve been polished and romanticized over time.

"But no matter what, I still feel like my true home isn’t here.

"And I still dream about returning."

Aurora’s voice trembled.

"Teacher… I understand. This is your wish. I’ll do everything I can to help you go home!"

For the first time in this world, Rhine felt something stir within him.

A burning warmth.

A force he knew all too well—

The power of a wish.

But this time, it wasn’t coming from others.

It was coming from his own soul.

"So… I have this power too."

Rhine was stunned.

And then, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

This was the first time since arriving in this world that he had received a wish—his own.

A Wish Magician’s own wish.

Just then, Aurora wiped her eyes and suddenly had an idea.

"Wait! Teacher, you’re a Prophet, right? A Seer?

"Why don’t you try divining it?

"Try to foresee how you can return to your world!"