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Victor: Oh, welcome. I called you here today because you have a deeper connection with Kate than anyone else.

Victor: Do you think she would be agreeable to continue her work as a fairytale writer?

Victor: I apologise for the sudden question, but I believe that you’re rather curious about this as well.

Victor: Our relationship with Kate was more than just a brief one.

Victor: During this period, she has done a perfect job at keeping our secret.

Victor: I’m unsure if she should continue being our fairytale writer. Or—

Victor: I’d like to hear Crow– no, I’d like to hear your opinion on this.

Victor: This is for you. It’s the agreement form for continuation of service as a fairytale writer.

Fairytale Writer's Continuation of Service Agreement

Here, Kate formally agrees to continue working as a fairytale writer.

Victor: You shall spend a day with her and sign here at the end of the day.

Victor: “What if she doesn't agree”?

Chapter 1

We begin on Christmas Eve, with Kate, Victor, Ellis, and Liam all going shopping for tomorrow's Christmas party. We learn that Victor throws huge parties for Crown every year and goes the whole nine yards. We also see Victor being very popular among all the townspeople: he's approachable and friendly, and he always seems to keep up with how everyone is doing. Ellis is also popular, and Liam's fans are everywhere, so they're similarly the center of attention. Kate thinks about how everyone seems to know the three of them, and yet the fact that they're working in the shadows for Crown still seems to be a secret from the greater world.

They have to split up to get all the shopping done on time, so Victor directs Ellis and Liam to purchase the necessary supplies, while he and Kate go handle the remaining tasks like purchasing the flowers to decorate the castle. Kate says she'd be happy to do anything she can to help out, and privately thinks to herself that she's happy she gets to monopolize Victor's time, considering he's so popular with everyone.

After finishing their shopping, they leave the flower shop and head back outside into the cold winter air. Victor offers Kate his jacket, but she tells him to keep it on or else he'll catch a cold. So Victor instead wraps his jacket around the both of them to keep them warm, flustering Kate.

Victor mentions a legend of how snow falling on a holy night means that someone's wish will come true, then asks what Kate would wish for. She thinks to herself that she'd wish for everyone in Crown to stay safe and unharmed, and for everyone to keep smiling. But then she asks what Victor would wish for. He says that he'd decided on his wish a long time ago, but since she didn't tell him her wishes, he won't be telling her his. Kate says that's mean of him and he goes, "Yes, I am mean. Did you just now notice?"

When he smiles at her, she feels her heart skip a beat. Kate thinks to herself that she doesn't feel like this when she's with the other members of Crown. Victor is the only one who makes her feel like this.

But Liam and Ellis are done with their shopping, and that's the end of that moment. So they reunite and go return to the castle to prepare for the Christmas party.

Late that night, Victor is leaving the castle when he runs into William. William asks what Victor is doing, and Victor says that he is going to play the part of Santa Claus and hand out presents to the children... well, that's what he would have liked to say. Actually, he does still have one last bit of business to take care of. William offers to go with him, saying that he feels like a bad surprise is coming. However, Victor refuses, saying that he knows William has his own work, so he's fine going by himself, then he takes his leave. Now alone, William turns his gaze out the window, saying to himself that it looks like it's going to snow tomorrow.

And it's now the next morning, Christmas day! Everyone greets each other as they gather in the dining hall. It appears that a letter has been left at everyone's seat from Victor, telling them that they have the day off and a feast has been prepared for them, so they're free to spend the day eating and drinking to their hearts' content. It is almost the perfect atmosphere for a party, except for one thing: the host, Victor, is missing.

Crown wonders where he is. Roger asks if Victor tired himself out from decorating the day before so he overslept; Elbert repsonds by asking if Victor sleeps at all. Just as Liam is about to go to the royal castle and look around for Victor, the man of the hour arrives with a joyful greeting to the members of Crown.

Immediately what catches everyone's attention is a collar around Victor's neck.

Kate: Um, Victor? What is that black collar around your neck? Victor: Oh, this? It's an explosive collar. Victor: Sorry, but I might die.

Chapter 2

While Kate needs a second to process that, the rest of Crown seems rather blasé about everything. Roger asks to see the collar, saying that explosives made like this are rather rare. The collar has a timer on it, and it appears to have around half a day left. It'll explode when the clock hits midnight.

Ellis says that it's a very strange Christmas present. Victor himself also joins in on the joking, and apologizes for making such a fuss for everyone. Kate almost wants to step in and say that this isn't a laughing matter, but stops herself. Just because everyone is joking doesn't mean that they aren't taking it seriously.

Harrison then speaks up. He says it doesn't particularly matter to him whether Victor's head goes flying, but those are just his personal feelings. He knows that Victor is essential to both Crown and to the country, so he'll look for a way to defuse the bomb. And one by one, the rest of Crown also agree to look for a way to save Victor (interestingly, Roger asks for national secrets from a particular country in exchange for his help. Wonder what that's about...)

Kate also offers to do whatever she can, so William assigns her the duty of watching over Victor until the rest of them get back. If Victor moves around too much or too extremely, the collar might detonate early. So she'd better keep an eye on him, right? And with that, he and the rest of Crown disperse to look for ways to defuse the bomb.

After the rest of Crown leaves, Kate and Victor are in Victor's office, as Victor is taking care of paperwork like nothing's wrong. Kate is brooding to herself: as part of her work in Crown, she'd been exposed to a lot of dangerous situations, and she has somewhat gotten used to it. But despite that all, there was some part of her that took Victor for granted. No matter what happened, Victor would always be there. And now, this situation with the explosive collar has upended that assumption; even Victor isn't safe.

Victor stops working to catch Kate's attention. She's been staring at him awfully hard. After a little bit of teasing about whether she's staring at him only because William tasked her with it or not, Victor says that he really does appreciate how hardworking and earnest she is. Though there are people who would scoff at her seriousness, Victor admires that about her. Kate thinks to herself that Victor has always seen through her and always knows how to lift up her spirits, and resolves that she shouldn't be stuck in gloomy thoughts. If anything, Victor is the one who should be feeling the most anxious in this situation, so she wants to be able to ease that uneasiness, even a little bit.

So, she suggests they go to the kitchens for a quick break. It turns out Kate's suggestion was to test a new extra buttery scone recipe, and now after some time spent baking, it's out of the oven and a smashing success. Kate gets some tea for them, and they have themselves a private little tea party. As the conversation flows, Victor stops to just stare at Kate, saying that he likes watching her eat, acting completely fine.

This is when Kate realizes: Victor is fine. He's not uneasy at all. The only one anxious here was herself; she suggested this as a way to ease her own anxiety. And that realization makes her wonder: is it possible for someone to be so unfazed by their own approaching death?

Ellis drops by to give them a status update: Crown hasn't found anything so far, but they're expanding their search. They will make it in time. So now Kate and Victor have nothing else to do but wait and wait... And so time passes, until about 11 pm. An hour left of Christmas, an hour before the countdown ends. And this is where Victor says that he has a request of Kate.

Chapter 3 (combining info from both Kate's and Victor's POVs)

Victor says that Santa Claus has left Kate a present in her room. And if she likes that present, to wear it to the dance hall. Kate agrees, and goes to her room, where she sees a large box sitting on the bed.

It turns out to be a jet black dress, which she wears to the dance hall, just as Victor requested. Standing beneath the chandelier is Victor, who was waiting for her. She's beautiful, and Victor wonders to himself when she started looking so mature. Or rather, he realizes he's been trying to ignore it because he wants to see her as a child.

He compliments her, and says that Santa Claus would surely be pleased to see her wearing it. Kate asks if he is happy, and he replies that yes, he is. He then extends his hand toward her, and asks her for a dance.

But, Kate can't make herself take it. She asks him why. Victor answers that rather than just sitting around and doing nothing to pass the time, he'd much rather spend it having fun with her. But that wasn't what Kate was asking. Here, all the unease and worries she has been holding back overflow with her tears, and she asks why Victor isn't afraid of dying. She's terrified by the possibility that Victor could be dead in less than an hour, she's afraid of losing him, his voice, his laughter, his entire existence.

She asks him to be scared of the possibility of losing his life. She asks him to value it. And Victor wonders how he should respond. Saying "I am scared" and maybe shedding a few tears with her would be a 'Victor-like' response, wouldn't it? And yet, he does not want to just brush her feelings off like that.

So with a smile, Victor apologizes to Kate. He says that he has already let go of those feelings a long time ago, thinking back to this flashback of his past. He and death are one. If death means to take him now, then so be it. But he has a feeling that he is not meant to die just yet. He is not meant for death, not yet.

Though he looks just like the Victor that Kate knows, there's something different about him. The atmosphere surrounding him is different, something entirely strange and foreign, emanating pure confidence as if he could control death and darkness itself.

The moment seems to stretch on. Victor thinks to himself that that he had sacrificed his human soul to death in order to get what he has now. And now looking at Kate, he can see something in her gaze, something that tells him that she knows she shouldn't be looking deeper into this, but that she still deeply wants to. He thinks to himself that she shouldn't be making that kind of expression. That he loves seeing people like her, pure and innocent, becoming stained by darkness. Half as a joke and half as a warning, Victor says that if she keeps staring at him, she may end up getting twisted with his destiny. Or maybe, is that what she is hoping for?

Before Kate can answer, a large clamor sounds from outside. It's the rest of Crown, returning just in the nick of time with the knowledge of how to defuse the bomb. With only a minute left on the timer, they get the bomb off of Victor's neck and safely defused. Liam calls Victor lucky; Victor thinks to himself, "See? I was right." Outwardly, he's laughing and smiling just as usual. As if the last few minutes didn't happen.

After that, Victor finds Kate in the garden staring up at the sky, just as it's started snowing. He goes to stand by her, and Kate repeats that legend he told her the previous day. "When snow falls on a holy day, someone's wish will come true." It's not Christmas anymore, but could her wish still come to pass? Victor says of course it can. And so Kate says she's decided on her wish: that until the day death claims Victor, he can continue to smile.

Even though she must have a mountain of questions for him, she has put them aside, and still wishes for his happiness. A snowflake falls on Kate's cheek and Victor wipes it away before it melts, and he tells her what she wished for the other day since she told him hers: that he hoped it was her wish, out of everyone else's, that would come to pass. Then he pledges to her that he will make her wish come true.

They never did get their Christmas dance together, but it's never too late. Amidst the falling snow and the night outside, they have their dance.

A few days later, Kate is browsing the newspaper when she comes across an article about the corpses of a terrorist group being discovered. And near those dead bodies were some broken mysterious collars...

Kate has a duty to write up what happened at Christmas in her reports, but sitting at her typewriter, she can't make herself start writing. There are too many mysterious surrounding Victor, the queen's aide. And she wants to uncover them all.

We turn back time, just after the dance in the garden. After Victor has escorted Kate back to her room, he runs into Harrison in the hallways, who says that he has a question for Victor.

Harrison says that Victor just reeks of lies. He thinks that the explosive collar wasn't just something that Victor got 'caught up in', and asks whether Victor deliberately put the collar on himself.

And Victor smiles, and goes, "Did I?"

Epilogue

Though it was a vague response, that doesn't deter Harrison at all. Victor thinks to himself that Harrison's curse likely allows him to see all of Victor's lies. He asks why Harrison thinks so, and Harrison responds that Victor isn't the kind of person who would let anyone approach him, and especially not his vulnerable spots like his neck. And furthermore, William hasn't been around for a while. He just has the feeling that there's someone going on in the background.

Victor just returns with a smile, knowing that Harrison will read into the true answer from that. He asks whether Harrison wants a reward for uncovering Victor's lie; Harrison says hell no, and that everything's probably already almost wrapped up anyway. But before he goes, he says that he knows Victor lies, and he'll be judging whether those lies are evil or not. But he tells Victor not to get Kate involved in whatever his business is.

Victor: And what if she takes the first step into darkness of her own volition? Harrison: ...Then I'll open her eyes to the truth.

Victor laughs and says that's a wise decision. Narrowing his eyes but otherwise not responding, Harrison leaves. Victor thinks that Kate has found herself some good friends... Aaaand, that it's time for the last bit of cleanup.

In a nondescript warehouse, Victor opens a secret door and heads down towards the basement. William greets him casually, saying that he's late and the Christmas party is nearly over. Standing next to William are a group of people crying with relief, and a pile of unlocked and defused explosive collars sitting on the floor.

Victor thanks William for working quickly, and muses that Harrison was indeed correct: Victor did put the explosive collar on his own neck willingly. Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, Victor left to deal with a terrorist group that was threatening the country. They had taken many people as hostages and fitted them with explosive collars, and were demanding the head of the queen in exchange for releasing the hostages.

Victor had put a collar around his own neck and made a bet with the group. If he can defuse the collar before the time limit, then they let all the hostages go and their lives are forfeit. Otherwise, they're free to do whatever they want to the queen and himself, the queen's aide.

He had done it for two reasons: the first was to put the hostages at ease. Surely Victor wouldn't risk his own life if he wasn't absolutely certain he could defuse the bombs, so they would be safe as well. And the second reason was to buy time for the rest of Crown to research how to safely disarm the bombs.

And in the end, everything worked out. William had taken the knowledge of how to defuse the bombs and went ahead to rescue the hostages. William says he'll take the hostages away and lead them to safety and leave matters here to Victor.

The terrorists are practically whimpering in fear, but Victor just smiles and tells them not to even think of fleeing for their lives. It's useless anyway. So... just how shall he sacrifice their lives...?

A little while later, Victor emerges back to the outside world. It's still snowing, which he finds fortunate: the falling snow will cover up the scent of blood, and his footprints. William had sent the hostages somewhere safe, so now it's just him and Victor. William notes that Victor is unusually down, to which Victor responds of course he is! He missed out on a fun Christmas with everyone. Do you think he could get everyone to redo the whole thing? William says that Jude would flat out not attend and Harrison would definitely make a face at the suggestion. So Victor says he'll plan something else, and William leaves him to it as he has somewhere else to be for now.

Now alone, Victor looks up at the sky, to the white snow drifting down from the night sky. He thinks it's just like Kate, thinking back to the time a few hours ago, when he was asking her if she had wanted to get involved in his destiny. His instincts then had been screaming at him, telling him to whisk Kate away, to drag her into the darkness. To dye her black.

He muses how he doesn't sound like himself. And so, he thinks that it's for the better if Kate doesn't know the real him. That they shouldn't be friends, much less lovers. He's the queen's aide in charge of Crown, and she is the fairy tale master who records their stories. They can be close in this way, but never anything that would bring them closer together. After all, pure white snow and jet black darkness cannot mix.

Today, in front of everyone, I exchanged vows with an illusive person.

It all felt like a dream I would wake up from the moment I closed my eyes.

There was a shiny wedding ring on my finger.

As I was admiring it after the ceremony, a hand with a matching one covered mine.

Alfons: "Tonight is what's commonly known as the bridal night, so prepare yourself to be spoiled by me."

I was laid down on the bed, my jet-black dress spread over the sheets.

Kate: "Alfons..."

Alfons: "Husband, isn't it? Well, how can I pamper you tonight?

Alfons: "Should I be mean as usual or..?"

Alfons: "What would you like? My jet-black bride?"

(...although I would usually respond in kind)

Tonight, I wanted to touch the heart and body of the man in front of me.

I just wanted to drown in the happiness of the day.

Kate: "If you'll indulge me...."

Kate: "Let me hear everything you're feeling and thinking right now."

Alfons: "All of it? Mmm, I like it. Now listen and feel."

Alfons: "First of all, this wedding dress looks great on you."

Alfons: "The black colour against your white skin turns me on."

His fingertips traced from the nape of my neck to the collarbone and then to my chest,

A thrilling sweet sensation rose from the bottom of my stomach.

Alfons: "And you're wearing your hair up today?"

Alfons: ".....I've always wanted to make marks like this on your defenceless nape."

His breath hit my neck, and then his lips pressed against it.

Kate: ".....ah."

Alfons: "You're such an indecent bride, making all those salacious sounds."

His fingertips knew all the places that would get my voice out.

They were precise, mean, and relentless in raising the heat.

Alfons: "Ha-ha! What a shameless face you're making."

Kate: "Pfft, whose fault you think it is?"

Alfons: "I wonder."

Alfons: "Oh, I forgot to tell you."

Kate: ".....?"

Alfons: "Kate"

Alfons: "Thank you for choosing the foolish path of staying with me."

Kate: ".....!"

I was sure that the words he uttered at the very end were the words he really wanted to convey to me.

Alfons: "Hey, are you deeply moved by my words of love?"

Kate: "...oh, shouldn't I?"

Alfons: "No objection. But let me see your face, please."

He smiled with satisfaction when I removed the arm covering my face.

Alfons: "Seriously, I'm the only one who can handle such a troublesome bride."

~~~

Marriage doesn't change anything significant.

Alfons was still toying with me.

Sometimes I would get angry at him, and sometimes I was full of love for him.

~~~

In the midst of those days, it was nigh impossible to have a joint holiday, which resulted in a short excursion.

Alfons: "You said you wanted to go away, so I followed you and we ended up in a flower garden."

Kate: "I've given this a lot of thought, you know?"

Kate: "But in the end... I decide it would be fine if I could just be with you."

Alfons: "You're very devoted. Your mind and body have become so besotted with me, I worry about it sometimes."

Kate: "The body is superfluous..."

Alfons: "Well, then I must be wrong, remembering that you were very enthusiastic last night?"

(Jeez, he always talks back)

Feeling frustrated, I lay down on the spot which made him chuckle.

Alfons: "Oh, you're napping?"

Kate: "Something like that."

Alfons: "Well, today is a depressingly sunny day, isn't it?"

He was right,

The sky was so bright it looked like it was dripping with colours. You couldn't help but squint.

Alfons, who was playing with my hair with his fingers, suddenly muttered,

Alfons: "Either I'll die first, or you'll die first. Which will it be?"

Kate: "Another disturbing topic..."

Alfons: "Because we're all going to die one day, aren't we?"

Alfons: "Since I'm a kind and capable husband, I will let you choose."

Alfons: "Now, which one of us shall die first?"

Kate: "Come on.....You don't get to choose, do you?"

While we were casually chatting, Alfons lay down next to me.

Kate: ".......?"

Alfons: "Then I shall die before you."

Alfons: "It's a shame I won't be able to see your despairing face before I die."

Kate: "You're as mean as ever, you know."

Alfons: "Heh, and who pledged her life to such a man?"

It was said that the cursed would meet a tragic end.

I was sure I wouldn't able to change that fate,

That's why I wanted to erase all the sadness that would befall Alfons before that happened.

Kate: "If you don't feel sad, that's fine too."

Alfons: "........"

(Yeah, but...)

Kate: "I'd be lonely without you...."

Kate: "Let's live long and die together if possible."

Alfons: "Haha, you're such a fool."

Alfons: "There's no way such a miracle could happen."

Kate: "But..."

Alfons: "....."

Alfons: "Yes, fine. Shall we try our best?"

Kate: "Huh?"

Alfons: "I like that you're so ridiculously positive."

Kate: "...Alfons"

I could feel his arms embrace me.

Alfons: "I will play with you and torment you until the end..."