章 32: Hansel and Gretel (3)

Once, there was a small mist-veiled village, known for its silence and unsettling vibe of crimes and poverty.

Hansel and Gretel often fell asleep to the muffled sounds of someone's chisel, and the scratch of wood.

The scents of pine and decay lingered in the air. Sometimes, they could also hear the sound of soil getting shoveled, but they paid no mind.

Their father was the village gravedigger a quiet man who spoke even little of the dead. He always worked late at night digging for everyone's graves.

One autumn evening, Hansel and Gretel returned to the village after a long journey through the forest. They had been sent by their father to gather two rare black mushrooms—ingredients which he claimed were vital for his work, though he never explained why.