Chapter 76

“A-a fairy...?”

Nissen could not hide his bewilderment at Woojin's words.

“That's strange. I was born in Thorn Bach and have lived there all my life. But I've never heard of fairies living in this forest.”

“Maybe it wasn't always here.”

“What? Then...”

“Nissen, have you noticed anything else that's changed in the forest?”

“... I don't know.”

But Nissen shook his head at Woojin's question.

“Let me try.”

Just then, Setsuna left Woojin's side and alighted before the spring.

“Can you do it?”

“That depends on what kind of fairy made the spring.”

She dipped her hand into the pool.

[Setsuna absorbs the memories contained in ‘Fairy Spring of Thorn Bach (Grade A)’.]

'... What? Grade A?'

Woojin couldn't help being startled by the notification.

WHOOSH!!!

The glowing powder in the pool suddenly blazed with light and seeped into Setsuna's body.

“This...”

Having absorbed the spring's memories, she stumbled over her words, her voice trembling with apparent bewilderment.

“What's wrong?”

“This wasn't made by just any fairy.”

“What do you mean? Not just any fairy?”

“It's powder from the Fairy Queen.”

“The Fairy Queen?”

“Yes.”

[Setsuna uses Ancient Wisdom.]

[Retrieving memories absorbed from the ancient book ‘A Guide to Other Races (Grade C)’.]

A book shining with golden light appeared in Setsuna's hands. She hurriedly flipped through its pages, searching for something.

“Here it is.”

The page bore an illustration of the queen's face, surrounded by densely packed, unintelligible writing.

“What does it say?”

“Fairies were once one of the most prosperous nonhuman races in Akedonia. But it says they disappeared after the War of Spirit Suppression.”

“The War of Spirit Suppression... Back when the Dark Forest was elven land.”

Ruen looked at Woojin in astonishment at his murmured words.

“How did you know that? It happened so long ago that even few elves remember it.”

“Hm? Oh... Well, from a book.”

Woojin hesitated before answering her question. In truth, he had learned about the War of Spirit Suppression from her in the other world.

“Fairies originally lived in the Dark Forest too. It says that after the war, they relocated to the central continent along with the elves.”

“More precisely, they didn't relocate. They were forcibly relocated.”

Seemingly startled by the words that had slipped out, Ruen waved her hands and hastily addressed Woojin.

“I-I'm sorry!”

“No. It's the truth.”

“But you weren't the one who did it, Master.”

“And I know you weren't saying it to blame me.”

“... Thank you.”

There was a simple reason the elves had been forcibly relocated to the central continent after losing the war.

Prisoners and slaves.

Those same circumstances had reduced Ruen to working as a mercenary, but perhaps she had been lucky. Many elves were in far worse situations.

“Someday, you'll be able to save them.”

“Will I really?”

“Of course.”

He had seen her future self, after all.

Woojin intended to cure her illness and gather the scattered elves, at least before the world came to an end.

“You'll become an elf stronger than anyone.”

“What's this? What's going on between you two?”

Setsuna squeezed between them and pointed at each of them as she asked.

“What do you mean, what's going on? Enough nonsense. Can you find the fairy or not?”

“Hehe, I'll try. It might be possible with the ability I just learned.”

“Oh. Right. You had that.”

Looking sheepish, Woojin hastily changed the subject at Setsuna's answer.

Setsuna had learned new skills upon reaching level 15 after they cleared the Bolton family's domain.

▶ Golem Skill: Focused Eyes

▶ Elf Skill: Walking Trail

▶ Holy Spirit Skill: Silver Flame

▶ Skill: Focused Eyes - Produces the same effect as Insight (Lv3) and allows the user to share the information read with their contractor.

▶ Skill: Walking Trail - Finds lingering traces when cast.

▶ Skill: Silver Flame - Envelops the entire body in bright light.

This second set of skills could be classified as support abilities.

[Using Walking Trail.]

▶ Searching for lingering traces in the surroundings.

As Setsuna cast the skill, a breeze as refreshing as the scent of pine needles stirred.

“Oh...”

The powder dissolved in the spring beneath her hand began to clump together, then rose into the air.

WHOOSH...!!

The powder began flying away at speed.

“Follow me!”

Setsuna shouted urgently at the sight and flew upward with all her strength.

“Let's go.”

Woojin and the others began running after her.

* * *

The air rippled where Woojin had left, and someone emerged from deeper in the forest.

“Good thing I brought a stealth item.”

It was none other than Colson.

'It was awkward finding that bastard Aitz already in the village when I arrived. Good thing the monster wave kept him tied up.'

“But why did he come here?”

He put the cloak he had been wearing into his inventory and examined the pool Woojin's party had been inspecting moments before.

“I saw him give this to that elf bitch earlier... Is it something good?”

Colson recalled the day he had fought Woojin.

Strength beyond all reason.

'There must be some reason he gained that kind of power.'

After a moment's deliberation, Colson plunged his head into the spring and began gulping down the water.

[The water contains powerful mana.]

“... Huh?”

At that moment, the tingling sensation traveling down his throat began spreading through his entire body.

▶ Consumption by someone who possesses mana may cause bodily changes.

▶ You possess a small amount of mana.

“Gah... Urgh...!!”

The [Fist Gale] he had learned was a Rare skill that consumed both ki and mana.

Ironically, however, he possessed so little mana that it wasn't even enough to control.

[Your mana is woefully insufficient to withstand the mana in the water.]

“W-wait...”

Colson staggered, clutching his constricted chest.

[Mana chaos occurs.]

“Aaaaagh!!!”

A scale-like carapace began sprouting all over his body.

BOOM!! CRASH!!!

He screamed in pain, but the only answer was the sound of battle from the village.

“H-help... Guh... Ghh...”

With a pitiful cry, Colson collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.

* * *

“Here it is!”

The flying powder scattered with a pop, revealing a shimmering membrane before the party.

“To think something like this was in the forest...”

Nissen murmured in amazement at the transparent membrane, which they likely would never have noticed without the glowing powder clinging to it.

HUM...

Like the surface of a lake standing upright, the powder-coated membrane rippled when touched with a finger.

It felt smooth yet sticky, like touching a slime.

[You have discovered the Fairy Gate.]

[Congratulations.]

[You may register your discovery with the guild to add it to the continental map.]

[You have gained discovery experience.]

“... Huh?”

It happened then.

WHOOSH!!!

The shimmering membrane suddenly surged outward and swallowed the entire party in an instant.

“Mmph...! Mmmph...!!”

As they flailed inside the membrane, figures with tiny wings appeared before them.

BUZZ... BUZZ...

The flutter of wings began sounding all around them.

SPLASH...!!

When the membrane vanished, the party slumped to the ground, gasping for breath, soaked as though they had fallen into water.

“I-I thought I was going to die!”

Karlan released his grip on his throat and raised his head.

The forest before his eyes was unlike the one they had seen until now.

Densely filled with multicolored vines and flowers, the landscape was so beautiful it could easily have been called paradise.

A sharp sting.

As Karlan stared blankly at the scenery, something like a thorn jabbed the tip of his nose.

“Ow.”

Stepping back, he saw that it wasn't a thorn, but a tiny sword no longer than a finger joint.

“Where do you think you're looking? Who are you?”

Neatly swept-back hair and green eyes.

He was about the same size as Setsuna, and his face was as beautiful as a young nobleman in a painting.

“Wow.”

As Karlan raised a finger toward the fairy in fascination,

SHING!!!

a sharp sound split the air.

“Hah, hah...!!”

Woojin yanked him back by the scruff of his neck with barely a hair's breadth to spare.

Seeing the sharp cut carved into the ground sent a chill down Karlan's spine.

“My name is Khan. We were looking for you to seek treatment for a companion.”

Leaving Karlan sitting on the ground behind him, Woojin approached the fairy.

“Treatment?”

The fairy looked them over.

“Drinking from a nearby spring caused mana chaos. Luckily, our companion survived, but a carapace has spread over the entire body.”

At Woojin's words, Nissen hastily removed the cloak and revealed a face.

“We investigated and learned that the spring contains Fairy Water made from fairy powder. Would treatment be possible?”

“Treatment is certainly possible.”

“Oh... R-really?!”

Nissen brightened at the fairy's words and clasped both hands as if in prayer.

“Of course. Fairy Water isn't poison. Used properly, it can actually be an excellent remedy.”

“Th-then...!”

“But I don't believe we're under any obligation to treat you.”

“... What?”

Flustered by the fairy's cold response, Nissen looked at Woojin.

'I have a bad feeling about this.'

Thinking this wasn't going to be easy, Woojin moved Nissen behind him and took over.

“I think you're mistaken about having no obligation. Fairy powder changed the water, and drinking that water caused this. Don't you think you bear some responsibility?”

“And what about you humans?”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you ever answered for burning the fairies' forest and destroying our holy city, Wise Wing?”

SHING!!!

At his shout, the fairies surrounding them drew their weapons in unison.

“Get the hell out. Now.”

“I'm afraid I can't do that.”

“What?”

“I regret what happened in the War of Spirit Suppression, but that was the work of previous generations. Responsibility for it can't justify making us, their descendants, suffer.”

“Don't make me laugh! Fairies have been living in hiding ever since! If descendants don't have to pay for what their ancestors did... then why must we keep suffering?!”

Woojin quietly laid a hand firmly on his sword hilt as he watched the fairies, who looked ready to attack at any moment.

Tension stretched taut.

“Please don't push them too hard, Master.”

It was then that someone stepped between them.

None other than Ruen.

“And you as well, Fowler.”

“You... know me?”

The fairy's hostile expression softened slightly when Ruen spoke his name.

“The War of Spirit Suppression took place long before my time... but I am well acquainted with the name of the fairy who resisted until the very end.”

Placing a hand over her chest, she bowed.

“It is an honor to meet you, Fairy Knight Fowler.”

“It can't be...”

The instant Fowler saw Ruen's eyes, his lips began to tremble.

“To think Uldin's bloodline still survives.”

Woojin watched with fascination as Ruen calmly persuaded him.

'I see... Does it come from her birth?'

Unlike her usual friendly manner, Ruen now exuded grace and even majesty.

“Eek... She's so cool.”

Setsuna seemed to share his thoughts. She clasped her hands, eyes sparkling as though utterly entranced.

“As one of Uldin's line, I request an audience with the Fairy Queen.”

Ruen's voice rang through the fairies' forest, filled with strength.