Chapter 77

“Invoking Uldin's name... Your ancestors would weep. To think an elf must go that far merely to meet with fairies.”

Fowler sheathed his sword and clicked his tongue.

“Is that... not allowed?”

“You fool...! I meant there was no need to say that.”

Fowler sounded flustered as he shouted at Ruen, who had reverted to her usual awkward self as though nothing had happened.

“Since Her Majesty has raised no objections, she must have given her permission. Follow me.”

At Fowler's gesture, the surrounding fairies quickly scattered.

'So he was just picking a fight.'

Woojin chuckled as he watched Fowler. They must have known about Ruen the moment the party passed through the gate. They had probably needed to confirm the status of the elf accompanying them.

'Whether she was a prisoner... or a companion.'

No one had ever reported seeing fairies in [Evil Tale]. There were no posts mentioning them on the community forums, either. They were a race that had remained unknown to humans for years. With no contact all this time, they would have no idea how the world had changed.

'Their thinking must still be stuck in the past... It's only natural they'd distrust humans.'

“May I ask you something?” Woojin asked as he followed Fowler.

“What?”

His attitude was distinctly different from the way he treated Ruen, but Woojin understood their circumstances and did not particularly mind.

“Do you know about the tower?”

“... Tower?”

That reaction told him enough.

'Just as I thought... They've been living completely cut off from the world.'

At that moment, his business instincts kicked in. He considered what the fairies might want, looking for an opportunity to trade with them.

“A mysterious tower appeared on the continent a long time ago. There are monsters inside, but countless treasures as well. Many adventurers are trying to conquer it.”

“Hmph. A tower of greed, then. Good. I hope plenty of humans challenge it—and destroy themselves in the process.”

Woojin smiled wryly at his cynical response.

“Perhaps. But that tower might also present an opportunity for the fairies.”

“An opportunity?”

His words had been enough to catch Fowler's interest. So Woojin decided to take his time answering, until the longing Fowler was concealing showed itself.

“I'm sure we can discuss it further when we meet the Fairy Queen.”

“Cunning human.”

Despite his words, Fowler's attitude had clearly changed.

When they emerged from the forest into a large clearing, Fowler stopped beating his wings and descended to the ground.

“I greet the Fairy Queen.”

As he knelt on one knee in respect, Ruen bowed as well.

“It has been hundreds of years since a human last entered this place.”

The voice seemed to resonate inside his head. Sensing something extraordinary, Woojin looked up to see a woman radiating light. Flanked by three armored fairies, she addressed him.

“I wondered how you found the fairies' forest... A Phantasmal Spirit... You have quite a rare being with you.”

She had recognized Setsuna's identity at once.

“What an adorable child. Though you still have much growing to do.”

“Th-thank you.”

It was a wonder to see the normally boisterous Setsuna so tense, answering in a tiny voice.

“Your Majesty. His companion drank Fairy Water, and they seek treatment for mana chaos.”

“Hmm... I took every precaution I could... But I thought something like this would happen someday.”

The Fairy Queen looked at Nissen as she spoke.

“First, I owe you an apology. Fairy Water is essential to our race, but ironically, it cannot be made within the fairies' forest.”

In a gesture uncharacteristic of a queen, she bowed courteously to Nissen.

“That was also why fairies and elves once lived in symbiosis. Fairies made Fairy Water in the forests, and elves used it to increase their mana.”

'So there was a reason it worked on Ruen.'

Woojin quietly listened as she continued.

“But given our present circumstances... we had no choice but to create a spring in the forest.”

“I understand your reasons. But what I need to know now is whether Nissen can be treated.”

The queen gave him a kindly look.

“It is not impossible. He is fortunate. Treating mana chaos requires an elf's mana, and you happen to be here.”

“Th-then...”

The queen reached toward Ruen's forehead. A breeze stirred, and a small sphere formed at the queen's fingertips. Following her gesture, it floated through the air and entered Nissen's body.

“Ah...!”

The sphere rapidly spread through the blood vessels to every corner of Nissen's body. The vessels glowed gold, then faded, and the scales covering Nissen's face fell away in a shower.

“Th-thank you...!”

Clutching a face that was smooth once more, Nissen bowed to the queen, pressing head to the ground.

“...”

Fowler, however, wore a stiff expression, apparently displeased with the situation.

“He was not wrong. We should be grateful if later generations come to understand on their own and offer us kindness, but we cannot demand that they answer for their predecessors.”

“... My apologies.”

She apparently already knew what had happened at the forest entrance. After giving Fowler another warning, she explained that they bore the party no ill will.

“Nissen, was it?”

“Yes.”

“Perhaps fate brought us together in this way. You now hold both an elf's mana and Fairy Water within your body. From now on, your mana will increase like water welling from a spring.”

The Fairy Queen nodded to her attendants, who handed her a bracelet with a small pendant.

“Great mana is a blessing from heaven, but the human body that must contain it has limits. If you cannot control that mana, you will be in danger.”

She fastened the bracelet around Nissen's wrist.

“Keep this until you have developed the ability to control your mana.”

“Th-thank you!”

“I hesitate to call this repayment, but I would like you to guard the spring so this does not happen again. In return, you may use its water when you need it.”

“Of course!”

Nissen nodded, looking deeply moved by her words. For an apprentice mage, permission to use Fairy Water would itself be a stroke of luck.

'I don't think this is supposed to end here.'

Woojin doubted the system had told him to meet Nissen for no reason. If treating Nissen was not the objective, then it meant he was supposed to use that treatment as a pretext to obtain something. He understood that the fairies had it, but still did not know what he was supposed to gain from them.

'Fairy Water? No.'

With even Low-Grade Dragon Mana Stones selling for enormous sums, it certainly had value, but the system would not have forced his hand for that alone.

'Laying the groundwork for the next scenario.'

He had been pondering the reason ever since reaching the fairies' forest, and that was the conclusion he finally reached. Fairies were a nonhuman race previously unknown in [Evil Tale]. Woojin believed his task was to bring them out into the world.

“Do you intend to remain in hiding forever?”

Woojin made the first move.

“What do you mean?”

“As you said, later generations need not answer for their predecessors' mistakes. By the same token, surely you need not keep living in hiding as you did in the past.”

“How irresponsible. You cannot take responsibility, but you will give us a chance and leave the rest to us? The world has not changed. If fairies reveal themselves... humans will only try to exploit us, whatever it takes.”

“At least we won't.”

At that moment, the look in the queen's eyes shifted slightly.

“He is my Master. I dare say that you may trust him.”

“The one whom Uldin's descendant follows... Intriguing, but I cannot stake my people's future on that statement alone.”

The queen addressed Woojin.

“Tell me about yourself. Do you have lands to shelter us? Do you have troops to protect us?”

“No. I have neither lands nor troops. I am merely an adventurer who has only just arrived on the central continent.”

“And yet you ask me to trust you?”

“Investment means recognizing the promise in a seed. Once it has grown into a tree, it is too late.”

“How can we know whether that seed will become a tree... or simply rot away? Surely we must at least see it sprout first?”

This was his opening. Woojin's eyes gleamed.

“What would you like me to show you?”

“I saw black clouds gathering over Thorn Bach.”

The queen continued in a calm tone in answer to his question.

'Unlike the other fairies, does the queen know what's happening outside?'

He quietly listened.

“The black clouds summon monsters. But these clouds are different from the ones before.”

“I know about that. I've heard the summoned monsters become more difficult as the Labyrinth Tower is conquered.”

The queen shook her head at his answer.

“It is not that simple. Did you happen to see... what monsters were beneath these black clouds?”

“Well... I didn't look that closely.”

“If you protect the village from these black clouds, I will consider your proposal.”

DING!

The notification sounded the instant the queen finished speaking.

[A chain quest has been issued.]

[Quest Name: Nissen the Cursed → Defense of Thorn Bach]

[Will you accept the quest?]

'Hmm?'

Unlike before, a window appeared asking him to choose.

“This leaf will guide you to the fairies' forest.”

The queen took out a small leaf and handed it to Woojin.

'Monster waves are just recurring events on the central continent, starting when people begin conquering the Labyrinth Tower.'

If he remembered Raoul's words correctly, powerful monsters were likely to be summoned after the sixtieth floor was cleared.

'It's still early. It shouldn't be too difficult.'

“Understood.”

Woojin nodded to the queen.

“There is one thing you should know.”

“What is it?”

“There is a being in this monster wave who should not be taking part.”

“A being who shouldn't be taking part...?”

“It seems he is probably coming to meet you.”

“... Me?”

Woojin looked at the queen in bewilderment.

[The Black Dragon Bensina.]

Woojin's cheek twitched slightly at the queen's words.

“He will come to Thorn Bach with the black clouds, leading the monsters.”

[“When you reach the next continent, a dragon will seek you out.”]

At that moment, he recalled what Harper had told him.

“I see...”

The queen apparently realized that he was undertaking the Dragon Lord quest. This was a test of his qualifications.

'This won't be easy.'

Woojin gazed at the hazy view beyond the barrier as he thought.

[You have accepted the quest.]

But his decision was already made.