Chapter: 557
Arthur closely observed the magic that Joy was unfolding beside her.
“Wow, her skills have improved again in just a few days! The composition of her magic has become so precise.”
He had been worried she might make a mistake, but it seemed that worry was unfounded.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Arthur relaxed his shoulders, only to quickly turn his head at the sound of a thud. Lucy Alrn had face-planted onto the floor.
The mace that had never left her side was rolling away, and the shield that usually seemed so strong was as silent as a mouse; her posture, as limp as a doll with its strings cut, felt ominous, as if it was heralding death.
Ignoring the surrounding noise, Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle as he stared blankly at Lucy. Was she trying to pull another prank on us?
“Haha! There’s no reason for her to collapse like that right now.”
If you’re going to act, at least do it believably!
Just moments ago, she was bragging about receiving divine love, and now she suddenly falls? Who would believe that?
“There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s perfectly fine. So why? Why won’t she wake up?”
Arthur desperately tried to deny reality, but seeing the pale face of Phoebe snapped him back to reality.
“Recovery magic is pointless. There’s no curse either. Then what?”
“Phoebe, calm down! We can’t just go off the rails like this!”
“How can I calm down when the Young Lady has collapsed?!”
The nervousness that Phoebe had hidden from everyone else was now spilling out. She had completely lost track of her composure and seemed to have abandoned any thoughts of rationality.
Seeing her like this made Arthur take a deep breath and step in front of Phoebe.
“Saintess.”
“This isn’t it. This isn’t right. Then what? What now?”
“Saintess!”
Only after embedding his voice filled with magic directly into Phoebe’s mind did she finally lift her head and meet Arthur’s gaze.
“Do you really think Lucy Alrn would fall so easily? Has the Saintess given up on someone who would just follow a weakling like her?”
“…No.”
“Then calm down a bit. Exhausting your strength like this will only worsen the situation.”
As Phoebe, still trembling, put her hands over her heart and stepped back, Arthur sighed and turned his gaze aside.
The piece of Soladin beside him silently gestured to the right.
Following his gaze, he saw Frey, sword drawn, facing a woman made from entwined tree roots.
With eyes sharp as the spear’s tip, Frey emotionlessly asked, “Was it you who did this?”
“Yes, I invited her.”
“Why?”
“To seek help from someone bearing the God’s aura.”
Just as the woman smiled, Frey swung her sword, intending to take her head, but the woman’s face was instantly replaced by tree roots that grew back.
Seeing that, Frey tried to swing her sword again, but Carl stretched out an arm to stop her.
“I don’t intend to attack you.”
“How can we trust that?”
“How do you suppose I could break through such a powerful mental barrier? As just a fragment of the Queen, I’m not strong enough to invade her mind. The reason I can enjoy cozy moments with her is because her guardian allowed me.”
“It would be nice if you could explain it clearly.”
“Oh, you don’t fully understand what she possesses? That’s unfortunate.”
“No, I get it. You’re saying Lord Ruel allowed it.”
Phoebe answered the woman who was pondering with her hand on her chin.
“Precisely. The one embraced by the God’s light.”
“What gives you the right for Lord Ruel to allow you to approach the Young Lady?”
In a tone colder than usual, Phoebe asked, making the woman force a smile and bow her head.
“Forgive my tardy introduction. I am the Queen of the fairies, a fragment wandering through dreams and reality in deep slumber.”
The fairy queen—the worst enemy they had imagined. The party, always ready for battle, naturally positioned themselves where they were supposed to be.
This was the formation they had practiced dozens and hundreds of times. There were no discrepancies here.
“I said I don’t mean to be hostile. Don’t you understand? A being like me has a hard time lying. This is the truth.”
Seeing the queen tilt her head in confusion, Joy recalled what Erginius had said.
Fairies are pure. So pure that they believe others are pure as well. The same applied to the fairy queen. In simpler terms, she was a bit of a ditz.
“Touching someone else’s friends without saying anything and claiming you mean no harm isn’t very convincing.”
As Joy explained on behalf of everyone standing there, the fairy queen crossed her arms.
The lines on her forehead creased, as if she were pondering how to persuade them.
“Can’t we just cut her down? Seems like we could.”
“Lady Kent, I think so too, but please wait a moment. Killing her without understanding the cause of the Young Lady’s fall is pointless.”
“Carl is right. Frey Kent, I sincerely hope you evolve from beast to human soon.”
“Hmm. Ugh.”
In the midst of Frey struggling to contain her impulse, the fairy queen suddenly jerked her head.
“Huh?”
With a voice full of surprise, she quickly turned to what was behind the group, where Lucy Alrn had been lying.
“Yawn.”
Lucy Alrn had awakened and was stretching while yawning.
The group, anxious moments ago, was left speechless by Lucy’s nonchalant behavior.
“That dream was seriously boring.”
Seeing Lucy’s playful smile made them lose any desire to say anything.
Even on the barren earth tainted by the evil god’s aura, her bright smile shone with a power that melted hearts.
*
[Did the story go well?]
‘…Did my grandfather let me in? No wonder it felt way more pathetic than I was worried about.’
The fact that the fairy queen had pierced my mental barrier meant she was nearly on par with the Evil God, but despite that, the forest she had prepared was absurdly shabby.
In fact, the trial Ganshu had prepared was way more threatening.
Bring back my excitement that got clouded over a content that wasn’t even in the game!
Surely this can’t be it. There has to be more beyond this. Nobody shouts so confidently otherwise!
After trying to shrug off countless anxieties, waiting for phase two, I found myself waking up from a dream?
[Well, it’d be more accurate to say that your abilities were unexpected rather than she wasn’t prepared.]
‘You were watching all of this, huh?’
[…Indeed.]
‘Heh heh. Grandpa, our relationship has been great lately. Shall we create some old conflicts again for a while?’
[No, well, there are those connections from the past, right? I’ve received grace from her and it doesn’t seem like her intent is so malicious…]
Ignoring Grandpa’s desperate attempts at justification, I stood up and walked past my bewildered friends towards the fairy queen taking form through the rotten tree roots.
“Ready to admit defeat, henhouse lady?”
The cost of betraying my innocence is steep. Daring to challenge me with this dungeon!
If I had my way, I’d walk around the forest with a leash attached, shouting “a pathetic lady who was thrashed by a little girl after living for almost a thousand years!”
But doing that might provoke some virgin somewhere outside, so I’ll refrain.
“…Yes, I admit my defeat.”
“How strange. Why’s your head so stiff? You would think a queen would know some manners.”
“Huh?”
“Bash your head! A hardened dimwit who can’t even grasp the situation deserves a proper apology for trying to help her out!”
Of course, I wouldn’t do something so obvious. But an apology? Absolutely necessary. How dare you let me down right after raising my hopes…
Ahem. For betraying Erginius’ efforts! It’s no small matter! If you understand, then apologize! Fairy Queen!
“Uh, uh. I… I’m sorry…”
Seeing the fairy queen, who thought she was something special, bow her head made me satisfied. I turned to explain the situation to my friends.
Then, I blinked at the sight of my friends looking dumbfounded.
Um. Ding ding. Did that seem a bit trashy to someone who doesn’t know what’s happening?
*
Fortunately, clearing up the misunderstanding wasn’t too difficult. The fairy queen, having acknowledged her defeat, explained the situation herself.
Understanding that someone had gathered national power to save her, but the subject herself had demanded to be killed, my friends recognized why I had every right to be angry.
“I figured as much. Even if Lucy Alrn looks like she’s lost in thought, she’s actually detail-oriented.”
“Yeah, she’s kinder than she appears.”
“Why even mention such a given fact? If the Young Lady is angry, there will surely be a reason behind it, right?”
“…Isn’t it only natural that there have been quite a few cases of being tormented without cause?”
“What? Huh, you dimwit?”
“No! I was just rambling for a moment! Lucy!”
With an unknown reason, I shot a wary glance at Carl, who was nodding smugly behind me, and addressed the fairy queen, who was kneeling on the floor and looking around nervously.
“Hey, you doddering henhouse lady, whose brain has rotted yet somehow transformed into a pure-hearted person, I trust you realize we have quite a few questions for you?”
“Yes, yes! Please ask me anything.”
The fairy queen’s cooperative demeanor, in stark contrast to our earlier meeting in my mind, felt strange, but at least it was better than her whining about not being able to help.
“Tell me what’s happening inside there.”
Upon hearing my question, the fairy queen thought for a moment before answering, her voice tinged with lament.
“The Queen’s dream is coming to an end. The characters of the dream have begun to appear in reality.”
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
