Chapter: 564
“Fufu.”
The Fairy Queen’s laughter triggered a ripple of giggles from all around.
Above the trees with blackened leaves, under the complete darkness of flowers that wouldn’t allow a single ray of light, and beneath the earth that expelled a nasty, muddy blackness through the cracks, the laughter filled the Fairy Queen’s dream.
“You’re as rude as ever.”
I gripped my shield, shining with divine power, and froze. Every sense in me screamed that we had hit rock bottom.
To survive, I had to get the heck out of here, and fast!
I thought so too. I wasn’t sure if there was any way to win against the Fairy Queen, who was stuck in a lucid dream.
But even wanting to flee was useless because I had no clear escape route.
“Impressive! How can you chatter away in the face of death? Is the sense of crisis just not sinking in yet? Should I push you a little harder?”
With every step, she spread her divine aura, countering the tricks of the earth fairies trying to disrupt our preparations.
I signaled to Phoebe, who immediately conjured a zone of holiness.
What was being created there wasn’t just any sacred area.
It was a place forged by my shared power with Phoebe, one of the few clergy in the continent with a proper grasp of divine magic.
Enriched by all sorts of holy artifacts, this place could easily rival tales from the mythological era.
It seemed my thoughts were correct; with light emanating from us, the darkness began to recede, pushing the fairies’ laughter further back.
Meanwhile, my slightly distant companions joined up behind me.
“With such a demeanor, how is it that you’re still receiving the blessings of the god?”
The Fairy Queen, standing at the edge of the light, placed her hand against the sacred zone, causing her skin to burn and release an unpleasant odor into the air.
“Your inner self must be nothing but noble.”
“Lucy.”
Joy’s voice echoed beyond the sight of the smiling Fairy Queen, who seemed to be enjoying watching her own flesh burn.
“Don’t turn away; hear me. I might not be visible in the Fairy Queen’s line of sight.”
I wondered what nonsense she was spouting, but I noticed that Joy’s presence felt oddly faint compared to usual.
It was at a level barely perceivable, so I wouldn’t have noticed her if she hadn’t spoken up first.
Since Joy never learned stealth from Karia, was this an application of the powers Erginus had taught her?
“What the Queen is using right now is dark powers. If the Lord of Darkness descends here, even she wouldn’t know how to handle it.”
I agreed with Joy. The moment I pulled out the seal, the Queen revealed her true colors.
For her, the unbinding of the evil god’s seal would be troublesome, even if she pretended otherwise.
“Please draw her attention for a moment. No matter where the seal is released, I’ll adjust it so the magic circle can do its job.”
Joy’s tone carried a mix of determination and anxiety, clearly indicating that this adjustment was solely her own idea.
Knowing Joy’s usual silliness better than anyone, I had a hunch something major was about to go wrong. But I decided to trust her, thinking, she’s trying her best after all. If anything goes wrong, I’ll just cover for her.
“Noble? Me? Puhahaha! Just how rotten has a woman to be to call a brat like me noble? What a pathetic comparison!”
“If that’s the case, then the god has no reason to bless you.”
“None, huh? Look! I have a different kind of beauty than that wrinkled, sagging hag nursing her flabby bits! Isn’t it obvious that the pathetic, perverted god likes me?!”
“Is that so?”
Despite hearing my scorn, the Fairy Queen didn’t waver.
“I see, the Lord must have changed quite a bit while I wasn’t looking.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but that was it. Her madness wouldn’t falter, even stained with darkness.
Ugh. This is so frustrating. The gap in our statuses is too vast; I can’t even identify her weaknesses, and my sense of crisis has become meaningless amidst the screams around us.
Is the taunting not hitting home because of some issue on her end?
But come on, my taunts have hit other evil gods just fine.
What could be wrong? I felt utterly perplexed!
“Grandpa! Weakness! Quickly!”
[…Sorry. I’ve barely talked with that person.]
“You’re useless!”
Tsk. If even my secret grandpa’s knowledge is off the mark, I might as well gather intel through experience.
While raising my shield, I formed the kind of plans that Alrn’s knights would think of, and Arthur stepped forward to greet the Queen with a tidy bow.
“Excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty, the Queen of Fairies.”
“You don’t need to bother with names. You’re not worth remembering.”
“…Understood. Then straight to the point, you wish to toy with us, correct?”
“Why do you think so?”
“Well, this is your dream, isn’t it?”
In a dream, most situations can be easily resolved. And the Fairy Queen herself had just admitted that.
Yet she took half a step back, merely watching us without showing the same hostility.
“Correct! Well done! Applause for everyone!”
Clapping echoed through the forest, filling it with applause that merged into one sound as it stopped abruptly when the Queen ceased clapping.
“That’s right! I’m a fairy too! And I want to have some fun! Watching you struggle to survive makes me want to laugh!”
The corners of her mouth twisted upward, looking far from pure, as if to erase the word from existence.
“I found your panicked faces earlier quite cute. I hope to see more great reactions from you all.”
As the Fairy Queen chuckled, she extended her hand forward, and just like that, the sacred zone she had just hesitated to break down crumbled, darkness encroaching inside.
“Keep going.”
From the breached barrier, various shapes of fairies began to swarm us. One with dozens of legs crawled on the ground, another flew with countless tiny wings, and one so gigantic, it had a massive eye.
“Keep going.”
Laughter echoed. Laughter piled upon laughter, filling my ears, my mind, and my very being.
“Good! It worked! Playing along is my specialty.”
A sticky voice clung to the air, but it was cut through by a brilliant golden blade.
“Your Grace has trained me so diligently.”
“Good to know! A sturdy plaything indeed.”
“It will take more than just being sturdy to break under your silly play, you wretched one.”
The sword that took its place before me spoke with confidence, raising an eyebrow at the Fairy Queen.
“Why?”
“How could I play with someone as noble and beautiful as she? Why on earth would I let myself be played with by a corrupted soul like you?!”
“How amusing! I’m glad I invited you too.”
At that moment, the Queen flicked her fingers, and the once sturdy sword swayed precariously.
I couldn’t observe whatever attack struck him, but the small, trembling voice slipping from his lips echoed in my ears.
He was denying something, apologizing to someone, making excuses, all while shaking in fear with his head buried in his hands.
“Ah, to be broken by its own purity. I thought it was tough, but it’s weak. I should have been careful.”
The Fairy Queen replied coolly, as if a cheap toy had shattered, and redirected her gaze toward us once more.
It was then—taking advantage of the Queen’s diverted attention—Kal swung his sword.
While her head should have flown away, treating it as a broken toy, as it hit the ground, a new head sprouted forth from her body.
As her two heads appeared, both showed confusion.
“How?”
“Whoever denies me, as long as Lady recognizes me as her knight, that’s all that matters! That is the essence of a knight!”
It doesn’t matter if someone else denies you; if you firmly believe in yourself, you have no issues.
Ah.
Ahh.
Ahhhh!
“Grandpa! I’m sure the Fairy Queen and Erginus—!”
[That’s right! Surprisingly, they were mutually smitten!]
So that’s why my taunts didn’t work!
To the Fairy Queen, my evaluation is totally irrelevant.
She might feel a pinch of annoyance, but who cares?
To the Fairy Queen, there’s only one person who matters! If she can gain recognition from Erginus, that’s all that matters!
[In short, her weakness is her love!]
‘That’s definitely something to exploit!’
Hoo hoo. Hoo hoo hoo.
It’s remarkable, to have only loved one person for so long, but alas!
In the end, a love that could never blossom!
“Is that so? Wow. How amusing! How about a nightmare, even larger?”
“A nightmare? What kind? A nightmare where the pathetic mage is giggling with another woman?”
I glanced up at the Fairy Queen, who chuckled menacingly. Facing her twisted, darkened eyes was unsettling.
Logically, the darkness should be appalling, but strangely enough, I found her contorted face amusing!
“Why? Why the long face? It’s a wonderful dream, isn’t it? You’re supposed to be smiling! Right?”
“…When you say ‘pathetic mage,’ do you mean Erginus?”
“Puhaha! You thought that too? Yeah. That’s right! You know that good-for-nothing pervert who can’t approach a fine lady?!”
“Do not insult him! He is—”
“Why? Why shouldn’t I insult him? Who do you think you are?”
“He… He is my—”
“Puhuhu! Haha! Isn’t it hilarious to see an ancient crone so embarrassed? It’s downright comical! What a riot!”
As I doubled over in laughter, countless attacks surged toward me.
The fairies, responding to the Queen’s emotions, were moving to exclude me.
But I didn’t respond. There was no need to. I had trustworthy allies around me.
Arthur, Frey, Kal, and Phoebe—all fought the enemy in their own unique ways.
And I, too, would face the enemy in my own style.
“Hey! Hey! Chicken Coop Lady! Have you made any confessions yet? Hand-holding? Kissing? Sexual activities?”
“W-What nonsense.”
“Puhahaha! You’ve never done any of those, have you? How could a grotesque hag like you with spiders crawling inside her manage that?!”
“Is that something to be ashamed of? I’ve devoted everything to him. Thus, guarding my purity is certainly… ”
“Wow! Seriously impressive! Trying to safeguard your purity until it rots away! But, you see, that pathetic guy out there doesn’t seem to share your views on smelly hens!”
In an instant, silence fell over the darkness-cloaked forest.
“Did you not realize you were nothing more than a plaything? Oh, how hopeful you are!”
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