Chapter: 551
“Are you really telling me that the incompetent loser of a wizard can’t handle this on his own and has to come begging for my help? Didn’t you even consider solving it by yourself? I mean, with a brain that’s been completely wiped clean, how can you even think of trying something new?”
As I frowned at Erginius’s claim that inspecting the Fairy Forest was impossible, he shrugged his shoulders as if he had nothing to say.
“Sorry, but this wasn’t what I expected either. Who would’ve thought the queen would be half-awake?”
Just yesterday, Erginius had rushed to the Fairy Forest to check the situation inside the barrier but failed miserably.
Some strange energy had blocked his view and left him floundering.
Caught off guard by an unexpected dilemma, Erginius did his best to figure out what was messing with him, eventually concluding that the Fairy Queen was keeping them at bay between the dream and reality.
“She can’t be fully awake yet. If she were, the barrier would have crumbled long ago.”
“So what is it, huh? You pathetic little wizard.”
“She’s wandering in the borderlands of dreams and reality, unconsciously trying to protect the forest.”
When I asked for proof, Erginius continued with a reminiscent expression as if he were lost in thought.
“You were born long after the forest was sealed within the barrier, so you probably don’t know about the fairy folklore.”
[Oh, is that it?]
‘Excuse me, old man, but could you stop talking in riddles and explain it in detail?’
[It’s not anything grand. Just a tale about which beings can meet the fairies.]
In the Age of Mythology, fairies were a natural part of nature itself.
Humans yearning to meet those playful and ethereal beings, who were also suspicious and loved to flaunt their beauty among the animals and flowers, were in abundance.
But fairies rarely allowed humans to meet them. They only approached those they wished to meet and didn’t even show the tips of their wings to those deemed unworthy.
That being said, even if one physically threatened the fairies, their power was significant, and since divinities watching over humans at that time looked favorably upon the fairies, it was practically impossible to touch them.
[However, humans aren’t the kind to give up easily, right? Those who wanted to see the fairies scoured all the stories about those who had met them to find any conditions.]
In gaming terms, it was like everyone pooling their brains to determine the entrance qualifications.
[They sought to have a good heart. Those with something exceptional about them. They must have no sins. They should be loved by beasts. And countless other conditions deemed important.]
According to the Fairy Queen herself later, it seemed this was merely a matter of the fairies’ tastes.
So, ultimately, the way to meet a fairy boils down to finding a way to get on their good side.
If someone doesn’t fit their preferences, it’s an automatic “Eww, gross!” without even a glimpse.
…Is this too tainted by reality? Give me back my fantasy!
The fairies I know should be much purer and cuter!
How can one be a fairy while calculating conditions and measuring against a checklist?!
This is more like some trashy, clumsy fox vibe!
[The same conditions probably apply to the Fairy Forest right now.]
‘Wait. Grandpa, are you saying Erginius got rejected by the Fairy Queen based on this?’
[…That might be pushing it a bit. It’s more of a case of being a matter of preference.]
‘That’s basically the same thing!’
To have one’s centuries-long unrequited love crushed by a response along the lines of, “Sorry, but a person like you is just biologically impossible for me,” is brutally harsh!
Is reality this cruel!?
Wait, how can Erginius’s mental state be so intact after suffering such a blow?
How can he casually say he’s been trampled on by the love he’s harbored for centuries!?
Does the mental strength of the great archmage transcend humanity!? For someone who’s shown the totality of that pathetic hermit behavior so many times?!
“At this point, Benedict must have explained it. My guess aligns with that of his.”
Isn’t this an outright denial of reality!? Did he take that rejection calmly!?
As I began to feel a hint of reverence for Erginius’s superhuman mental state, he leisurely continued his explanation.
“Right now, I am Erginius, but I am also not Erginius. I’m just a fake created by the old grand mage. Furthermore, the fairies do not allow those harboring falsehoods.”
[So he’s just comforting himself by thinking it’s not that he got rejected?]
“Ha! Hah! Cough!”
“…What’s going on?”
His teasing jab made me burst out laughing, but I didn’t have the guts to explain the truth to Erginius.
I felt guilty about shattering this man’s innocent heart, and more importantly, if he fell into despair over being rejected, this plan would go up in flames.
As I chuckled without saying a word, Erginius tilted his head in confusion before shrugging his shoulders and continuing.
“Anyway, having confirmed this situation, I started seeking a way to negate the queen’s interference. Since I created the barrier, I thought my accumulated knowledge would be enough to resolve it.”
But Erginius failed. Just as he had spent hundreds of years preparing for this moment underground, the Fairy Queen, lingering in the barrier, had also made the energy inside it her own through lengthy years.
“I don’t know why her consciousness is only half-awake, though.”
“Perhaps it’s because the barrier is just as pathetic as your social skills, pathetic wizard?”
“There’s nothing wrong with the magic. I had prior trials…but, it’s pointless to explain now. Rather, we need a solution. I need a human to replace me.”
What is this old skeleton talking about? There’s no way there’d be anyone capable of filling in for a wizard who’s praised as a historical genius. He must be losing it.
Ah, but maybe he is losing it.
Even if he pretended to be fine, the shock of being turned down clearly lingered.
“What I’m saying might sound insane, but it’s not entirely out of the question. As I said, the Fairy Queen isn’t fully awake yet.”
The queen’s consciousness has risen partially into reality, but she hasn’t come completely out of her slumber.
She is still gazing into the landscapes of dreams, akin to a state of somnambulism.
“If the queen is to separate people according to the fairy’s rules, she would welcome those fitting the criteria, though they’ll need to endure some playful mischief along the way.”
The part about “playful mischief” raised alarms, but before I could ask him about it, Erginius spoke up first.
“And that’s why I came to you. Find a person who matches these criteria. You and your subordinates should be capable of identifying someone fitting the conditions, right?”
Well, if the criteria are clear, finding someone shouldn’t be too tough. Thanks to Karia’s information network.
The real problem is whether that person can be trusted.
“The conditions are as follows. First, appearance is key. Fairies are pure and thus straightforward in their preferences. They value what they can see the most.”
So, they’ve got to be pretty.
“Secondly, they must have a good heart. The fairies can sense the karma one has accumulated over their lifetime.”
Must be good-hearted too.
“Some level of strength is necessary as well. Fairies are looking for someone who can play along with their antics.”
So they need to be strong.
“They also have to possess both purity and chastity.”
So basically, they must either be virgins or totally pure.
“And knowledge of magic is essential too. Otherwise, they could be welcomed by the fairies but wouldn’t be able to act as my substitute.”
They’ve got to be adept in magic, huh?
Hmm? Just a minute? When I dissect these conditions one by one, they are pointing toward just one person.
The pure, innocent, somewhat clueless type.
*
“Am I really supposed to take over Erginius’s role?”
“Exactly. If you agree, I’ll pass on everything I know to you. Will you accept?”
“I am the noble daughter of the Partran family. Do you think I’d feel overwhelmed by something like this?”
Joy feigned bravado, but the deep breath she took showed just how tense she was; her hand trembled noticeably—she wasn’t hiding that at all.
“If you’re scared, you don’t have to do it, you know? Clumsy one?”
She coulds always chicken out if she felt like it, but Joy frowned, bewildered at my words.
“Lucy, did you not just hear what I said? I don’t run away from tasks like this. I’m your friend.”
Well, if she’s this resolute, I’ve got no reason to stop her.
Though her usual clumsiness shines through, it’s true that she’s quite suited for this task.
“Do whatever you want. I’m curious to see what kind of foolishness you’ll get caught up in next.”
“That’s too bad. Nothing problematic will arise this time.”
“Wow. That’s a very confident response. If only your hands and feet weren’t trembling, it would’ve been so impressive, you know? Hehe. What a pity.”
“…C-Could you please hurry up and get to work! I need to go learn from Erginius!”
As I left, chuckling at Joy’s reddened cheeks, I could hear a near-screeching sound behind me.
Ah, that’s right. Joy’s reactions are always entertaining to tease.
Well, besides that, I need to consider finding someone to guard Joy as well.
Even if she manages to win the fairies’ hearts, they might not like her surroundings.
Since plenty of strong folks are joining in, it’ll be easy enough to pick someone from among them.
But soon, I realized that the fairy’s rules were proving to be far more complicated than I anticipated.
Finding someone who fulfills each of these rules isn’t that hard.
Even if the fairies demand high standards, this side has a wealth of talent. If we put in the effort, we can find someone without a doubt.
The issue is that all of these regulations need to be satisfied simultaneously.
“Hey, master. Do you honestly believe someone who fulfills all these conditions could be pure?”
…
No.
Ah, come on!
It doesn’t make any sense!
In a medieval fantasy world where getting married around the age of ten isn’t unusual, how could they have such an unbelievable background?
That type of miracle simply doesn’t exist!
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