Chapter: 558
Slowly opening her eyes, the Fairy Queen smiled, intoxicated by the fragrance of flowers wafting around her.
– Your Majesty!
– You look beautiful today!
– I brought flowers!
As if they had been waiting for ages, the fairies rushed to showcase the flowers they each had brought, boasting about their own blooms and claiming superiority over one another.
Familiar with such antics, the Queen soothed them, saying they were all beautiful, before tilting her head at the commotion coming from afar.
“Have we got guests outside?”
– Yes! Lots of wonderful people!
– They’re all amazing!
– That’s right! So impressive!
Hearing the fairies’ praises, it was likely the guests from outside were indeed heroes of great renown.
Speaking of which, I recently heard that a party of heroes was coming to this forest. Could it be that those chosen by the magnificent God have appeared here?
“Everyone, are you perhaps playing pranks on those guests?”
– Yes!
– Nothing works on them!
– We all tried our best but failed!
– What if we just do a little more?
Feeling the quivering of her lips, the Fairy Queen hurriedly praised the fairies for their efforts before rushing towards the source of the ruckus.
Those were heroes permitted by the God to enter the Fairy Forest! They must not be disturbed!
Running with a fervor she had never experienced, the Fairy Queen soon spotted the Hero party caught up in the fairies’ pranks.
“…To be chosen by the God must mean one is this noble.”
The Queen’s words dripped with reverence, spreading her awe into the dark, cursed forest.
Yet, no one in the forest was there to acknowledge her sleep-talking.
The fairies that had been consumed by the darkness had long lost their essence, and the life that should have adorned the forest could not even sprout on the withered ground; the evil god’s aura within the barrier merely awaited its new master’s command.
“…My lord.”
The calls flowing from the Queen’s blissful smile reached no one.
Not even the great Archmage who would hear her last will. Nor the little child who had suddenly appeared, ready to risk his life for her.
“I…”
The delightful dreams she had repeated hundreds, thousands of times were now growing more chaotic with time.
The fairies, wholly bound to the Queen and having lost their essence, sensed her restless turning.
They realized the Queen’s dream was nearing its end.
*
“Damn it. Was it a misstep to approach the barrier myself?”
After relaying the tale he heard from the fragment of the Fairy Queen, Erginius cursed under his breath.
“If the fragment awakens and begins to intervene in the forest, it’s only a matter of time before she fully awakens. We don’t have the luxury of time.”
“Then should we attack the forest as soon as the magic is ready?”
When Benedict, who was listening along with Erginius, posed the question, Erginius shook his head.
“I’d love to do that, but before then, we have a primary task. We must breach the barrier and concentrate the evil god’s aura inside. Otherwise, the aura of the Dark God will seep into the world.”
“Isn’t that doable? We have plenty of powerful warriors gathered here.”
“The problem is that if any unauthorized individuals enter the barrier, there’s a high chance the Fairy Queen will awaken.”
If someone uninvited barged into the barrier, the Fairy Queen would wake up out of displeasure.
That would lead to the awakening of the Queen, who had spent a long time gaining strength in the forest, to shatter the unstable barrier, and her very existence would become a calamity, spreading chaos into the world.
“Is the permission you mentioned about those who Lucy has been searching for?”
“Correct.”
“…That means the only ones who can enter are those who visited today: Lucy and her friends.”
“Originally, I planned to accompany you, but realizing my existence would disturb the Queen’s slumber, I can’t.”
Erginius’s and Benedict’s eyes turned to me. I could see unease swimming in Erginius’s gaze.
They weren’t sure if we could succeed in the most crucial part of the plan by ourselves.
Conversely, there was an unusual mix of worry and faith in Benedict’s eyes.
While worrying about whether Lucy and the others would be okay, he also believed wholeheartedly that they would work miracles. Perhaps because he had witnessed me working miracles in the past.
“Lucy Alrn.”
“What?”
“Do you think it’s possible?”
When Erginius finally spit out the question after a deep contemplation, I inadvertently smiled.
Did they really need to ask that in this situation?
“I knew the Dweeb Magician was short on common sense, but I didn’t think he was this empty-headed. Is now really the time for that kind of question?”
“I know the situation isn’t great. But…”
Hah, this guy really talks too much. Did he behave like this even back when he was a hero’s ally? If he did, I’d have probably wanted to throw him against the wall every single day.
Remembering I had just inflicted a fitting punishment on Grandpa for his earlier mockery, I should’ve postponed that penalty a bit considering the situation. But it was too late for regrets; I had to take matters into my own hands.
With annoyance etched on my face, I approached Erginius, ignoring the questioning look on his face, and punched him right in the gut.
“It doesn’t matter. My body is disguised anyway… Guh!?”
Caught off guard by a punch laden with divine energy, Erginius rolled on the floor in agony.
“Didn’t I tell you in my cute voice? You shouldn’t just ask; you should request. Looks like the Dweeb Magician doesn’t even remember what happened not too long ago.”
Using Erginius’s back as a chair, I patted his trembling head, urging him for an answer.
“You little brat!”
“Yes, yes. I am a little brat. And you’re just a nerd who has to bow his head to this little brat.”
After my teasing, Erginius fell silent for a moment, but soon, he seemed to make up his mind and lifted his head.
“…The fragment of the Queen said time is running out, right?”
“She talked about a week left if we believe the airheaded Chicken Lady.”
“In that case, let’s prepare to act on day six after five days of preparation. Benedict Alrn, when will the troop layout be completed?”
“Gathering is nearly complete; it should be ready in about three days.”
“So get ready immediately. We will do our best on our side, too.”
While mockingly laughing at Erginius, who was on the floor pretending to be a girl’s mount, I scooped him up and called for my friends.
“Joy has been summoned by Lord Erginius. They say she has a mountain of things to learn about her affinity.”
Having checked on everyone except Joy, who would be spending sleepless nights learning magic, I stripped off my outer garments to demonstrate my new armor.
“Why… why that embarrassing armor?!”
Phoebe’s face turned beet red as she hastily covered her eyes with one hand and turned away.
“What are you thinking, Lucy Alrn! Put on your outer garment quickly!”
In the moment that Arthur stared at me blankly, aghast, he quickly covered his eyes with both hands.
“Guess you really chose this armor.”
After seeing this armor multiple times, Carl slapped his forehead.
“It’s a wonderful armor, but it looks too easy to slice through.”
Frey expressed her dissatisfaction with the armor from a strictly practical standpoint.
I anticipated some complaints once I donned this not-really-an-armor armor.
But the reason I appeared wearing it in a training setting was that it was absolutely necessary.
“Damn shameless perverts. Is that all you can think about even now? It’s terrible that I have to journey with such losers.”
“Indeed! There must be an intention behind this, right? Otherwise, the Young Lady wouldn’t wear such repugnant armor!”
“Why? What’s the reason?”
“Training. I have to get used to these kinds of things if I don’t want to fall for the bugs lurking in the forest.”
If I’m correct, the dungeon that the fragment of the Fairy Queen gifted me is essentially a mini-version of what’s to come within the barrier.
Having been stuck inside it for hundreds of years, it’s unlikely she created anything else.
If I consider the potential creativity of a fragment that has only slept away like a washed-up loser, the answer I reached is likely correct.
So I need to prepare against the allure of the fairies. Otherwise, I might end up doing something foolish when ensnared by their dance.
“No matter what the bugs in the barrier show, there’s no way they’ll be prettier than me. So if I adapt to that, I can just look at them with pity no matter how loud they chaotically dance.”
I confirmed the effect of the fairies’ dance during my earlier battle with the First Knight Order.
If I can withstand the fascination that not even the kingdom’s elite could endure, there’s no way I’d fall to the fairies’ pranks.
“I’ll reward you handsomely, so get ready to rejoice and be trampled. Losers.”
Saying this with a playful laugh, three of them—excluding the still shy Arthur—slowly nodded their heads.
What’s with Arthur acting all weird again? We’re in a hurry here.
Annoyed, I trudged over to Arthur and met his gaze.
His face flushed. Blood dripped through the fingers covering his mouth. His eyes, lost, wandered aimlessly.
“Ugh.”
This is a little troubling. I haven’t even started properly yet, and he’s already in this state. I guess there’s no choice; time for drastic measures.
“Pervert~ ♡ so disgusting ♡”
I provoked him just to raise his temperature, but my method was definitely wrong.
As Arthur staggered, grinning at me, he suddenly collapsed backward.
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