Chapter 66
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Repaying the Favor
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[??? is moving to your world...]
Right after confirming the alert that an unknown entity was crossing over into my dimension.
I dove into analyzing the current situation using Tabula and Labris.
"Labris. What do you think?"
"For now, since it's crossing worlds, it can't be a god."
"Why's that?"
"Gods are born from someone's worship and faith, or from negative emotions or certain concepts."
"As such, they might be powerful in worlds where many know of their existence, but the moment they step outside, they weaken immensely."
"Stronger in their own domain, weaker outside it—something like that?"
"Exactly, Master."
"What about a transcendent being, then?"
"In theory, they could cross while maintaining their full power, but usually, the gods of that world intervene and impose various restrictions as a condition for entry."
Hm... If that's the case.
Neither a god nor a transcendent being would have reason to risk crossing worlds like this.
Yet this entity was doing just that—what could its goal possibly be?
[Father. Tabula found something strange in the upgraded staff.]
"Something strange?"
[I'll display the updated item info for you.]
"?"
...What's so strange about it?
It just looks like an ordinary staff that's improved along with its grade.
What part had Tabula pinpointed as odd?
I found out when Tabula showed the next alert window.
[Did you check everything?]
"I did, but nothing seemed particularly off."
[Then I'll show you the hidden effect now.]
"Hidden effect?"
"...?"
What the hell is this? Tracking, spying, eavesdropping, candid shots?
Why would junk like this be tacked onto an item option?
"Master. I think I know what this is. It's that thing."
"That thing?"
"Isn't it here too? Sitting in the living room, watching another being, and rewarding them for actions you like."
[Are you talking about internet streaming, by any chance?]
"Something like that name, yeah."
"What's that got to do with it?"
"This is no different from that 'internet' thing. Transcendents or gods giving gifts to mortals they like and watching their every move."
Hm... So basically.
To put it simply.
"You put a hidden camera in a doll and gifted it?"
"You could see it that way."
"These guys are total perverts."
I mean, I knew the ones already watching were doing it anyway.
Beings like gods or transcendents must be ancient by now.
Shouldn't they show some restraint and live properly?
[Father. We can't give Arin unwholesome gifts like that.]
"I agree."
Now that I knew, there was no way I could give something like that to Arin.
In the end, I felt a bit sorry for her, but I decided to dispose of the staff.
The moment I wrapped my fist in aura to smash it.
Ting~!
A mystical sound came from the blue staff, along with a burst of blue light.
Soon, a small fairy with sea-blue hues popped out and spoke urgently.
"W-Wait, Benefactor! Please don't smash the staff!"
"...Fairy?"
"Yes! Benefactor! I'm a small, precious, cute, and kind fairy!"
"I didn't say that much."
"But it's true, right?"
"?"
...What?
She's not wrong, but hearing her say it so boldly feels a bit off-putting.
"Master, understand this. Fairies are a race that lives off their own hype. Not all of them, but..."
"But it's true! We fairies are a race that doesn't lie!"
"...Most fairies are like that. They don't communicate well."
"Don't slander us fairies! You bronze-skinned healthy beauty orc! Ung orc-like pretty orc! Orc number one beauty!"
"...? That's a compliment, isn't it?"
"Because it's true!"
"Hm... Talking to fairies is indeed difficult."
"What kind of conversation even is this...?"
Anyway.
After continuing the conversation with the fairy like that.
"So. Where did you suddenly pop out from?"
"I was a fairy asleep in the staff's gem, under orders from the Fairy Queen."
"Fairy Queen?"
"Yes! Our strongest and greatest queen, the first fairy to set foot in a transcendent's realm!"
"Transcendent, huh... Impressive. Then, can you tell me what orders that impressive queen gave that brought you here?"
"Of course! I was ordered to find the Queen's King! And thanks to you, Benefactor, I'm the only fairy who succeeded in tracking his trace!"
Queen's King...?
Come to think of it, there were definitely alerts like...
[??? is moved by finding the trace of the 'King of All Scales'!]
[??? burns with determination to finally meet their king this time!]
[??? begins moving to your world!]
...that.
So, does that mean the Fairy Queen served Arin's true body?
"Fairy. Tell me everything you know about the Queen's King."
"Huh? Uh... I don't know the details...?"
"Then just tell me what you do know."
"Well... I know that back when the Queen wasn't a transcendent yet, her life was saved, and after serving the King, our fairies prospered."
"Then why are you looking for him?"
"To repay the immense favor he bestowed upon her, of course! We fairies place great importance on repaying favors!"
"...That's it?"
"Yes!"
"Hm... Got it for now."
"So, you won't smash the staff?"
"We'll decide that later. Sit quietly and wait."
"Hiiing... Okay..."
After wrapping up the conversation with the fairy for the time being.
My intuition didn't pick up any sense that the fairy was lying.
Labris, sitting beside me, said fairies were obsessively fixated on repaying favors, and since she saw me as her benefactor, everything she said must be true.
One question popped into my mind here.
"So she's trustworthy, but why the prank features on the staff?"
"No idea."
[Tabula thinks this doesn't add up either.]
A race that can't lie and is obsessively fixated on repaying favors.
I couldn't understand why they'd go out of their way to add something so suspicious to the staff.
Maybe there was some circumstance we didn't know about—I was about to press her on it when.
"...What? Where'd the kid go?"
"Master. The staff's gone too."
[Lulu sis and Arin sis are gone too.]
Not only had the fairy sitting at the table vanished.
The staff she'd been hugging so preciously had disappeared too.
Suspecting she'd tricked us and fled, we were about to search for her when.
"Hiiing... Why did I do something like this..."
Her resigned voice came faintly from the yard.
We all headed toward the sound.
"If I disappear suddenly, Benefactor will get mad... What do I do..."
Arriving in the yard, we saw the fairy stomping her feet in distress.
"You can do it, Arin-meow! Go for it-meow!"
"Hoo... Arin! Here goes! [Transformation]!"
Flash—!!!
"Magical Arin! Making my entrance here!"
Arin, who had completed her [Transformation] with a bright smile, staff in hand.
And Lulu cheering her on from the side—we finally understood what was happening.
"Fairy. You gave the staff to Arin?"
"Hiek?! O-Oh, B-Benefactor...?"
"Answer first."
"W-Well, um... Hiiing... She looked so sad staring at the staff, so I just... impulsively..."
"Yeah, impulsively. Even though it might repay favor with enmity. Your body just moved on its own, right?"
"...Yes."
"Good job then. Fairies are obsessively fixated on repaying favors, right? So you gave it to her."
"...Huh? What do you mean...?"
"Simple. Fairy. The daughter has more favor owed than the father."
"...Ueh?"
......
......?
...!!!
"N-No way! That girl is the King—!?!?"
"Not exactly, but if you think about it, yeah. So, one thing I wanna ask."
"W-What...?"
"Why add the peeping function to that staff? Didn't seem necessary."
"Oh, that? It started as a way to track the King's trace."
[The Owner of the Fairy Garden] finds both girls too cute and pure, and sponsors [Fairy Strawberries].
Acquired [Fairy Strawberry] x10.
[Fairy Strawberry][B]
A strawberry carefully grown by fairies.
[Effect]: Slightly increases stamina upon consumption.
"Now it's just our Queen's hobby. Young, pure mortals don't survive easily, so she sponsors them as a pastime."
"Ah."
So basically.
The Fairy Queen is a big donor who only goes to cute streamers?
Which means...
"If it's uncomfortable, I can remove it. Want me to?"
"Any privacy protection mode?"
"I can make it activate only when you want."
"Then do that for now."
...This transcendent called the Fairy Queen doesn't seem bad.
Might as well keep an eye on it and get free alchemy materials.