Chapter 395: Do You Still Believe in Fairies…?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 395: Do You Still Believe in Fairies…?
“Hmm, it definitely seems to be the influence of a barrier. It’s not that we’re walking in circles, but more like… we’re turning unconsciously? I’ll have to investigate further to be certain, but it’s clear we aren’t making any progress toward the heart of the forest.”
After the basecamp was completed, Park A-ram was the first to speak during the meeting.
“The compass and pathfinding artifacts aren’t working, but fortunately, the artifact that records our movement path is fine. Looking at the log, we aren’t moving in a straight line; we’re slowly circling the outskirts. It’s a bit too suspicious to say we’ve simply lost our sense of direction because the forest is large.”
“I think the fairies’ mischief is also a factor, aside from the barrier. When we took down that giant snake earlier, the fairies approached us. I tried talking to them using a translation artifact, but most of them wouldn’t say anything except that they wanted to play.”
Following Baek Seol’s additional testimony, the group was left nursing headaches.
“…Mmm-ph.”
…Well, except for one little kid who wasn’t nursing a headache, but was instead trying his absolute best not to fall asleep during the meeting.
Since Kang So-hyun—who likely would have had a way to clear this place—had ended up in that state, it looked like they would have to clear the dungeon the hard way. Honestly, if it were that easy to clear, would this place have been dubbed a ‘Hell for Superhuman Criminals’?
“Well, the situation isn’t entirely negative. Even though Kang So-hyun has turned into a child, he hasn’t lost his power, so ordinary monsters are no match for him. Plus, there’s a wide variety of wild plants growing here, so we don’t have to worry about starving even if our rations run out.”
“Yes. I am confident in identifying plants, so please leave that to me.”
At the Alchemist of the Rose’s response after finishing the meal preparations, the group nodded, looking reassured.
“And the fact that the fairies have become friendly since we dealt with that giant snake is also a positive sign. They might play light pranks, but they probably won’t do anything that causes us serious trouble anymore.”
As Park A-ram agreed with Baek Seol’s follow-up, the atmosphere eased slightly, though it wasn’t a situation where they could fully let their guard down.
After all, they still hadn’t discovered a way to cut through the forest or a clear method of escape.
Until at least one of those became certain, everyone would remain on edge.
“Huh!?”
Just as everyone was thinking that, Kang So-hyun, who had begun nodding off in Cathy’s arms, suddenly snapped awake and looked around. The sight made everyone burst into laughter.
“So-hyun, do you want to go to sleep if you’re tired?”
“I’m not sleepy.”
He was stubborn even as a child, it seemed.
I thought the tension wouldn’t break, but thanks to him lightening the mood just enough, it seemed everyone could afford the leisure of having dinner.
* * *
Around the same time, another group arrived at the entrance of the Fairy Forest.
[Are you alright? I should have explained beforehand.]
[…Yeah, fortunately, I seem fine for now. But next time there’s a condition for warping, I’d appreciate it if you told me in advance.]
Yes, it was me and Ban Gi-san.
A pair of incredibly suspicious masked men had just successfully warped in a truck bearing the ‘Chamsarang Agriculture’ logo.
It was great that we arrived, but I couldn’t exactly say it was a smooth journey.
First of all, for this crazy farmer’s truck to use the warp system, he had to floor the accelerator and maintain a sprint for over five minutes. Because the specs were unnecessarily high, we were speeding down the road at an absurd velocity and almost got reported and arrested.
And at the very end, we got caught in an explosion just like in a cartoon, so I wasn’t feeling great.
[So, is it really okay to just walk in here? From what I know, anyone who enters the Fairy Forest gets subjected to pranks that are practically curses.]
[Don’t worry. I have a plan.]
My mistake earlier was assuming I should just take the hits and resist.
If a major accident like the one before happened again, I wouldn’t get another chance. I had to strike first.
Thanks to Ban Gi-san, my energy was preserved. If I heightened my senses and intentionally struck the moment a fairy appeared, I would be able to respond sufficiently.
Given what happened in the 1st Timeline and out of consideration for the Fairy Queen, I wanted to resolve this as peacefully as possible, but I couldn’t afford any more delays.
[Is that so? If you have a plan, let’s hurry. I must hurry and convey the greatness of farming to the elves. To live in a place so full of nature’s power and merely receive its blessings… I cannot tolerate it.]
[Right. Let’s go in.]
Alright, come at me, you fairies. It’s not like elves are the only things I’ve hunted.
…Honestly, I didn’t feel great about dealing with fairies, who just like pranks and look like children.
— Giggle!
However, the moment we stepped into the forest, the emotions I felt from the appearing fairies were affection and a strange sense of guilt.
At the very least, it didn’t feel like they were going to play pranks.
— Thank you! Thank you!
— The bad snake! You caught it! Sorry for the pranks!
…It seemed my main body had done something, and that favorability had extended to me as well.
Does Perception Interference not work on fairies?
They looked like fluffy cotton candy, or like smiling young children.
Seeing them for the first time in a long while, the fairies bounced around and settled on my shoulders, bursting into giggles again.
[…I thought fairies didn’t like evil people.]
Actually, that information is slightly incorrect.
Fairies relatively like villains.
Well, even if they ‘like’ them, it’s more like liking a toy.
They don’t get scolded by the Fairy Queen even if they play harsh pranks on evil people.
It’s not that they hate good people, but they have to restrain themselves from playing pranks, so they tend to avoid them.
Basically, individuals who don’t particularly dislike humans will express their favor like this to someone who has helped them.
[Either the rumors are false, or there are fairies with peculiar tastes.]
[…As expected, you are…]
…As expected what, man? What kind of weird thoughts are you having?
It’s already a headache when my kids do that, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t start.
[No, it’s nothing. Since it seems the fairies won’t be playing pranks, let’s hurry.]
Hey, you definitely don’t think it’s ‘nothing.’
I can see you’re making some weird misunderstanding, so just spit it out.
[…Let’s do that.]
Unfortunately, it seemed our masked villain didn’t think his character was the type to pry in this kind of situation.
This is driving me crazy.
— Hehe! We’ll help! We’ll help!
— Since you caught the snake, we’ll help! So you don’t get lost!
[Hmm?]
When the fairy rolling around on my shoulder offered to guide us, the others chimed in, saying they would help too.
Honestly, with Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, I wasn’t worried about getting lost.
However, since I didn’t know exactly where the rest of the group was, I did need the help.
[Then, would you mind helping us?]
Ah, is the masked villain’s setting that he’s surprisingly weak to children or cute creatures?
— Leave it to us! Leave it to us!
— That’s right! That’s right! Everything will be fine if you just trust us!
— Do you desire power?
…They’re an energetic bunch.
Suddenly, an image of fairies crying and trembling while looking at me as I burned down the forest overlapped in my mind, but I forced the memory down.
— This way! Come on, hurry!
[…Can they be trusted?]
[Fairies inherently love pranks, but they aren’t evil beings. They approach those they like with goodwill.]
[Then why is it that so few superhumans ever escape this place?]
[That’s simple.]
Yes, it was a damn simple problem.
[Is it because it’s hard to get on a fairy’s good side?]
[That’s part of it, but isn’t it because humans view fairies as ‘monsters’? You could say they see them as very attractive prey.]
[…I see. I understand.]
I couldn’t see it, but Ban Gi-san’s face under the mask probably didn’t look too good.
The powder that can be gathered from a fairy’s wings is traded as a precious alchemical ingredient.
Or, simply because of their cute appearance, there are wealthy people who want to keep them as pets after removing their mana organs.
The Fairy Queen doesn’t hate humans for no reason.
[…I suppose fairies wouldn’t be effective for agriculture?]
…Huh? That’s strange. Is the person next to me a crazy psycho… oh, right, he is.
[Don’t misunderstand. I simply don’t want to see my fellow farmers fall into depravity.]
Ah, so that’s what he meant? You scared the hell out of me.
At this point, I realized I had overlooked a very significant fact.
It was partly because the fairies constantly chatting and giggling were cute, and partly because I was shocked by Ban Gi-san’s sudden verbal drift.
Well, in the end, it was just my own carelessness, but to put it briefly: I had forgotten the nature of fairies.
Fundamentally, fairies don’t care much about other people’s circumstances.
There was no guarantee that the help they provided was the help I actually wanted. They were simply, purely trying to give what they thought was the best help.
So, the point is…
[…Why did you bring us here?]
— We said we’d help!
Using secret passages known only to fairies, they had brought us to the Fairy Queen’s castle via the shortest possible route.
— Because you caught the big snake! The Queen will give you a reward! A reward!
— The Queen’s blessing is amazing! Humans will live a long time too! Live a long time and play with us!
…I wonder about that. Knowing the Fairy Queen’s personality, I don’t think she’ll be particularly fond of us.
Then again, maybe she was like that back then because we met after I had slaughtered a bunch of fairies.
— This way…!
— This way!
The Fairy Queen I met after being urged along by the fairies still possessed a rather beautiful appearance.
Unlike the young fairies, she took a form almost identical to a human. With six wings, she was a woman of quite a flamboyant and beautiful appearance.
Unfortunately, that beauty didn’t last long.
The moment she looked at me and Ban Gi-san, her expression crumpled severely, and she scrambled backward…
I had a hunch, but I guess I was right.
“Children!? What on earth did you bring from the outside…!?”
— Guests! My Queen! They’re guests! Give them a reward!
— They’re the ones who caught the snake that was bullying us!
“Even so, how could you just bring them here without telling me…!”
How should I put it?
The Fairy Queen didn’t just dislike humans; she was terrified of them.
“P-please don’t eat me…!”
…I’m not going to eat you. What kind of horrible thing is that to say?
For now, if I appeal to the fact that I’m harmless, maybe we can actually have a conversation.
[The pride of the fairies has truly fallen to the earth. Is it fairy etiquette to tremble before a guest?]
…Wait. I didn’t mean to say it like that.
[A King is a position that does not have the right to feel fear. If you sit upon a throne representing an entire species, you must not show it, no matter how afraid you are.]
“T-that’s…!”
[If you are a King, face your opponent and look them straight in the eye so that your people can be proud of you. If you must feel something, let it be hostility or a vicious glare rather than fear.]
Uh, um. Right. It seemed my tongue, excited after a long time, had no intention of stopping yet.
[The only moment it is acceptable for you to collapse in fear is when your people, not yourself, are in danger and you fail to protect them.]
Seeing her slowly nod, it seemed to be having an effect.
[Stop showing such a disappointing display and stand up. How long do you intend to remain cowering?]
“Y-yes…!”
…Uh, well. Whatever. Since it seems we’re at least in a state where we can talk, I’ll call it a success.
Meeting her again after so long, the Fairy Queen Titania was still a coward, yet she possessed a strangely firm core.
I don’t want to be hostile this time if possible, but I’m not sure if I can pull it off while wearing this mask.