The Fairy's Revenge

While Director Shun was busy correcting the misunderstanding that his surgery was not a dark magical ritual, the fleeing Igor walked through the underground corridors of his hideout, dripping blood. Drip. Every time he took a step, a crimson trail was left on the stone floor. Igor gritted his teeth and hurried his pace. 'Damn it. That woman….'

Igor recalled the scene where the red-haired girl had sliced her own palm with an axe blade. She had definitely chanted a spell. And after that axe had grazed his leg, his limb had begun to fail him, bit by bit. Even though the wound wasn't nearly deep enough for that to happen.

'Did she use her blood as a poison?' He didn't know what kind of poison it was. That wasn't his specialty. But one thing was certain: the magic that girl had used was a truly vicious toxin. As a result, while Igor had been able to run immediately after escaping, he was now in a state where he could barely take a step without leaning against the wall.

'Damn it.' Igor quickened his pace even more. Limp. Limp. His right foot stepped on the stone floor, and his left foot dragged behind it. And between the sounds of his irregular footsteps, the rhythmic sound of military boots began to mingle. Director Shen’s pursuit team was closing in on him. At this rate, it was obvious that Igor would be caught. But he had a plan of his own.

Screech— A sound like metal scraping against metal rang out from somewhere in the darkness. Following that, the rhythm of the boot steps faltered. Bang! Bang-bang! Then, gunshots rang out. Hearing these sounds, the corners of Igor’s mouth curled upward.

'It was a good thing I remodeled this abandoned prison for my use.' Ghouls. They were still left in this basement. The corpses of prisoners who had been discarded without funeral or requiem. The symbolism of "a death untouched by the gaze of God," which had accumulated over hundreds of years, had turned this space into a hotbed for ghouls. All Igor had done was drive lead rods into the heads of those ghouls to make them his minions. And those ghouls were currently holding back the pursuit team.

'The brats dealt with some of them on their way up, but there are still plenty left.' He didn't expect the ghouls to defeat the pursuit team. He just needed to buy a few minutes. By the time those minutes were up, he would already be long gone from this place.

'Almost there.' Leaving the gunshots behind, Igor descended the final staircase. As he reached the lowest floor, he saw cells with open doors and the remnants of ropes and gags scattered on the floor. It was the prison where he had kept the students. Igor passed by the cells. Now dragging his left leg almost entirely, he headed deeper into the prison.

Crossing an arched doorway and lighting the room with a glow-worm, the reason he had come this far was revealed. 'I've arrived.' There was a circle there. Along the boundary of the circle, colorful mushrooms were densely sprouted. Scarlet, mustard, purple, spotted white, and so on. Beneath the colorful caps lined up at regular intervals, minute spores were drawing a circle on the floor. And the inside of the circle was filled with dead grass.

His hollow eyes fixed on the center of the circle. 'A Fairy Ring.' Fairies have a unique ability. When they dance in a circle, mushrooms grow in that spot as if drawing a magic circle. A mage can leap through space using that circle. Igor had used this effect to kidnap only the students who had Director Shun's signature. And this time, he intended to use this ring to escape his crisis.

'Where was the catalyst?' Igor fumbled through his trouser pockets. His fingertips searched through the rough fabric until they touched a small pouch. He pulled out a sugar cube. Igor placed the cube on the edge of the circle—atop the cap of a scarlet mushroom. And he parted his lips.

“Come.”

As soon as the sugar touched the mushroom cap, a minute tremor rippled through the gills of the cap. The gills of the scarlet cap parted, and a small hand poked out from within. It resembled a human hand, but it was not a human hand. It was too short, too thick, and every joint was covered in fuzz-like mycelium. The hand grabbed the sugar cube and pulled it inside.

Rustle. The mushrooms forming the boundary of the circle shook in unison. Soon, small fairies about 30 centimeters tall popped out from the mushrooms.

“Brownie Number 1.”

“Yes! Master!”

Number 1, who crawled out from between the mushrooms, kicking its short legs. “Did you call for us?”

Following Number 1, several other fairies revealed themselves. A total of 11. Igor looked down at those innocent fairies and furrowed his brow. 'What is this?' The brownies were unusually active today. For the past several months, the brownies he had seen were annoying, whining, and depressed little creatures. To use a metaphor, they were like old dogs being dragged around. Such fairies seemed unusually excited today.

'…Fickle things.' But that was as far as Igor's thoughts went. He didn't have the luxury of thinking now, and it wasn't unusual for fairies to be fickle.

Stomp, stomp. The sound of military boots had caught up to right behind him. Igor hurriedly placed two more sugar cubes on the edge of the circle. One brownie ran over and grabbed the cubes. And while clutching the lump of sugar, which was as big as its own body, in both arms, it looked back up at Igor. Igor commanded, “Open the ring. Send me to the mansion.”

“Understood.”

Brownie Number 1 moved briskly. The creature that usually dawdled seemed to be in a good mood today. Ignoring the sense of unease that kept rising, Igor took his place in the center of the circle. All eleven of them stepped onto the mushroom caps in unison. Like little dancers standing on a colorful stage, they each took their places. Soon, the dance began.

Thump! Eleven pairs of feet stomped down on the mushroom caps simultaneously. Spores burst forth all at once, and a golden band rippled along the edge of the circle. Standing in the center of the circle, Igor felt the soil beneath his feet tremble minutely. 'It's opening.' The circle was reacting more and more. The song was also gradually reaching its climax. That was when it happened. The lyrics suddenly changed.

“What?!” Igor’s face was washed in horror. These weren't the usual lyrics he knew. The song the brownies were singing had changed. It wouldn't matter if they had just changed a few words; fairies often changed lyrics based on their mood. But the lyrics contained content that shouldn't be there.

— "Le siùcar is pìosan meala, 'S shin e dhomh an t-aodach fhìn!"

Clothes. The moment brownies receive clothes or payment from their master, the master-servant contract is dissolved. That is why dark mages who use brownies are always careful not to accidentally give them clothes or money. 'Escape….' But his body wouldn't move. As if his legs were fixed to the ground, as if they weren't his own, they refused to leave this circle. Perhaps the brownies were slipping out of his control. It was the moment that vague fear became concrete.

'When? Why now of all times?' Had he given them clothes without knowing? Come to think of it, he had thrown away his cloak while running here. 'But that shouldn't be enough to break the contract….' At that moment, the image of one person flashed through his mind. Director Shun. If that man knew how to imbue that cloak with meaning, had freed the brownies, and had already coaxed them… then these brownies weren't dancing for him right now…. And Igor’s thoughts began to cut off there. What began to fill that space was a pleasure difficult to explain.

“Hehe….” Laughter flowed from Igor’s lips. His thoughts were blurring, little by little. As if he were drunk. Thump—thump! As the chorus burst out, a pillar of light rose from the center of the circle. In the middle of that warm pillar of light, Igor felt like he wanted to dance right now. Right. He was supposed to be shaking off his pursuers. Couldn't he dance for a little while? As if he had thought something like that, he began to dance.

His intelligence was dyed with revelry, forcing his dead legs to move, the dark mage danced. In the midst of the fairies. Dripping blood. Limping on stiffening legs. With a smile hanging on his lips. He shrugged his shoulders. Like someone standing in the middle of a festival, like someone who had heard the song of a long-departed hometown again, like someone who had eaten colorful mushrooms and felt ecstatic. He danced. Forcing his unmoving legs to move, forcing his twitching lips to pull up, forcing his cracking voice to cry out. He sang. In the midst of eleven pairs of black marble eyes looking up at him and smiling, the dark mage danced and sang. Soon, the light swallowed him.

A moment later. Stomp. Stomp. Military boots crossed the arched doorway. Director Shen entered the room where Igor had disappeared, his gun barrel leading the way. There was no one in that room. Director Shen’s gaze dropped to the floor. Only red mushrooms and dead grass soaked with blood remained in the room.

“—When I arrived, only red mushrooms and bloodstains remained. I could not confirm the whereabouts of the dark mage.”

While I was busy treating Karl and checking on the condition of the other children, Director Shen, who had returned with a somber face, approached and reported. “I apologize, Director. I lost him.” Regret was buried in the voice coming from behind his gas mask. I took off my blood-stained gloves and asked, “It’s fine that you lost him. Did you happen to step into that circle?”

“I did not pursue any further, just as you instructed, Director. But why do you ask?”

I delayed my answer for a moment and glanced around. Ellie, who wouldn't let go of Karl’s hand. Valeria, who was paying attention to us from a short distance away. There were too many listening ears. “…Julian-nim gave me a heads-up. I’ll tell you the details in the car.”

As soon as I threw out that one line, Valeria reacted. “Excuse me, Director. Julian-nim… could you be referring to Freya-yang’s older brother?”

“Yes. I received his help on the way here. He is active in areas like dark magic or cold cases.”

Freya, who had been quietly eavesdropping on the conversation, turned her head unnaturally. However, she didn't show any further reaction. Rather, Freya also put on a poker face and joined in the acting. “Did my brother not come?”

“No. He is very worried about Freya-nim’s safety at the mansion. So it would be good if you contacted Julian-nim on the way back, would that be alright?”

“I understand.”

I didn't know why I was creating an alibi for Julian, but it felt like she was going along with it. “Very well. Now, let’s head to the car. Student Karl also needs proper treatment.”

After cleaning up the scene somehow, we cut the tendons of the lizard-man who had fainted and loaded him into the cargo hold, and loaded the students into the vehicles we had arrived in. In the last car I boarded, Director Shen, Eri, and Freya rode along. Only after confirming that the door was completely closed did I take off my fedora. With this, the recognition-impairing magic was dispelled.

“Whew.”

Freya looked up at me. “Brother.”

“You did well, Freya.”

“But just a moment ago….”

“I needed to draw a line between the identities of Director Shun and Julian. I had to make it so that finding this place was Julian’s achievement. I’ll tell you the details later.”

Freya thought for about a second, then nodded. “If Brother is doing it that way, there must be a reason.”

After finishing our short conversation, I shifted my gaze to Director Shen. It was because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he had been looking like he wanted to ask something ever since before we got into the car. “Then, let’s talk about what we were discussing earlier, Director.”

“Does not pursuing the dark mage have anything to do with that circle?”

“Yes. Because that is a Fairy Ring.”

“A Fairy Ring… you say?”

He didn't seem to know. Well, his specialty was fire magic. Since a Fairy Ring was in the realm of dark magic, it was natural that he wouldn't know. “That circle where the dark mage disappeared. You’ve seen it somewhere before, haven't you?”

“Yes. There was a circle made of mold in the laundry room where the students disappeared.”

“That is a Fairy Ring. When fairies dance, mushrooms grow in a circle in that spot. Fairies can leap through space using that circle.”

A Fairy Ring is the trace of fairies dancing. If a person steps into that circle, they lose consciousness for a moment and wake up in an unfamiliar place.

“I didn't know such magic existed.”

“The dark mage must have used this Fairy Ring to kidnap the students as well. He intended to use it to escape, too.”

“Then did the dark mage succeed in escaping?”

I shook my head. “No. He must have failed. I knew that would happen, which is why I told you not to pursue him to the end.”

Director Shen’s eyes moved minutely. That was when Freya raised her hand. “Brother.”

“Yes?”

“But… if you knew that magic existed, why didn't you ride it yourself to come here? No, I… I didn't mean to say you were late.”

“No, that’s a good question.”

Actually, I had that thought at first, too. When I heard the news that Freya had disappeared and ran to the dormitory, I discovered a Fairy Ring near the laundry room. As soon as I saw that circle, I figured out the whole story, and I immediately used that circle to coax a brownie into telling me the location of the hideout. The fastest way at that time would have been to ride that circle and have the brownies send me to the hideout. But I didn't do that. For one reason.

“Fairies hate it.”

“Pardon?”

“Brownies are fairies that basically do housework. Folding laundry, washing dishes, sweeping up breadcrumbs. That is the true calling of these children.” I looked out the car window and continued. “It’s rude to make children like that dance. Furthermore, fairies absolutely hate showing others their dancing.”

“But we were kidnapped in such a way.”

“That’s right. That’s why the fairies hated that dark mage, too.”

He had ordered them to perform acts that brownies find extremely repulsive. He made them dance in places where people could see them, and ordered them to kidnap instead of doing housework. For months, he had forced them to commit acts that they hated most as brownies and as fairies. “Brownies cannot disobey their master’s orders, and they cannot cause harm. So even if the dark mage ordered it, they had to do it against their will. But I couldn't use the same method.”

It wasn't because I was a fairy enthusiast. My younger sister had been kidnapped, so when would I be worrying about such things? The reason I respected the fairies at the time was one thing.

“You must never be hostile to fairies in any way. It doesn't end well.”

This was something I heard from my master. — “Mages of the current generation, that is, those born within the last 200 years, tend to see fairies as tools. But Julian, you must not be like that.”

My master said that fairies are nature itself, possessing emotions. He said that the moment you become hostile to such fairies, your later years are bound to become difficult. Even without my master’s warning, this was common sense and a cliché. In countless works from my past life, protagonists who tormented fairies didn't end well in many ways. That was why I was polite to the brownies, too.

“And that dark mage personally showed me that my choice was correct.”

“That dark mage did?”

“Yes. That red Fairy Ring is the evidence.”

Brownies basically cannot harm their master or do anything that would cause harm to their master. But that doesn't mean they don't harbor hatred. They had harbored hatred toward their master for months. And when the opportunity arose, the first thing they did, now that they were free, was revenge.

“Fairies have a high aptitude for mental magic and spatial magic. It’s not difficult for them to twist magic slightly.”

Waking up in a different place after fainting in a Fairy Ring is only the case when it’s in non-lethal mode. To use a metaphor, it’s a warning level, like kicking an uninvited guest out of their club. If so, when fairies harbor murderous intent, just how far can they go?

“If what you say is true, then that dark mage….”

“Hmm. That dark mage might regret not being caught by you obediently, Director. If he has any sanity left to regret with, that is.”

Originally, children are better at pulling off dragonfly wings than adults. Purity is that scary. It’s not like the old fairy tales had such high ratings for no reason, right? Is the logic different from that? Anyway. This was also why I respected the fairies. Because if you offend them and a snowball rolls later, it’s impossible to handle. “The reason I told you not to pursue him to the end is for that reason as well. The possibility is low, but I couldn't have Director Shen getting caught up in it.”

Gulp. The sound of Director Shen swallowing dry saliva could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be heard ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from behind his gas mask. Then, he cautiously asked a question. “…But one question remains.”

“Go ahead.”

“How did the brownies suddenly become free…?”

“It’s not a very difficult thing.” I pointed to the hem of the dark mage’s cloak that I had taken as evidence and said, “Didn't that man throw this away? I just helped the brownies perceive this clothing as a sign of contract dissolution.”

“…Did you push the fairies’ backs?”

“Don't I sound like a very bad person if you put it that way?”

I wasn't some kind of crime consultant. If I had to explain what I did… “That’s right. I just helped the fairies expand their thinking.”

“….” The expressions of the people in the car after hearing that weren't very good. I didn't know the reason for that, either.