Sweet My Home
(Welcome! This is our playground!)
(Now it's Kong's home too!)
(Let's have fun together!)
Following the fairies, I arrived at their playground—and I was more than a little taken aback by what it turned out to be.
The place they introduced me to was a half-ruined ruin, standing all alone in the middle of the forest.
An ancient structure from some unknowable era. It must have once been a majestic edifice radiating grandeur and dignity.
But now, abandoned for who knows how long, it was overgrown with moss and vines. The crumbling stone buildings and statues bore the faded marks of time.
The stone pillars that had once supported a vast ceiling now held up only echoes of lost glory. The weathered walls, their carvings and inscriptions barely recognizable, were steeped in a haunting emptiness.
The fairies flew naturally into this place, clambering over the moss and vines blanketing the debris as they began to play.
The ownerless ruins transformed into the fairies' joyful playground, taking on a small but vibrant energy that chased away the lonely silence.
This is the playground?
"Woo…, hoo."
My reaction was one of genuine surprise.
Amid the others who had all flown off to play, the fairy who seemed to be their leader—the one always by my side, whose name kept changing so I just called her Alpha for simplicity—spoke to me.
(Kong seems amazed? That we play here.)
I nodded honestly at her words.
Truth be told, it felt a bit off seeing these cute little things straight out of a children's fairy tale living in what could easily be the haunt of savage cannibals.
(Heehee, we didn't always play here from the start…)
A faint shadow crossed Alpha's face as she explained.
(As Kong knows, we can't fight like you do. We were always scared and running away.)
Like outsiders forced into this place, the fairies were a mismatched presence in this forest.
Fairies could wield mana as naturally as their own bodies from birth, but their forms were fragile, their hearts pure and childlike, with no innate aggression.
They were constantly threatened by monsters and beasts.
Despising conflict, the fairies chose flight over fight, using their magic for escape and self-protection.
This sturdy, abandoned ruin had become their playground—and their shelter.
(Until we found this place, we… really struggled.)
Alpha absently touched one of her wings, torn and split at the end. It seemed to carry the weight of their past hardships.
As she continued, her face grew hesitant, laced with guilt, like a confession.
(It was perfect as a playground, but it could never be a real home.)
(Because of the dangerous ones always eyeing the ruins.)
(Whenever they came, we'd flee and abandon the playground.)
(In the end, that's why we chose to stay by Kong's side.)
From Alpha's confession, I realized the fairies had stuck with me for their own safety. Well, it made sense—they wouldn't hang around without reason. I wasn't exactly exuding fairy-attracting pheromones or anything.
Alpha seemed to feel guilty for using me for their protection, her spirits sinking.
(Kong… are you mad?)
I stroked her dejected head with a finger, signaling it was fine.
"Woo, woof-woo."
It's okay. I'm glad you're here so I'm not lonely.
Understanding my intent, Alpha relaxed, her lively energy returning.
(Really? You're not upset at all? Yay!)
Relieved, she spun gleefully around me.
(Now that Kong lives here too, no more threats! Woo-hoo!)
I smiled at her excitement.
Once more, I surveyed the ruins not with idle appreciation, but through the lens of survival.
Though long neglected and crumbling, it was masterfully built of stone and rock with a solid foundation—and it still had a roof to keep out the rain. A little remodeling, and it'd be a great place to live.
Reinforce the roof with wooden pillars, fill the gaps in the walls with mud and timber to block wind and weather.
Its location in a forest clearing let in plenty of sunlight for warmth, and right in the center was what looked like a deep well pit.
These fairies had shared such a prime spot without asking for anything in return, thrilled just to have a strong friend for a peaceful life.
Even without them asking, I wanted to be a reliable presence for these grateful friends.
Now was the time to steel my resolve.
To heal their lonely hearts, sometimes be a good teacher, and stand as the fairies' strong guardian and friend.
**
(No! That's not how you do it!)
A fairy's frustrated wail echoed from the small clearing in the forest's heart.
(But… explanation… hard to understand.)
(What? So it's our fault?!)
(Not… that.)
I sat on a rock, learning how to handle mana from the fairies.
As a mystical race innately attuned to mana, they wielded it as effortlessly as breathing. Their mastery was impressive, but their explanations were often vague and abstract.
Of course, to them it was as natural as air—but for me trying to grasp it, it was grueling. Their lessons were almost entirely conceptual.
No, wait—what does 'knead the shimmering haze inside you through your head as you like' even mean?
I tried sensing the mana within me and manipulating it as they described, but I kept failing. The watching fairies grew increasingly frustrated.
Still, it wasn't all for nothing. I could now twitch my toes with it a bit, enough to mimic their telepathy somewhat.
Though it came out choppy, proper sentences were still a ways off.
As noon passed and the sun began drifting west, the lesson ended.
(Today, patrol, hunt, go.)
(Next time, magic too!)
(Dummy, Kong has no wings. Can't fly with powder.)
With so much to do, I couldn't sit all day. I gave my tiny teachers—exhausted from instructing me—dried fruits as thanks and stood.
(Here, share nicely. Eat.)
(Whoa, sweeter than fresh!)
(Yummy!)
The fairies, mouths stuffed with fruits as big as their faces, frolicked in the revamped ruins. Some headed into the forest.
(Me, territory, inside. Play!)
(Got it, don't worry.)
(Kong, we'll bring flowers later to decorate!)
It had been quite some time since we moved here. Kong and the fairies had poured effort into remodeling the ruins, each playing to our strengths.
I used my brute strength to snap and shape trees.
They lit the dim interior with their unique magic—glowing pollen lamps.
I shored up collapsed walls and set pillars for a firm base; they adorned the abandoned space with vines, flowers, and luminous moss, making it homey.
Filling the finished interior with furniture and decorations turned it into a truly livable house.
Back then, I had no time to go home, crashing in break rooms or my car. Now with a real home, a stable comfort filled my heart.
For my scouting hunt, I grabbed my now snazzier basket and hat. Weapons? Why, when I'm a living weapon?
Last time an owl-bear rampaged into my territory, I ripped its beak off—no need for tools since.
And if I could just master my inner mana, I'd grow even stronger. Motivating stuff.
(Be careful.)
(Bring back those zingy fruits!)
Bidding the fairies farewell, I entered the forest. My black fur snagged on deliberately snapped branches everywhere—marks proclaiming "This land is my territory."
This hunt was for mana stones, but also to reinforce my domain.
I periodically broke trees to leave traces, crushed any intruding beasts or monsters, asserting my ownership and preempting threats.
It worked—few predators or monsters near home now, and the fairies loved the freer playtime.
But goblins and fearless brutes still appeared, so regular hunts were essential.
I love animals, but this was different.
Far from home, near my territory's edge, a strange quiet unease hit me. I focused my hearing.
Too quiet. Unusually so—no birdsong, no insect chirps.
The fairies said the whole forest had suddenly stirred and gone silent even before we met. I didn't get it, but maybe related to what I'd heard then. Needed to discuss with the kids.
Heightening my senses as I prowled, I caught a presence and turned.
Something—a group—hiding in my territory.
I opened my maw toward the front, drew a deep breath, and unleashed a mighty roar, pounding my chest fiercely.
GRRAAAAAHHH!!!!
Thud. Thud. Thud!
Like a blaring trumpet and thunderous drums, my savage warning echoed through the woods. Goblins hidden in the brush burst out in terror, fleeing.
Kieeeek!
Damn, these cockroach-like pests. Goblins kept spawning no matter how many I killed—annoying, and classic weak-against-strong predators who salivated over fairies. Had to eliminate them.
Let them multiply with their rampant lust? No—crush every one on sight, like pest control.
I knuckle-walked after them, pounding the complex terrain.
Each stride shook the ground with heavy thuds; thin trees snapped helplessly against my massive frame.
Like a tank flattening all, my acceleration built, closing in instantly.
I didn't strike—just trampled them.
Crunch-crash!!
Splat!
Some twenty goblins crushed under my fists and body; survivors flew into trees from my punches.
True to form, abandoning young in panic, the survivors used wounded kin as bait, scattering desperately—no hint of revenge.
I methodically slaughtered the ones in sight, then pursued to the last.
Huff… huff…
Breath a bit ragged from the chase.
Gorillas can hit 40 km/h, but we're sprinters for explosive bursts, not marathoners. Our huge mass guzzles stamina fast.
But I was different. Whatever god or devil sent me here made my body special—or maybe the mana. Long runs barely winded me.
That's why I couldn't quit mana stones. Already ridiculously strong—what if I mastered mana? Exciting.
Busy butchering the dead goblins for stones,
(Kong! Big trouble! Big trouble!)
A fairy flew desperately toward me from afar, staggering like she'd collapse.
I stopped and asked via telepathy.
(What… happened?)
(A spirit's rampaging, destroying the forest!)
The word "spirit" tensed me up.
(What? Spirit, why?)
(Dunno, damage spreading—might hit our home!)
Tears welled in her eyes.
She didn't want our hard-earned home destroyed. The fairies were attached to it now. Me too.
(Going… now! Hold… tight!)
(Okay!)
I couldn't forget the spirit that incinerated goblins to ash in seconds. Chills of death-fear crept up my spine.
But I couldn't watch my family and home get wrecked. It was our haven.
Praying the fairies were safe, I sprinted full-tilt as their protector.