NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40
The area where the Saintess Party encountered a peculiar fairy after emerging from the Fairies’ Paradise was named the ‘Valley of Frerasia,’ an uncharted region in the north.
An ancient site of a fallen kingdom.
A mysterious space always surrounded by thick fog.
Even after eons had passed, the Fairies’ Paradise still held its mysteries. This was because the race born from the boundless mysteries was none other than Luinong.
The Luinong tribe, born from mystery, was proof that myth existed in reality.
“To get to the Valley of Frerasia, it would take at least two more months…”
I had boasted to my father, but I had no clear plan.
But how do we get there?
There wouldn’t be a railway in an uncharted area completely cut off from civilization.
I looked at Rue expectantly, asking for help.
Rue puffed her hair out proudly, showing off.
“Luinong is a great fairy! If four of us gather, we can open the door to Paradise!”
“Ooh! You can use magic too?”
“Can’t you do that yourself? Just ask the God for it, and they’ll grant it.”
“…….”
If a little kid with snot running down their nose was born able to use magic, the magicians who had spent their lives studying magic would have jumped off the roof of the Magic Tower in despair.
I couldn’t use magic.
Instead, I could only wield the Power of Mystery granted by the Creator.
Hmm.
Hearing that sounds pretty amazing.
I think I heard from a sage that magic created by magicians is merely power to imitate the lost mysteries over the years.
“But wait… Four?”
“…….”
I asked with a clumsy voice. Rue seemed awkward and turned her head aside.
“That means we can’t do it! We have to throw away all those annoying Jelly Candies from the start!”
“Hieeek! It’s not like there’s absolutely no way!”
I turned around to throw the Jelly Candies stacked in the office into the rice field. Rue spread her arms and desperately grabbed my clothes.
Was it hard to tell me?
It was a crucial moment for the Jelly Candies, yet she hesitated for a moment.
“All we need to do is send a ‘Help Signal’ to our friends in Paradise!”
“…Help Signal?”
What’s that?
It sounded like she was teasing me.
Or maybe it was a desperate made-up lie.
But seeing Rue’s serious expression made me decide to trust her.
“Ugh, just wait a moment…!”
With a frown, I pressed my temples with both hands. She looked like a kid playing telepathy with her friends.
Hmm.
She was definitely messing with me.
Sending a sound spell over a long distance requires extensive preparation and effort even for excellent magicians; there’s no way you could do it with such a stupid pose.
“Beep! Beep! Aaaaaaaak!!”
Rue, who had tightly shut her eyes, suddenly let out a loud shriek.
Is she crazy?
It’s so important that she’s acting this deranged over Jelly Candies…
I genuinely felt guilty knowing I had driven my precious partner, who had followed me like a shadow for a month, into a panic.
*
Three days later, a bunch of tiny kids suddenly started banging on the gates of the Lord’s Castle.
Girls with colorful hair like Rue showed strong wariness.
The guards at the gate, however, looked awkward as they lowered their weapons.
“Quickly return Rue! There’s no use hiding! We heard the Help Signal!”
“She’s definitely captured, isn’t she? This is why you shouldn’t go outside!”
There was no doubt.
The girls were indeed Luinong.
With their tiny stature, pointy ears, and gemstone-like sparkling eyes.
And that uniquely irritating speech pattern.
The guards, recognizing they were mystical fairies, didn’t take the commotion too seriously, just as Rue watched her friends from a distance.
“They’re Rue’s friends. Just let them through.”
“Understood, Young Master Edan.”
The little girls clenched their tiny fists in caution.
With a deep sigh, the guards stepped back.
“Pai! Tav! Naru and Rupa are here too?”
A girl with green hair made squishy sounds as she ran towards her friends.
In no time, the Luinong, who had stormed the Marquisate of Hohenberg, lit up with joy.
“Foolish Rue! How have you been!”
“Do you know how worried we were…! Hooowww!!”
A heartwarming scene unfolded as they reunited with a friend who had run away years ago. They hugged each other, tears streaming down their cheeks.
Such a special camaraderie.
No, the Luinong looked more like a family.
Wouldn’t they have rushed over, worried that their suddenly vanished friend was in trouble? Even though Rue was a weirdo who had left Paradise voluntarily, the Luinong still considered her a precious family.
“Ahem. Sorry for interrupting your touching moment…”
“Human! A human indeed! A big human!”
As I cautiously approached, a red-haired Luinong stood her ground like a hissing cat.
And she threw a punch at me.
“I’ve heard humans are a bad race!”
“I’ve heard you catch unruly Luinong to stuff in bags!”
The tribe, having chosen to sever their ties with the outer world and live in seclusion, openly feared humans. They must have nurtured their fear of the outside world during the time spent cut off.
What if they tried to harm me?
The gleaming, gemstone-like eyes were filled with terror.
If a third party witnessed this scene, they would surely think I was a villain trying to kidnap infants. It was truly fortunate that Ludmila and Zebeline were absent.
“No! Edan is my closest partner! We are very famous in human society!”
Rue shouted, stretching out her hands.
And began to tell of her experiences.
Life at the Hohenberg Family.
And her exploits against wicked villains in the Imperial City.
The Luinong showed interest in Rue’s earnest plea. When they heard that she detected the stench of evil Meiros and saved the beautiful princess, they even cheered.
“Rue, that’s amazing!”
“You’ve really seen a princess from a fairytale?”
Their wariness faded.
In its place, a bright yearning emerged.
I guided the Luinong visiting the Hohenberg Family directly to the Reception Room. As they witnessed the dazzling view of the castle, their eyes sparkled as if they were gazing at another world.
Though they showed caution every time new servants appeared, they followed Rue around like little chicks.
“Wow, what is this?!”
“It smells soooo sweet…! I’ve never smelled anything like this!”
A chocolate cake piled high with crushed cookies dazzled their sight and overwhelmed their sense of smell.
The fairies, squealing on the sofa, eagerly devoured the cake.
Having tasted the delightful sweetness for the first time, their wary faces melted away as if they were experiencing something utterly wonderful.
I heard from Rue.
Back when they lived in the isolated valley village, they survived on clear dew and frozen icicles.
That’s why I thought to treat them with Rue’s favorite chocolate cake, hoping to win their favor and show them the wonders of the outside world.
It was such a simple approach, but it worked like a charm on the Luinong.
“Shall I give you more? There’s plenty!”
“Really?!”
“Of course! You’re Rue’s friends, this is the least I can do!”
“It seems Edan isn’t a bad human after all, despite appearances!”
Around the time the tiny kids’ gluttonous tea time was rolling along,
I cautiously stated my purpose.
“I want to visit the paradise hidden in your valley… could you invite me?”
Upon hearing this, the Luinong, with chocolate smeared all over their mouths, blinked and tilted their heads in surprise. They seemed utterly unprepared for such a request.
The Fairies’ Paradise was a realm that proclaimed eternal separation from the mundane world.
So naturally, they wouldn’t just accept the invitation.
Having hidden in the Valley of Frerasia to protect the mysteries passed down from myth due to the rapidly changing flow of time.
Given that the Luinong had rejected change until now, they would certainly outright refuse an offer from a complete stranger.
“I’ll give you as many Jelly Candies as you want.”
“That… that’s mine! Didn’t I already get that Jelly Candy?!”
Ignoring Rue’s outcry, I observed the Luinong’s reactions.
Shrrrrk-
I scattered Jelly Candies wrapped in shiny paper all over the table.
The Luinong quickly snatched the Jelly Candies. As they rolled them in their mouths savoring the sweetness, their eyes widened in surprise as if they were experiencing a treat for the first time.
*
When I mentioned I was going to the fairies’ magical land, Ludmilla and Zebeline couldn’t hide their astonished reactions.
The red dragon and white dragon exchanged glances before speaking simultaneously.
“Dear… How unfortunate that you’ve hurt your head during combat.”
“We must build trust. Trust in the Earth Mother, and all ailments shall heal.”
Even though those statements were sincere, I received sympathy and pity from the princess and saintess.
Was my explanation insufficient?
Then how should I explain about ‘The Fairies’ Paradise’?
Just like my father, Ludmilla and Zebeline treated me like a lunatic. It’s odd for a twenty-three-year-old man to go on about a fairies’ magical land.
“From your hair to your clothes, you’re all white!”
“Rue said you are an incredibly esteemed Saintess!”
“But what is a saintess…?”
A group of girls, secretly approaching with their pockets filled with Jelly Candies, showed great interest in Zebeline wearing pure white vestments.
They say children especially focus their attention on young and pretty women.
Meeting the innocent admiration of the children, Zebeline smiled warmly and waved to the Luinong.
The Luinong squealed with delight.
“Auntie!”
“You’re an auntie!”
“Auntie!”
Then, the Luinong turned toward Ludmilla, giggling as they expressed their honest feelings.
Oh dear,
How refreshingly honest these kids are!
Ludmilla, who had just received an unpleasant remark, emitted a deadly aura with her hardened expression.
In response, the mischievous Luinong trembled and hid behind me.
“Here, these kids will open the passage to Paradise.”
“Then the magical land you mentioned…”
“Is the Fairies’ Paradise where Luinong live.”
“How absurd.”
Ludmilla and Zebeline looked utterly dumbfounded when they learned the truth.
If the Luinong gathered, they could open a passage.
We were about to use that passage to head into the Fairies’ Paradise.
The princess and saintess, who stared at the adorable girls, showed signs of distress. If I suddenly disappeared, the Imperial Knights and Holy Knights would undoubtedly be thrown into chaos.
“I! Then I will go!”
While Ludmilla and Zebeline hesitated to respond,
The third imperial princess, who had been silently listening, waved her hands vigorously, interrupting.
“Liza! This isn’t something you can just accept!”
“A paradise filled with tiny fairies… It sounds so fun!”
Besides me, Elizaveta was the one closest to Rue.
Perhaps she had an innate talent for childcare?
She exhibited that maternal instinct contrary to the typical villainous princess.
Having cared for Rue lovingly like a girl who loves dolls, Elizaveta showed goodwill toward the girls who visited the Marquisate.
“Opening the passage is incredibly simple.”
“You just have to ask the God while singing in your heart!”
“Pai Luinong. Tav Luinong. Naru Luinong. Rupa Luinong.”
The four girls reached out to each other’s hands.
The fairies, forming a circle, held hands gently and began to spin while singing with excitement.