Chapter 138
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Chapter 138
The space was nothing but darkness.
Spending centuries in that gloom, it was a miracle anyone retained their sanity at all.
Every soul educated in that place emerged as a madman.
Every soul except Hailon.
Everyone wondered why Hailon alone maintained his reason.
The Holy King and the priests who managed the seals formulated countless hypotheses, searching for answers.
Yet no one could uncover the truth.
They ultimately concluded it was a miracle born of divine providence, and ended their inquiry with hymns of praise.
But Hailon, who had been trapped there and emerged unscathed, knew the answer precisely.
It was impossible through holy power alone.
Holy power merely maintained order, allowing those who entered the space to return to the present.
An alien force woven into the seal twisted time itself, creating chaos.
And that force was likely....
The power of a Fairy.
Hailon's reasoning was simple.
The dark space felt remarkably similar to the Fairy's Domain.
Perhaps it was thanks to Lichesia inscribing The Witch's seal upon him that he endured centuries in that darkness.
That place, resembling the Domain, showed mercy to those bearing the Fairy's mark.
The darkness cradled Hailon in quiet solace.
Of course, even if that place harbored no hostility toward him, and even if Hailon possessed an apathetic nature.
There came moments, amid time without end, when despair threatened to consume him.
In those moments, Hailon thought of only one person.
"You're my prey, Hailon."
"So don't you dare die carelessly."
"You saved me when I begged for death."
He retraced the seal she had inscribed upon him, and the memories she left behind.
"Your eyes are such a beautiful color."
"Why do you chase only me like this?"
"Want another kiss?"
The voice lingering in his mind, her crystalline laughter, eyes that shimmered with inner light, pale and delicate hands....
By obsessively replaying these memories, I could maintain my sanity.
With nothing but the singular resolve to escape this place and meet her again, I persevered against all odds.
Lichesia was my savior, and she alone was my god.
Yet into a heart that held only her, a new presence quietly slipped in.
"Hic, hic...."
Cradling the still-sobbing child, I exhaled a weary sigh.
From such a small frame came an endless stream of tears—I worried the child might suffer from dehydration.
Not long ago, I had spent time with the child at my residence in Pallen District.
It was only a matter of days, but those moments were something I would never forget for the rest of my life.
When I received "instruction" from the Holy King this time, I endured hundreds of years through that memory alone.
After Lichesia, Chesa had become the second most precious existence to me.
Yet I couldn't even soothe the child's tears in this moment—it was frustrating.
Praised as proof of holiness, leading the Hilderd Holy Knights as the head of the Heresy Inquisitor, and yet.
I knew nothing of how to stop a child from crying.
After deliberating for some time, I decided to attempt the only method that came to mind.
I withdrew something I had been carefully keeping within my uniform.
"...This."
Chesa blinked her wet eyelashes and gazed up at me.
In my gloved hand lay a flower where purple and pink mingled in mysterious harmony.
It was a flower I had plucked from Lichesia's dress before.
Perhaps it was because it was a fairy's flower.
Without watering it or any special care, it somehow remained fresh and vibrant, refusing to wilt.
I placed the blossom—as fresh as if newly picked—into the child's small hand.
"It's for you."
Since it came from Lichesia, surely she would treasure it.
I worried whether this would work either, but fortunately, the child who received the flower stopped crying.
Chesa spent a long while touching the flower in her palm.
Her plump cheeks had flushed with fever, so I removed my gloves and pressed the back of my hand against them to cool her down.
The child, who had been quietly focused on the flower, asked me a question.
"...Who gave this to you?"
"Your mother."
For some reason I hesitated briefly, then carefully asked a different question.
"...Do you like her?"
There was no need to ask whom she meant.
Thinking of the child's mother, I answered curtly.
"I'm not sure."
At my ambiguous response, the child's expression grew displeased.
Her lips pouted out, her face full of disappointment.
I pressed the tip of my finger against her beak-like lips and continued.
"To say I like her would be inappropriate."
Indeed, it was.
This could not be explained by mere affection.
Even I, naturally dull to emotion, knew this was not normal.
As I gazed at the dissatisfied child, my eyes narrowed slightly.
"Then what is it?"
At her question of what it could be if not liking, I answered without hesitation this time.
"She is the god I worship."
The child's lips parted.
Startled, even her tears had vanished.
The child's eyes widened abruptly, and her face flushed a deep crimson.
She murmured softly, her cheeks burning as red as May roses.
"W-wait, Sir Knight, you shouldn't say such things...."
Of course, it was an utterly irreverent remark—something I should never have uttered as a Holy Knight.
Watching her squirm with concern, I couldn't help but smile.
Hailon's lips curled upward without his realizing it.
"Then it's our secret."
I pressed my lips gently against the child's round forehead, then pulled away and whispered.
"Only you know of it."
....
After a moment of silence, the child covered her forehead with her small hand and murmured.
"Understood."
Hailon chuckled softly once more.
A cool breeze swept across the surroundings.
I savored the peaceful moment, listening quietly to the gentle rustling of grass and leaves.
All because of the small child nestled in my arms.
Hailon could feel as though he possessed the entire world.
***
'How embarrassing.'
I had cried far too much.
With her face swollen from tears, Chesa writhed in mortification.
It was extremely rare for me to expose the depths of my emotions like this.
Yet because of Hailon, I had revealed my weakness so thoroughly.
And in front of all those Holy Knights, no less.
When I had stayed briefly at the Grand Temple in Palen Capital before, the Holy Knights had treated me like a fragile doll that would shatter at the slightest touch.
Now it seemed the knights here in Hilderd would treat me the same way—as if I were made of glass.
'Even though they've all seen how remarkable a fairy I am!'
While Hailon took me to a quiet place to comfort me.
The Holy Knights who had carelessly plucked random grass from the garden earlier were now earnestly engaged in a "search for flowers the fairy loves."
When Chesa returned to the Training Grounds with Hailon, the place had already become a graveyard of flowers.
....
So they were competing on sheer quantity, then.
I let out a hollow laugh at the sight of them indiscriminately tearing up everything, but I praised them for their earnest devotion.
"You're all sweethearts!"
At my bright smile and words, they all beamed with delight, absolutely thrilled.
'Well, I suppose they are adorable....'
Though I thought this inwardly with a snort, I found myself in a rather good mood.
And shortly after.
Chesa suddenly realized with a start that I had been away for far too long.
When I insisted we had to leave immediately, Hailon agreed to escort Chesa back.
She seemed worried about returning alone and getting scolded for sneaking out without permission.
Of course, it wasn't the best idea.
When Kieran saw Chesa being carried back in Hailon's arms, he laughed at first.
But his expression turned blank in an instant.
He studied Chesa carefully and asked.
"Chesa, have you been crying?"
She shook her head vigorously.
Chesa quickly denied it and stretched out both her hands.
She grasped Kieran and Hailon, one in each hand.
All the main characters had gathered in one place.
I decided to announce my plan right here and now.
"Father, Sir Knight."
The two men, who had been engaged in a silent battle with their eyes, turned to look at Chesa.
Chesa looked between them and spoke.
"I have a plan for you."
It was a plan to seize the Fairy Queen's crown.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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