Chapter 181: When the Spring Comes and Blooms (1)

Lee Han and the others never thought that they ‘dared’ to talk to a Fairy just because they rescued her.

To reiterate, Fairies were sacred and great beings that no humans should look down on.

Outrageously beautiful, intangible being created by nature. They had lived for so long that no human could ever imagine. Although they’d occasionally reach out to innocent babies or young children—those who were untainted and free of evil—it was common knowledge that no one could even dream of talking to them.

…Those magic freaks are just out of it. How crazy someone has to be to even have the thoughts to kidnap a Fairy?!

There was a saying that if one were to mess with the fairies, they would never be at peace, even after death. Considering that, Lee Han had to admit that those lunatics had balls.

…Although, there was a legend that said when the Knight King, Pendragon’s Founding King, was alive, he and his younger brother, the Knight of the Lake, shared both friendship and love with the fairies.

However, the problem here was…

…That’s just a legend…

It happened so long ago that it was hard to believe it.

Though there were Fairies that had real bodies, they were more like Elves—those creatures with pointy ears—than actual Fairies. The scholars agreed that they were at best just Fallen Fairies. It was like how cats and tigers weren’t the same, even though they were both felines.

Even the mage chick—a ‘half-fairy’—shouldn’t have 0.0002% of a Fairy’s DNA. She was incomparable to a real one.

To make it easier to understand…

Using military rank as an example, a real Fairy would be the Minister of Defense, or a Three Star General. Meanwhile, a Fallen Fairy would be a second lieutenant, while a half-fairy would be a sergeant.

…Using the same analogy, humans are just soldiers….

With that in mind, the Fairy who was talking to them right now…

[Hehehe, don’t be so stiff. I’m thankful to you all, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me!]

“…”

…It was like the Minister of Defense talking with a private who had just started their military career, saying ‘I’m not a stiff person, be comfortable with me, hehe,’ that kind of nonsense.

As if to prove this analogy to be true…

“…”

…Lee Han and the others became restless. After all, they didn’t know what kind of disaster would befall them if they were to offend the Fairy by accident.

‘Um, what should we do?’

‘Just stay still, Young Miss. Silence is golden!’

‘If you get caught up in [a Fairy’s prank], your whole life would turn as miserable as it could get…’

The trio of two boys and one girl quietly averted their eyes from the fairy and slowly backed away.

They told themselves that, as kids, they should back away and leave this matter to the adults.

These guys…

Of course, Lee Han didn’t know about what they were thinking, but seeing them acting like that, he couldn’t help but praise their survival instincts inwardly. It was so commendable that he couldn’t help but let out a wry chuckle.

…Who taught them that, I wonder?

Regardless, they learned well.

Ugh…

He broke out in a cold sweat.

[Such a handsome human~]

“Please, you are too kind…”

Fortunately, the Spring Fairy wasn’t only interested in Lee Han, she was also interested in Lake’s impressive green hair and eyes.

[You are handsome too, so don’t be jealous~]

“U-Um, that’s a little…”

[Hm?]

“I-I am someone who has a conscience…”

The Fairy sincerely thought Lee Han was handsome and praised him, but since he had some conscience left, he refuted her words timidly. An action that was the same as treason. After all, this was like a mere private daring to refute the words of the Minister of Defense.

[You look handsome in my eyes, though? So, you’re handsome!]

“Oh… I see…”

…Probably because of her next words, Lee Han felt like the Fairies weren’t a narrow-minded race. At least, they wouldn’t punish people for contradicting their words.

A warm and kind smile was still hanging on the Spring Fairy’s lips, but Lee Han could only sweat when he looked at it. Her smile aside, the look she was giving him felt burdensome to him.

…Regardless, at least I know you can’t trust a Fairy’s aesthetic sense.

Though he managed to find out one of the fairies’ big secrets, he was still all stiff. He didn’t know what she wanted to do next.

And as if to prove that his vigilance was warranted…

[I’ll express my gratitude again. For saving me. And ‘us.’]

“…”

Her statement was filled with gratitude, but the two knights could only make a complicated face since the one they were dealing with wasn’t just any ordinary being. On top of that, the Fairy gave them the impression that she was a rational and competent woman who knew how to express her gratitude sincerely.

Those feelings made them feel a strange sense of unease, so they had no choice but to respond with the truth.

“…We saved you because we had a purpose, there’s no need to be so thankful to us.”

“T-That’s right, Great Spring Fairy. P-Please refrain from such embarrassing remarks.”

Lee Han responded in a respectful tone, while Lake, someone who served a family that was related to the fairies, looked completely bewildered.

Each of them responded in their own ways to the Fairy, but she…

[Hehe, you guys are such honest knights. I like it.]

Whoosh-!

Only felt more delighted, and the more delighted she was, the warmer the spring breeze blew and enveloped them.

[Nevertheless, ‘we’ are still grateful to you. As you all know, ‘we’ are unable to directly harm humans. The most ‘we’ can do is make a ‘request’ or ‘pranking’ them. This is also why ‘we’ can’t punish the evildoers no matter how hateful and mean they are. ‘We’ are truly grateful that you took care of those evil wizards for ‘us’.]

Swish-!

[Gyahahaha!]

[Waaaaaa!]

At that moment, the moving lights around them showed their childlike affections for them.

[See? ‘We’ really like you. ‘We’ are grateful to you. Unfortunately, the others don’t learn human language like me, so they won’t be able to express their gratitude in words. Please understand.]

…Of course we would. Who’d be crazy enough to say no to that!?

The knights just bowed their heads silently.

In any case…

So that’s what they meant by ‘Fairies are [one but many]’, huh?

One but many.

That was the statement made by a scholar who studied Fairies. Only humans who had the good fortune to meet Fairies directly could understand that statement.

And, since he was among those who had such good fortune, Lee Han understood the scholar’s words.

They are all connected.

He had an extraordinary sense that allowed him to see the other person’s ‘wavelength’. Thanks to that, he could feel that the Spring Fairy and the other Fairies were connected as one.

Maybe that guy with the Shari—no, [Third Eye] or something had noticed that as well.

…Were they worshipped as gods in the past because they are such Mystical Beings?

One could say that they were beings with countless avatars, and each of them could control nature. From the perspective of ancient humans, it wasn’t hard to treat them as gods.

Well, when looking at it this way, it can communicate. Also, it seems normal that—

[Ah! It’s finally coming!]

“…?”

[It’s here! To fulfill ‘our’ ‘request’!]

“…”

[Don’t attack it when you see it. It’s here to fulfill ‘our’ request!]

“…Crazy.”

Lee Han cussed out unintentionally. The sight that he was seeing was just that absurd.

Gallop-! Gallop-!

Accompanied with the powerful sound of galloping horse, the ‘Death Harvester’ approached them in an instant.

[—-.]

On top of the black horse, there was a knight with a black full plate armor. Just from its look, the knight exuded an overwhelming sense of intimidation.

However, the two knights were more focused on its ‘head’ rather than the intimidating black horse and armor.

“…It’s carrying its head around.”

“What an amazing horsemanship.”

“That’s what you’re focusing on?”

“But it’s true.”

“…I mean, yeah, but still…”

The knight had its head tucked into its side.

Since it was covered by its helmet, its face wasn’t visible, but the two knights could see its blue eyes shining from beneath its helmet. Which meant, it was alive despite its head being separated from its body like that.

Dullahan.

It was classified as the Unknown, a monster that was impossible to rank. The creature who was dubbed as the Death Harvester, or most commonly known as, the ‘Reaper’.

Not many people got to see it, and it was also famous for its tendency for not attacking humans. However, there were terrifying stories going around about it.

“…History books said that it’ll kill any living creature it targets no matter what, right?’

“There’s a famous anecdote about it breaking through 100,000 troops to kill a tyrant of a certain kingdom and take his head.”

Indeed. What stood in front of them was the undefeated knight who’d kill any living creature it wanted to kill. There was a reason why they dubbed it as the Reaper.

…Seriously, what did I eat before coming here?

As if seeing a 400-year-old Archmage was not enough, they also met a fairy who ruled over spring, and even a Dullahan, who was harder to meet than winning the lottery.

It felt like they met everything that was depicted in legends in a single day.

Gallop-! Gallop-!

“…”

Seeing the Dullahan gradually approaching them, the two knights’ expressions hardened, and they unconsciously raised their spirits.

Whooong-!

The ominous spirit emanating from the Dullahan naturally stimulated the knights’ fighting instincts.

Gallop-!

[—–.]

The Dullahan’s blue eyes twinkled as it faced the two knights. Finally meeting skilled knights after a while, its fighting spirit naturally boiled competitively. Then, behind the Dullahan, a huge claymore and a huge lance that matched its size gradually appeared.

And, to the Dullahan who acted like that, eager to fight the worthy knights…

Slap-!

[—!]

[What are you doing? You aren’t going to point your weapon at ‘our’ benefactors, are you?]

[–!–?!]

[Hmph! It’s fine as long as you are aware. Just know that I will scold you if you do that again.]

[—–.]

Clank-!

The Dullahan, who got hit hard by the Spring Fairy, put its weapon down with a dejected look. On the other hand, the knights, who had mustered their fighting spirit, blinked and relaxed their tension.

[Sorry. It doesn’t act like this normally. I guess it wants to fight you guys so badly. It really only acts like this whenever it sees a strong knight, haha!]

“…Are you the one who called that Dullahan, Miss Fairy?”

[We made a request to it. There are some people who we want to punish.]

“Request?”

[Yes, ‘Request’.]

“…”

Seeing the fairy’s sweet and affectionate smile, the two knights wondered what she meant.

Whooooosh-!

However, through the series of events that unfolded in an instant, they finally figured out what the fairy had ‘requested’.

“Soul…”

“It looks like its harvesting ‘heads’ instead, though…”

Just as Lake said, blue spheres that resembled heads gradually rose around them. And the more time passed, the more their numbers rose. Before long, they numbered in hundreds. Then, with a single gesture from the Dullahan, they were caught by it.

Swish-!

Chains came out of the Dullahan’s torso, piercing the blue spheres. The sight of it tying the spheres one by one was like a slave trader tying up slaves with ropes.

Seeing it, the two knights’ felt a chill running down their spines.

Their faces quickly stiffened. The moment they realized what those spheres were, they gulped dryly.

[Those are the souls of the mages.]

“…”

It was the Spring Fairy who revealed the identity of the spheres, with a warm smile that reminded them of a spring day.

[If they had only threatened ‘us’, they could’ve gotten away with it to some extent. But, not only did they use the pure-hearted children to capture ‘us’, they also killed countless lives in the process, so they needed to be punished. That’s why I asked that child for help. That child is the ‘Guardian of the Underworld.’ It will make those mages pay the price.]

“I-Is that so…?”

[Hmm, the period of their punishment will vary depending on their sin. In human terms, the least serious offenders will get 200 years, while the worst will get 10,000 years?]

“…”

[Whew, it’s still too short though. In my opinion, at least.]

“…”

[Hm? What’s wrong with you guys?]

“…N-Nothing. W-We just feel more comfortable like this, yeah…”

“…”

At that moment, the two knights remained motionless. Their eyes closed, and at the same time they made a vow in their heads.

…No matter what happened, they should never, ever anger a Fairy.