episode_0158

[Episode 154] – A Brief Farewell (2)

About a month before, going back in time.

“This is…”

It was when Titania found Veronica’s name written in Katarina’s room in the ‘Research Journal’. Titania left the sleeping Katarina behind and began to read the ‘Research Journal’ placed on the desk.

[A Mythical Perspective on Fairy Conception]

As she read the title of the research journal, Titania furrowed her brows, wondering what it could be. Fairy conception? Mythical perspective? She couldn’t grasp the connection between the two.

However, as she turned the pages, she could clearly understand the meaning of the title of the research journal. And she could also understand what thoughts led Veronica to conduct this research.

The content written in the research journal.

It indicated that the conception of fairies through eggs is the most “natural” way for humans to become fairies.

However, most of the research journal ended with ‘hypotheses’. Could it be because they couldn’t conduct experiments using fairy eggs? In the first place, most of it was just stories intertwined with myths.

Yet…

This research journal pointed to some ‘possibility’.

“Sister, could it be that…”

Titania felt like pieces of a puzzle were fitting together in her mind.

Veronica, gradually transforming into a fairy.

Morgan, the only witch who can turn fairies into eggs.

At the end of the research journal, there was a story written about how Morgan does not kill fairies even if she kills people. If fairies are killed, they are reborn, so turning them into fairy eggs is the ultimate punishment.

Moreover, it was clear that Veronica had been chased by Morgan. She didn’t hear the exact story, but she had heard that her sister had done something very bad in the past. Bad enough to be chased by witches.

If Morgan turns Veronica into a fairy egg?

If the transformed sister of a fairy were to become “human”…

“…I need a woman to be my mother.”

Titania held her forehead against the oncoming headache and furrowed her brow.

Furthermore, attached to the back of the research journal were documents detailing her mother’s health examination results. Not the health examination results from when she was younger, but rather the results from before she was cursed, the health examination results of her adult mother.

“…”

Titania also knew to some extent.

The fact that Veronica, her sister, had different “emotions” towards their mother. The emotions Veronica felt towards their mother were closer to a love for a mother than for a lover.

When Veronica, calling herself “sister,” intervened between their mother and herself, Titania honestly didn’t like it. She wondered if Veronica wasn’t aiming for their mother just like she was.

However, her sister wanted their mother in a slightly different way.

She wanted Vivian as her mother, not as a lover.

…To the extent that she wanted to be born again as her mother’s “biological daughter.”

“Hehe…”

Titania chuckled as she flipped through the research journal.

She wasn’t angry. Rather, she was somewhat pleased that she could understand her sister. After all, how great would it be if she too could be born as her mother’s biological daughter? She had imagined it many times.

“I see, so my sister has a chance.”

Titania looked at Veronica with the research journal in hand. She wanted to hear what her sister really thought about this research journal. If her sister truly desired this…

“If it’s my sister, it should be okay.”

After all, her sister is just like “me.”

*

Time passed, and now in the present.

“Morgana…”

As Vivian murmured Morgana’s name as she descended from the sky, Morgana, who met Vivian’s eyes, smiled wryly and looked down at Vivian.

That smile seemed to be telling her not to blame herself, and Vivian looked at Morgana with tears in her eyes. What on earth is going on right now?

“My dear, don’t look at me with those eyes. Didn’t I clearly tell you then?”

Morgan, who folded the fan to make a loud noise, irritably turned her head and looked down at Veronica. Then, as if unable to understand at all, she grimaced and opened her mouth.

“…There is no next time.”

At the ice-cold voice, Vivian unknowingly trembled. Just as Vivian was about to say something to Morgan, Veronica smiled as if to reassure her and gently held Vivian’s hand.

What on earth is Veronica thinking? Surely, it was Veronica who called for Morgan without a doubt. It was clear that she had signaled her location with fireworks using magic.

‘But why? Why suddenly? She said she had a favor to ask me, but why…?’

As Morgan glared at Veronica as if to kill her, Veronica smiled as if unconcerned and greeted Morgan.

“It’s been a long time – or rather, nice to meet you for the first time, Morgan. I-”

“Be quiet.”

Snap!

Morgan, who had brought down the folded fan on her palm, interrupted Veronica’s greeting. Whether it was not worth listening to, Morgan slowly approached Veronica, lifted her chin with the end of the fan, and muttered softly.

“Is it the result of a failed ritual… as Einsel said…”

Then, furrowing her brow intensely, she confronted Veronica. To avoid the sudden approach of Morgan, Veronica took a step back and distanced herself.

“Do you really think my lady couldn’t catch you alone until now?”

“…? Yes?”

“Did you really think my lady wouldn’t know your whereabouts? Did you not think she deliberately let you go?”

“Why is this suddenly…?”

Snap, snap, snap.

Morgan, tapping Veronica’s cheek with the end of the fan, seemed somehow visibly annoyed to an unbearable extent. Morgan, who sighed, slowly spoke.

“A few years ago, Einsel came to the fairy realm looking for my lady and begged. He asked if you could forgive even a little of the sin you committed, while revealing your past.”

“Yes…?”

“I pleaded with the other witches. Even Ursula, the mermaid witch who screamed that she must capture and kill you, didn’t know what to do.”

“Einsel…?”

“…It’s a word for your ignorance.”

Veronica said she couldn’t have imagined Einsel saying that, her expression turning bitter. But whether that expression made Morgan angrier or not, Morgan’s face contorted in an instant.

“After talking with the witches of Coven-”

At that moment-

Smack!!

Morgan struck Veronica’s cheek with her folded fan.

“I’ve decided to leave you alone for now.”

Smack!

“As long as you don’t make a scene outside.”

Smack!

“I’ve decided to let you go.”

Smack!

“After that, there were no more victims, and there were only a couple of victims. Moreover, the fact that the victim’s guardian, the witch Ursula, has somewhat forgiven you.”

Smack!

“And Einsel’s desperate plea brought about this result. But you…!”

A vein rose on the back of Morgan’s hand holding the fan.

As if she couldn’t take it anymore, Vivian intervened between Morgan and Veronica, spreading her arms wide to stop Morgan. Watching this, Morgan let out a long sigh.

“…You did make a scene. Einsel’s plea seems meaningless.”

Rubbing her throbbing cheek, Veronica fell into thought. The reason for Morgan’s anger was simple.

She valued fairies more than humans.

Except for fellow witches, she didn’t like humans. That’s why she lived in the fairy realm rather than the human world.

Einsel, being a fairy, was enough to evoke various emotions in Morgan by pleading for a criminal. So, it was undoubtedly wrong for her to get so angry.

Even if she didn’t know, Veronica’s action was trampling on Einsel’s feelings. Morgan, who prioritized fairies over humans, couldn’t approve of it.

But…

“…What happens if you make a scene?”

“Veronica!!”

Vivian was startled by Veronica’s provocative question and looked up at her. Instead of pleading for forgiveness, this tone was not appropriate.

To Vivian, who didn’t know Veronica’s intentions, Veronica’s actions seemed like pleading with Morgan to kill her quickly.

And it was the same for Morgan.

Morgan, squinting as if unable to understand, looked at Veronica with a slight sneer. What on earth was this criminal thinking?

“…It’s judgment according to the laws of the fairy realm. What you’ve done is a heinous crime that my lady has never seen in all her years. Turning a human into a fairy, it’s unthinkable.”

“…I see. Then am I going to die?”

At the mention of Veronica dying, Vivian’s face became contemplative. The thought that Morgan might actually kill Veronica made Vivian grab Morgan’s clothes and plead while crying.

“Morgan…! It’s not something I should interfere with, but please forgive this child just once…! If you’ve decided to forgive once, then please, just this one more time…!”

“Dear…”

“Morgan…! Please…!”

In the moment of Morgan’s perplexity at Vivian’s plea, Veronica grabbed Vivian’s shoulders and turned her to face herself.

Vivian, soaked in tears and snot, cried.

Seeing her cry, Veronica let out a wry smile. It was touching to see her cry like this for herself, but she shouldn’t sympathize with the crying Vivian and have Morgan forgive her.

Veronica wiped Vivian’s tears with her finger and then hugged her tightly. Comforting Vivian’s trembling back in her arms, she looked at Morgan and asked.

“According to the laws of the fairy realm, a human perpetrator of a heinous crime would be executed immediately, right?”

“…That’s right.”

“So… what about fairies?”

“…Fairies? Fairies-”

At that moment, Morgan, with wide eyes, looked intently at Veronica once again. Then, furrowing her brow, as if understanding Veronica’s intent, she sharply clicked her tongue. At the sound, Veronica let out a wry smile.

“Morgan, what do you see me as in your eyes?”

“…Was this the purpose from the beginning?”