NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 30
The protagonist of an anime I used to like often received a punishment called “umebo-shi,” where their temples were vigorously rubbed with fists. Yet, I never imagined witnessing such a scene in reality.
And what’s more, it was being performed by two adorable fairy figures.
“Ugh, that hurts…”
“You play without even saying thank you!”
“But, they were so cute…”
With tear-filled eyes, the wind fairy pouted, while the night fairy responded with a stern gaze that implied no forgiveness, even through her tears. She then retreated deeper into her hiding spot.
“Hmm… Allow me to express my gratitude anew, my dear one.”
“Aah, yes…”
Even though she corrected her posture and made a formal request, the scene from earlier still stuck in my mind, leaving me at a loss for how to properly respond.
“Well then, as promised, I’ll give you a reward. I have two options to offer.”
Saying this, she held up two fingers. Then, raising just her index finger, she suggested in a singing tone that seemed oddly regal, reminiscent of a night long past. While her previous levity hadn’t completely faded, her present dignity was undeniable—a contrast that was indeed regrettable.
“One is the fairy eyes, which I bestow upon you. They will allow you to see clearly in the dark and perceive the essence of magic, a mysterious ability.”
“The essence of magic?”
I see. So I had been borrowing the night fairy’s eyes temporarily. They were not only adept at seeing well in dim light but also clearly superior to the mere “night vision” that couldn’t penetrate complete darkness. With these, I would probably be able to see even in impenetrable darkness. But what exactly is the “essence of magic?”
“You humans can’t really see much of magic, even if you become sorcerers, unless you “dabble deeply,” right? Its structure, purpose, formulas, and individual nuances are nearly invisible.”
With fairy eyes, then, it would all become visible. She smiled, saying as much.
It sounds like an amazing ability. Still… seeing too much might be worrisome.
I enjoy fantasy TRPG games, but I also like modern-horror and cosmic-horror systems where the PCs are incredibly powerless. Yes, knowing that with shotguns and trawlers we could defeat ancient rulers, or that elephants could easily crush these old rulers in terms of stats are interesting tidbits, but through such a system, I also learned something important:
Knowing too much can lead to ruin.
Being able to see things that are usually invisible might sound great. Perhaps these sights could break new ground or lead to new solutions. But things that the average human isn’t supposed to see are hidden for a legitimate reason; it might be better not to see them.
Our human brains might not be able to handle some of these revelations, and seeing things that could distort reality might cause one’s fragile “self” to unravel too easily. Mice crawling through walls, whispers from the depths of dreams, glowing rainbow bubbles in peripheral vision—people who see or learn things they shouldn’t often end up in miserable situations. Returning to the deep sea, remembering their origins, might even be considered a happy ending compared to other fates, so devoid of redemption they are.
Perhaps, then, things that normal human beings cannot see and would only be visible to a deep-studied mage might be better left unseen.
“The second is the gift of special lips. No matter where you are, when you call my name, my voice will reach you.”
“What does that mean…?”
“It means I can help you, but within limits.”
…Is she inviting me to become some sort of fairy master?
No, judging by her wording, it seems the initiative is still entirely hers; she would offer help when in the mood. Similar to miracles granted by gods in the “faith” category, any assistance from the fairies would depend entirely on their convenience and interest.
While it feels vague, in terms of risk, this option seems better.
I thought long and hard. These rare offers were difficult to compare, but ultimately, I chose the latter. I didn’t want to end up conversing with walls after seeing too much.
“I want the second one.”
“Alrighty? Here you go then.”
With that casual response, she swiftly closed the distance using a method I could see but not comprehend, and faster than my reflexes could follow, she pressed her lips to mine.
Being kissed by a fairy standing only about fifteen centimeters tall felt rather fairy-tale-like—if I hadn’t been fully armed, gripping a sword in my right hand.
A brief touch. Then, as she pulled away, she licked her lips with her tongue—a gesture that made me gape at her in confusion, while she chuckled softly.
…Is this always what my kisses are like?
Looking at her giggling form, I realized my wording could indeed be misleading. It sounded like I was begging for a kiss. My face must be embarrassingly red right now.
“…I meant as per the second request.”
“I know. You’ve already received it. If you call my name when I’m not busy, I’ll offer help.”
“Rarely should you reveal this name,” she whispered into my ear, imprinting it on my mind with her sweet voice.
Ursula. That was her individual name as a night fairy.
Blushing, Ursula perched on my shoulder and declared:
“Well, let’s give you that help right away. We’re still fighting after all…?”
“Unfair!!!”
“Ugh!?”
But it appears today’s Henderson Scale was unusually high. Things didn’t proceed as expected, and we certainly weren’t going to end this in a stylish manner. Some days, the dice just roll that way.
So what do you do on such days? Just concede quickly—that’s the best approach.
What happened? The wind fairy, previously neglected, had lunged at Ursula’s stomach. The two cried out together and began a chaotic catfight on the dusty floor.
“Unfair! Unfair! unfair! I will follow Rorott toooo!!”
“Wait, stop it, it hurts! That’s enough! I saw him first!”
What should I do with this situation? Should I intervene, or just let them do as they please?
Watching this seemingly absurd fight, but knowing that, in reality, it might easily turn the nearby area into barren land, I looked toward the sky to escape the reality of it all.
…What a dirty ceiling.
[Tips] Fairies that develop individuality are regarded as one of the higher-ranking types of fairies. Their powers far surpass those of ordinary fairies, leading eventually to the title of “King” or “Queen.”
“Um, thank you…? So, for the thanks…?”
The wind fairy said in a somewhat lispy voice that reminded me of Eliza and bowed her head. Despite tumbling around in the dirt, she wasn’t a speck of dust on her; she really was quite impressive.
“Well, what do you give me?”
“Um, one thing is… Rorott will tell you her name?”
Oh? Did I somehow receive a spoiler before the event even started?
“And also… um… Hmm… Oh, I know!”
After deliberating a bit, she began tapping all over her body.
“The noble one said that boys like weapons for thanks. Uh… and… Ah, I found it!”
Lo and behold, the wind fairy, Rorott, reached behind her (somehow pulling something from beyond her small back) and an imposing object appeared.
What is this? Some sort of ring-shaped blade?
It has a loop at the end that appears meant to fit a finger, and its grip is formed to match the hand shape, while the blade itself has a can-opener-like shape.
Ah, I think I’ve seen something like this somewhere. Wasn’t it in a movie? No, I believe it was in a military-themed TRPG supplement. Ah, I remember, it’s called a Karambit knife. Originally a farming tool from Indonesia or somewhere, it became popular as both a concealed weapon and a combat tool due to its versatility.
“This, it’s the same material as our wings. The knife can only be seen and touched by fairies and humans chosen to see it. Plus, it can only cut flesh.”
“Ah, so it’s like a steak knife?”
“Very unsophisticated…” Ursula interjected, rolling her eyes. “This means it’s not hindered by mundane metals.”
Whoa!? So it’s an anti-armor weapon?! What an outrageous divine artifact is this?
Although it would take some getting used to because of its shape and short reach, the “armor penetration” alone is more than enough reason to wield it. Being able to bypass armor without hindrance while still effective in close quarters… this is definitely something special.
“Give me the knife!”
“Eeeeek!??”
My enthusiastic request led to an unexpected reaction. She suddenly reached out—what is this!?—grabbing my collar with her tiny hand.
“Why? Why? Why? You asked Ursula for her name, but you won’t do the same for Rorott?”
“A, um, it’s just… the knife is so strong, I mean…”
“You should be more thoughtful about what to offer…” Ursula muttered.
Despite my greedy desires, it seemed the more thoughtful Ursula was expecting me to opt for something different, while Rorott was straightforward in giving something good. Still, if my left hand is empty anyway, I might as well have a grappling weapon that suits me well.
“Hmm… Well, let me see…”
Suddenly, Rorott had a clever idea and cleverly used her wind magic to cover the godly artifact in dust, hiding it away.
“I’m so clumsy! Dropped it!” she said playfully, looking at me with hopeful eyes. This is intriguing. If I ask, “So, do you have any other weapons?” what would she do?
Shaking off this somewhat lewd internal conflict, I inquired about her name. Of course, teasing fairies only ends badly for the teaser, as every fairytale has already taught us.
She grinned brightly, puffing her chest out with a theatrical flourish.
“I, Rorott’s name is actually ‘Charlotte’! We should play a lot!”
“Ah, okay, nice to meet you…”
A bit tired from the interaction, I shook hands with Charlotte using my index finger. Ah, so “Rorott” is a nickname for Charlotte. That makes sense.
“Um… Rorott, I actually have one question?”
“Hmm? What is it, my sweet one?”
Ah, so the “darling” nickname convention is consistent…
Anyhow, pointing to the heap of dust, I asked if it was okay to pick it up. After pondering for a moment, she decided, “Forgotten! Rorott doesn’t remember anymore!”
…Is this okay? Will the higher-up fairies not punish her later? If that happens, I couldn’t take full responsibility, you know?
Well, if she’s okay with it, I’ll take it then.
I carefully picked up the artifact and dusted it off. The faintly greenish knife, much lighter than its appearance suggests, made sense when considered to be made of fairy wings. It appears it’s meant to be worn by inserting the loop onto the index finger and using it with a reverse grip.
In fighting, it would work well for deflecting attacks and then stabbing underhanded or slashing with a hand strike. It would take time to get accustomed to, but mastering it might provide some good offensive capabilities.
“Ah, and, what can the two of you do?”
Let’s put aside the godly artifact for now. What exactly can be requested of them as rewards? Both wind and night fairies have plenty of versatile applications, indeed.
“Hmm, since it’s daytime now and the moon’s waning, we can’t do very much. But we can hide your presence from enemies and cause temporary blindness in them if necessary.”
“Uh, the space here is too small, so we can’t do much, but I can sense how many are breathing around here!”
Hmm. So the output of fairy pleas varies with the phases of the moon. Concealing one’s presence would grant a significant advantage in close combat, and knowing the number of enemies beforehand is undoubtedly valuable.
Immediately asking, Rorott seemed quite thrilled at being relied upon. She twirled around, gathering in large gusts of wind, creating a small tornado to demonstrate…
“Choke! Cough! Cough!”
“Hey! Watch out! There’s too much dust; you can’t whirl around like that in a dusty room!”
Naturally, the long-accumulated dust flew everywhere, critically damaging my respiratory system. Despite my joy, can she please stop for a bit? Fairies might be okay with it, but human lungs are rather delicate.
“Sorry… But, I have an answer! There are five, five of them!”
She leaned over me as I coughed, worried, and informed me of her reconnaissance results. Impressive; she must have checked the entire house in that instant.
“Um, there are three small green ones, one that smells like beasts, and one big, blue one!”
Green and small likely refers to goblins, beast-smelling probably to a dog demon, and the blue and large must mean an ogre. I’m getting used to the others, but battling an ogre is daunting. They’re tough and fast; I’d prefer not to face one directly.
…Or, given the support I currently have, should I attempt a direct confrontation?
What I lack now is “experience.” I’m not necessarily weak, but my inexperience is undeniable. Therefore, if I have backup, I should engage in battle and gain experience with life-and-death situations as soon as possible.
In my past life, I lived in peace, in a country without war, fortunate enough to live without ever raising a fist against anyone until the end.
But as battles become more frequent and the stakes higher, that peace-loving mindset will surely lead to disaster down the line.
So, in addition to playing it safe, I need experience in the battlefield too.
In view of all this, I made a decision and turned to the two fairy figures, who were observing me curiously, and asked if they would help should anything happen…
[Tips] Adorable boys and girls with golden hair and blue eyes acquire the trait of “Fairy’s Favorite” without realizing it, naturally drawing the attention of fairies. If negotiations go well, they may harness the fairies’ power. However, their goodwill doesn’t always consider human convenience. Should it be mishandled, who knows what will happen…