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Chapter 21
We caught the fairy and hurriedly continued, as per Kawazu-san’s suggestion.
Kawazu-san was leading with a light that he made with magic, and we continue from there.
“…….Mu-“
Freed from the shining sticky slime, the fairy was with me, inside a container for insects.
The insect cage was a transparent container with a green lid.
While I’m at it, I might as well observe her. Apart from the fact that she’s small with small wings, there was nothing else.
“Oh no, you look just like a doll”
Besides, looking closely, this fairy was definitely wearing some interesting clothes.
She was wearing something like work-wear overalls, coupled with think leather gloves.
On top of the short red hair, there’s even something like googles there.
Like this, she looks like factory worker or a pilot of some sort.
However, something like Tetsujin or any other names in that line would be too crass for a girl. Let’s go with something milder, along the lines of ‘Tonbo’ (dragonfly).
Tonbo-chan. Referencing her googles and wings.
……my, I’m suddenly stumped for nicknames.
There are many things related to that name in Japan, so I’m finding it difficult.
But the mysterious fairy was wearing such a ridiculous outfit. It shouldn’t suit her but it kinda does. That’s another funny thing.
“Hey, what’s with that get-up?”
I gave in to my curiosity and asked. I was met with silence for a while, but the little dragonfly suddenly raised her face.
And just stopped there.
She opened and closed her mouth several times like a fish, as if she was having an internal conflict.
But in the end, she spilled.
“There are my normal clothes! Handmade! There, I replied, didn’t I? Now it’s your turn!”
“…..you’re quite something. And? What do you want to ask?”
“Ah, so you’ll answer. Then what is this container made of? It’s not glass….it’s not something I’ve seen before?”
You’re asking about that! But I didn’t voice that remark.
The dragonfly looks up in wonder as she taps the glass with a ‘konkon'(T/N: sound).
Although she’s adapting a grumpy attitude, she can’t hide how her eyes are brilliantly shining.
She’s quite honest in her curiosity, a fairy that’s not very good at hiding her own feelings.
“……this is plastic. I made it with magic”
Then again, I can’t verify if they’re really the same chemical composition.
The dragonfly had an admiring air around her. She crossed her arms and looked at me.
“Hmm~n, but too bad. If you could make such an interesting thing, you should’ve stayed at your own town. You guys will die, you know?”
Somehow she began to say something ominous.
I don’t really know.
“Hey hey, that’s gruesome?”
“Naturally. You guys haven’t noticed that you’ve trespassed into fairy territory? How stupid-“
The dragonfly started laughing with abandon, as if something was too funny. She was shaking her feet as she laughed harder.
“Hey you! Girls shouldn’t say stuff like that!…….Nn? What? Stupid stupid! If you or….”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The fog will appear soon. ‘Cause that point is already within the Fairy Village.”
“What’s that, that fun-sounding place. Can I take a picture of it?”
After hearing about the interesting place, my excitement rose.
The fairy inflated her cheeks in a pout. Apparently, she doesn’t like my reaction.
“As I said! It’s not the time to leisurely say something stupid, is it? But if you quickly release me from here, I don’t mind letting you go”
At a glance, I saw something zoom straight.
Her small face was drawn, and no matter how I look at it, it seemed kinda upset about something.
“…..aren’t you just covering your own failure?”
“Th-there’s no way that’s the case. I-it’s really not true. Really -, humans are stupid”
“…..you don’t have to be upset over such a small matter”
“Like-I-said-! I’m saying this out of good faith!”
Tonbo-chan is seriously cute when throwing a tantrum.
On the other hand, I laughed at the face of her anger.
“I get it, I get it, but isn’t it alright? We were just running…. Kawazu-san?”
“What?”(K)
But before I realized it, the surroundings were white and so we had to stop.
Is it my imagination, as my spine felt a chill and my heart felt restless.
Right, it feels like my body is entangled with spiderweb.
The ominous feeling intensified.
I was too absorbed in the conversation that I only blindly followed behind Kawazu san: but where am I heading to?
Since I only realized it now, I called out to Kawazu-san.
“…….hey Kawazu-san, I think the mist has already appeared though?”
“A, that’s right”
“……and somehow I have a bad feeling”
“Take note of that feeling and remember it. That’s the feeling of getting attacked by magic”
“…….just now, what did you say, Kawazu-san?”
“You see, we’ve already entered the fairies’ barrier. Worry not, you’ll soon understand it’s difference compared to your barrier. Especially the mental part. By the way, this is very close to the [sky attribute]. Moreover, this barrier is wide in order to protect a very large area. It’s quite intimidating if you understand.”
“Scared! I’m scared, Kawazu-san! Hold on a moment!”
The part that we’re already under attack is scary enough.
On the other hand, Kawazu-san is still carefree like it’s nothing.
“What now….. do you want to hurry out of this damp place?”
“No, I mean I want to get out! But the escape is on the opposite direction, isn’t it? Turn back!”
“What are you saying? We’re so near our destination, and yet you just want to turn back”
“What did you say? Kawazu-san, you mean you were aiming for this place? But I was just told that we were about to get killed”
I pressed nearer Kawazu-san while fiddling with the dragonfly container, I can’t open it.
“Nn? At this point, what are you saying. Did I not mention it?”
He was this kind of guy-!
It was already too late to notice, but I slapped my forehead due to my own incompetence.
That’s right. Kawazu-san is this kind of person.
“I haven’t heard anything! You’re always like this! Always leaving out the crucial details! Do you know some fairies?”
“No way, it’s not that big of a deal. I’m just aiming for a [Spot]”
“……shall I hear more about it?”
Kawazu-san brought up yet another thing that I don’t know anything about, so I held back what I wanted say. He just went on to happily explain it.
“Alright. The thing called a [Spot] is hm, simply speaking, somewhere that magic power gathers. It’s what you can sense, the natural magical power in this world flows like underground water. I call that [Line]. If you follow that line, you’ll find a place where magic is particularly abundant – in other words, a [Spot].”
“He~e. Somehow I can relate it as similar with the concepts back from Earth”
Indeed, it feels like some sort of medium.
Dragons and dragonflies, they’re manga stuff so I thought it would continue that way.
“Additionally, recovering magic is faster in places like that; you could also find some unexpected resources, and other such things. That’s why mages want to live there, I’m no exception.”
I get it that Kawazu-san is aiming for an ideal, magic-rich environment for mages.
However, fairies live there.
“One more thing? Calm down and listen, Kawazu-san. Fairies already reside in that [Spot] thing. Right, Tonbo-chan”
“T-that’s right. It’s just perfect, you know? And what’s with the ‘Tonbo-chan’?!”
Tonbo-chan also joined in on our messy conversation, but she seemed to focus on something that I said.
Kawazu-san spared a glance on such a fairy, and let out a huge sigh.
“You….. should you really be fixated on that~. Shouldn’t you watch out? Oh well. I thought there’s definitely something there. Most of them aren’t humans. Be careful.”
The Kawazu-san who only keeps saying things that are obvious seem to have expected this already.
I see, the reason why you can’t have such a wonderful place. It will most likely be inhabited by dangerous ‘obstacles’.
“……that’s why it’s not easy to find”
“That’s right. Furthermore, the ones who live there are strong. I won’t approach it if you’re not with me”
Kawazu-san had this distant look – he may be recalling something stupid that he tried in the past.
“But I don’t want to”
Just that ~ I just want to make that clear.
“……we~ll just let it rest”
“Hey.”
“The barrier has gotten stronger. We’re probably near”
We continued walking, I also prepared myself mentally, until we reached where the Fairy Lord is.
I sighed in resignation and just accepted that it can’t be helped.
That might be because I see- rather than focusing on the remaining part of the barrier – the normally carefree wizard Kawazu-san seem to be more reliable than usual.
“Today’s Kawazu-san seem to be quite reliable. You’re very Wizard-ish, Kawazu-san”
“Of course, humans usually can’t approach this place, moreover…..”
“Except for me…… that is!”
My good impression was suddenly retracted.
“Good, it’s the usual Kawazu-san”
That brought me back to reality, let’s immediately prepare magic that will prevent death.
Kawazu-san was dissatisfied with that reaction of mine.
“Why did you feel relief? Anyway you’re amazing so be just honest and appreciate!” (K)
“Yes, roger. But on the side note. Doesn’t this seem like an invasion?” (T)
“Hmn? We~ll it’s not really good. But there’s no helping it since this is the only way?” (K)
“Ho-hold on! Are you guys insane? What’s with that lightheartedness! Let me just say this: there’s no one who are like me that are tolerant to people!” (T)
Tonbo-chan chan raised her voice when she could no longer keep on listening.
She panicked due to our reaction but it was already too late.
You’ll naturally be scolded when you fail your missions.
“No no, you yourself were saying malicious things, right?”(T)
“In the first place, it’s already amazing how you can converse with this guy normally. Fairies are all this insensitive. That’s the case….” (K)
“What the! You think I’m stupid! You’re making a fool out of me!” (T)
A few minutes pass by inside the forest, until finally, we went out of the mist.
However, I was at a loss for words at the beautiful sight that greeted us.
There’s a lake that’s like a huge mirror, and there are flowers blooming all over.
In the sprawling garden of flowers, a variety of large and small balls of light emerge and flew around. It’s indeed a scene right out of a fairy-tale.
However, there are still more notable things to be seen. I could feel my cheeks hurting.
“There look, isn’t something…..”
“Hohho! This is a grand welcome”
“Let’s see…. what is the meaning of this? Why are all the High Pixies gathered here? Don’t tell me they discovered my failure!”
All three of us were surprised as we raised our heads.
There were slightly larger fairies on the sky. Armed in a white-silver armor, they have assumed a formation. In a sense, that view is more spectacular than the beautiful landscape.
The ground broke in front of us, from there a big flower-bud appeared.
It slowly bloomed open into a huge flower, and revealed a beautiful woman with beautiful wings.
She had flowing dark-green hair, and when she opened her eyes, orbs as clear as crystal were staring right at us.
“What is it this time….”
The big fairy is obviously the boss here.
The dragonfly in the container suddenly turned pale. Even now, she wanted to turn back.
In the meantime, the boss-Fairy turned to us and said,
“Why have you trespassed the barrier without permission?”
T/N: I wonder if it’s just because I’m the translator but I’m starting to appreciate landscape descriptions in this series more than the other novels.