It was a phrase I had heard somewhere before.
Direct intent to kill is terrifying, but it is not the most frightening thing.
Knowing that the opponent wants to kill you, you can be afraid, but at the same time, you can prepare for it.
However, when the opponent’s actions deviate far beyond common sense and the expected, when you can't even guess where their foundation lies, it becomes terrifying, as someone once said.
In the past, I thought that was nonsense. Even after narrowly escaping death multiple times, I couldn't feel the weight of those words. But now, I understood that they were true.
"Why are you so afraid, my little kitten?" With a fresh smile that would not feel out of place, the First Prince, staring at me, was more terrifying than the Dark God I faced yesterday.
"Lady Arln?"
With an uncertain tone and a hand extended toward me, I quickly stepped back, unwilling to touch it.
If it were up to me, I’d want to strike the First Prince’s head with my mace and knock some sense into him, but the surrounding situation was too tense for me to draw my weapon.
<Lucy, would you try speaking the way I told you to?> ‘Won’t it make the situation worse if I speak?’ <Don’t worry. No one here can harm you. So just destroy his self-esteem without hesitation.> ‘...No. I shouldn’t do that.’
Normally, I’d have been told to keep quiet, but why is he suddenly saying this?
Of course, I’d like to do that, but I can’t! I don’t want to stack up more karmic debt here!
"Brother. Lady Lucy Arln is still fatigued from the battle. Wouldn’t it be better to plan a conversation for a later time?"
Good! Arthur! Go ahead and chase him off! I’ve usually been the one taking on the tanking role, so now it’s your turn to draw aggro!
"Hmm."
While I cheered Arthur on from behind, I saw a change in the First Prince’s gaze.
The way the First Prince was looking at Arthur was clearly different from usual.
Normally, the First Prince treated Arthur like a proper younger brother, unlike others who disrespected him and tried to erase his existence from the palace. Even when the others were criticizing Arthur, the First Prince would still show him respect.
But now, the opposite was happening.
Those around the First Prince were responding to Arthur’s actions politely, but the First Prince himself was glaring at Arthur with hostility.
His animosity toward his brother was undeniable.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is freēwēbηovel.c૦m.
"That’s true," the First Prince suddenly changed his expression in an instant. It wasn’t the way he’d looked at Arthur as a brother, but the polite expression he’d shown when standing before the First Queen.
"I thank you for your insight, Third Prince. It is indeed rude to request a conversation with Lady Arln right now."
"...Brother?"
Arthur, who had felt the change even if I did, displayed his confusion all over his body, but the First Prince ignored it.
"I deeply apologize for my rude behavior. Lady Arln, after we officially arrange a meeting, I will visit you. Please stay in good health until then."
After saying only that, the First Prince left, and Arthur stood staring at his retreating figure for a long time.
Leaving Erginus, who was absorbed in modifying his old creation, the Fairy Queen returned to the forest and cautiously approached the girl who was praying near the entrance.
The girl, focused on her prayer, didn’t notice the Fairy Queen’s approach despite her being so close.
"Hmm."
The sacredness of the moment stirred the Fairy Queen’s playful side. The Fairy Queen, who had once been very mature, had to keep everyone else’s mischievous tendencies in check, which made her assume the role of the adult.
Because of this, many overlooked the fact that the Fairy Queen was, after all, a fairy.
Under the guise of purity, she had buried the concept of restraint, and while she led the fairies, she was no different from them in terms of playfulness.
Since the first time I met the Saintess, I’ve thought about this—this person doesn’t fit the expression "girl."
It makes sense, though. There’s no other woman in the world who holds such an audacious body, right?
The sly fox was threatening, but she too was definitely a competitor.
When it comes to comparison, she’s more threatening than the fox.
The fox, despite her appearance, is rotten to the core, but the Saintess is truly pure, to the point of making me envious.
She is someone I once aspired to be, pure and noble. That’s why she’s so sensitive to even the slightest darkness.
She hasn’t quite reached adulthood yet, so I don’t think she’s caught Erginus’s attention yet, but once she matures, she’ll definitely be a strong rival. I must assert myself first!
With a mischievous smile, the Fairy Queen quietly approached Faby and wrapped her arms around her.
"Yah!?"
"Yah? Such a cute scream. You’re so much like a girl, I can’t help but feel jealous."
"Y-Your Majesty?"
"Yes, I’m the Fairy Queen. The one some call so old and rotten that I smell weird?"
"No! That’s... that... Lady Arln didn’t mean it! She probably thinks you’re very beautiful too!"
"Really? Do you really think so?"
"Of course! Lady Arln is such a kind and noble person! She’s far beyond someone like me!"
Having received no hint of falseness in Faby’s words, the Fairy Queen realized that she wasn’t lying.
I know the Saintess is worthy of being chosen by the god, but I doubt she’s purer than the Saintess. That person is too human for that.
But that’s what makes her so amazing.
"...Your Majesty?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"Could you... let go of me?"
"Do I really have to? You’re so soft, it feels so nice. Can’t we stay like this?"
"Of course not! This is sacrilegious!"
Satisfied with Faby’s red ears, the Fairy Queen reluctantly pulled away, though she didn’t want to stop playing.
"I would like to play more, but the Saintess is certainly our benefactor, so I should respect the boundaries."
"So, what brings you here, Saintess? If you came to see Erginus, I will be angry."
"I have no interest in him."
"That’s a bit disappointing. What’s wrong with Erginus? Sure, he’s not very manly, but he’s a great wizard and a hero!"
"...I’m sorry, but if you keep joking like this, the conversation won’t progress."
"Oh my. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve gotten too playful after being called an old lady."
As the Fairy Queen laughed while trying to appear older, Faby’s expression became awkward.
"I came to see you, Your Majesty, because of something our deity’s church negotiated with the kingdom. The Church of the God wanted religious monopoly as compensation for this event. However, things became complicated since Erginus obtained divinity."
"Because the Fairy Forest has become the divine sanctuary of the Dark God?"
Erginus’s miraculous achievement of gaining divinity made the Fairy Forest the sanctuary of the Dark God starting today.
In this context, the Church of the God, who opposed the dark god, setting up near the Fairy Forest, was tantamount to disputing Erginus’s divinity.
"You don’t have to worry about that. While Erginus has gained the Dark God’s divinity, he is also a follower of the God. So, outside the forest, it should be fine."
Faby bowed deeply after hearing this and expressed her gratitude.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, that’s all."
"Do you need anything else? You are the one who saved the Fairy Forest, so if you wish for anything, I will gladly grant it."
"I didn’t do anything. I just followed Lady Arln’s light."
The Fairy Queen paused for a moment after hearing Faby’s words, then exhaled deeply. Her playful demeanor quickly shifted, and she regained her queenly composure.
"As someone with the divinity of the Dark God, I’ll give you this advice, Saintess. There is no such thing as pure whiteness in this world. It is natural for everything to contain a little darkness."
"Yes. I think so too, but why?"
"Even the hero is the same."
Faby tilted her head but listened closely to her words.
"You, who embrace the warmth of the God in this weakened age of divinity, must know that even the great God is not a purely omnipotent force of good."
"He is someone who gazes at the vastness of the earth, lamenting his own inadequacy and despair, but never giving up on being good. That is why he is still my God."
"Even the hero is the same. He is not the superhuman of stories. He is an ordinary person who hesitates, falters, makes mistakes, and despairs. Yet, he rises again and creates light—he is noble for that."
"I know this well. No one knows him better than I do."
"Exactly. So see him as a friend, not another god you must worship."
The Fairy Queen chuckled lightly at Faby’s stunned expression.
"If you keep worshipping the hero like a god, eventually you’ll grow tired of him."
"...Huh? What!? What does that mean?"
"Oh dear. As soon as we start talking about him, here he comes."
Seeing Lucy walking toward them from afar, Faby panicked, and the Fairy Queen hid her behind her, watching Lucy’s face, which looked like it might vomit any moment.
"Fairies. What’s going on?"
Your Majesty!
It’s... that!
It’s...
Hearing the fairies' words, the Fairy Queen smiled, her lips curling up.
"Is it about the hero’s marriage? It sounds... no, it seems like it would be very entertaining."
"Marriage?!"
At Faby’s shout from behind, the Fairy Queen nodded.
"Yes. It seems the other party is none other than the First Prince of the kingdom."
Seems like the First Queen is in a hurry too.
Ufufufu. This is getting interesting. Should we play around a bit?