The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

40 – 40. Invitation of the Fairies (2)

The region where the Saint’s party encountered a mischievous fairy after leaving the fairy paradise was a northern unexplored territory named the ‘Valley of Phrelasia.’

The remnants of a fallen kingdom.

Always surrounded by thick mist, an unknown space.

Despite the endless passage of time, the fairy paradise still held its mystique. The race born from the boundless mysteries, the Loinongs, embodied the enigma as a living being.

The Loinong race, born from the mystical, was evidence that myths existed through their mere existence.

“To reach the valley of Phrelasia, it would take another two months…”

I assured my father confidently, but there was no clear plan.

But how do we get there?

There couldn’t possibly be a railway laid in the uncivilized wilderness excluded from civilization.

I looked at Rue and requested help.

In response, Rue straightened his hair and showed a determined expression.

“Loinongs are great fairies! If four of you gather, you can open the gate to paradise!”

“Wow! You can use magic too?”

“What, you expect me to do it? Just pray to God, and He’ll listen.”

“…”

If a kid who sniffles like a fool while wandering around the town, seemingly born with innate magic, the magicians who have been studying magic all their lives would have jumped off the magic tower unable to bear the self-loathing.

I don’t know how to use magic.

Instead, I only use the mysterious power bestowed by the Creator.

Hmm.

It sounds amazing when you say it like that.

It’s like I heard from a sage that the magic created by magicians is nothing more than a power to imitate the lost mysteries over the long years.

“But wait a minute… Did you say four people?”

“….”

I asked in a hesitant voice.

Then Rue turned his head to the side, seeming unsure.

“Well, that won’t do! We have to get rid of those annoying Loinong candies with annoying names first!”

“Heeyah! It’s not like there’s no way!”

He turned his body to throw away the Loinong candies piled up in the corner of the office. Rue, reaching out with both hands, desperately grabbed my clothes.

It seemed difficult to confess.

Although it was a moment when the safety of the Loinong candies was at stake, he hesitated for a moment, showing a reluctant appearance.

“Just send a ‘help signal’ to the friends of paradise!”

“…Help signal?”

What’s this?

Feels like someone’s teasing me.

Or maybe it’s an urgently concocted lie.

But Rue’s expression was somewhat serious, so I decided to believe.

“Uh, just wait a moment…!”

He grimaced and pressed his temples with both hands. It looked like kids in the neighborhood playing at telepathy.

Hmm.

Seems like I’m being teased for sure.

The pre-telepathy magic to convey messages to someone at a distant place requires a lot of preparation and effort, to the point that even skilled sorcerers would hesitate.

Naturally, with such a foolish pose, there’s no way pre-telepathy at a distance is possible.

“Beep! Beep! Eeeek!!”

Rue, who had tightly closed both eyes, suddenly let out a shriek.

Is he crazy?

To think candy was so crucial that he imitated it to this extent…

I sincerely felt guilt for frightening my precious partner, whom I had followed diligently like a shadow for a month, into a panic.

* * *

Three days later,

A group of cheeky little ones banged on the gates of the lord’s castle.

The girls with colorful hair like Rue were displaying strong caution.

The guards accompanying them lowered their spears with a puzzled reaction.

“Hurry and give back Rue! No use resisting! Help, we heard the signal!”

“He must be caught, right? That’s why you shouldn’t go out!”

No doubt.

The girls were definitely the “Lunons.”

Short stature.

Pointed ears. Eyes that sparkled like jewels.

And even that uniquely annoying way of speaking.

The guards, recognizing them as mystical fairies, remained unfazed despite the commotion. Rue, watching his friends from afar, was the same.

“They’re Rue’s friends. Just let them pass.”

“Yes, understood, Lord Ethan.”

Little girls guarded their surroundings with adorable little fists clenched.

With a deep sigh, they pushed the sentinels aside.

“Paai! Tabu! Have Naruha and Lupa arrived too?”

A girl with flowing green hair exclaimed, bouncing towards her friends with a sound like pitter-patter.

Upon seeing this, the Louisnons who had attacked Baron Hohenberg quickly changed their expressions.

“Silly Rue! How’ve you been!”

“We were so worried…! Ohhh!!”

Reunion with friends who had run away years ago led to a heartwarming scene. Tears streamed down as they embraced each other tightly.

A special camaraderie.

No, the Louisnons were closer than family.

Perhaps the eccentric friend who had suddenly left had faced difficulties and hurried back. Despite Louisnon being a quirky one who left paradise voluntarily, the Louisnons still considered them precious family.

“Ahem. Sorry for interrupting such a touching moment…”

“It’s a human! A huge human!”

Approaching cautiously, the red-haired Louisnon blocked the way like a hissing cat.

Then, with a swipe, they extended a fist toward me.

“I heard humans are a wicked race!”

“I heard they capture disobedient Louisnons and take them away!”

They overtly feared humans, living a secluded life after cutting ties with the outside world. During the isolated time, they must have cultivated their own fears of the outside.

Afraid of being exploited,

Fear filled their jewel-like eyes.

If a third party witnessed the situation, they would likely see them as villains plotting child abduction. The absence of Rudmila and Jeblinu was truly fortunate.

“No! Edan is Rue’s closest partner! Rue and Edan are incredibly famous in human society!”

From Noble mtl dot com

Rue exclaimed, reaching out with both hands.

Then, she began to speak about her daily life in the Hohenberg family, her heroic deeds against wicked villains in the wasteland, and even receiving applause for discerning the evil aura and rescuing the beautiful princess.

“Rue, you’re truly amazing!”

“Have you really seen a princess from a fairy tale?”

The vigilance waned.

In his place, a bright admiration emerged.

The Louinons who visited the Hohenberg family were immediately ushered into the reception room. Witnessing the splendid lordly elegance, their pupils sparkled as if gazing at a distant galaxy.

Despite initially displaying caution with each new servant’s appearance, they trailed behind Ruelle like chicks following a mother hen.

“Wow, what on earth is this?!”

“The scent is incredibly sweet…! I’m smelling it for the first time!”

A chocolate cake adorned with finely crushed cookies threatened both sight and smell.

The fairies who had been lounging on the sofa awkwardly indulged in the cake.

Faces once filled with caution melted into softness at the taste of sweetness they were experiencing for the first time.

Ruelle heard from them.

Back in the secluded valley village, they lived on dew and frozen icicles.

Therefore, to introduce the wonders of the outside world, Ruelle, knowing that chocolate cake was a particular favorite, attempted to win their favor by serving it.

It was a truly simple method, but for the Louinons, it worked like a charm.

“Want more? There’s a lot.”

“Really-?!”

“Of course! They’re Ruelle’s friends; we should treat them well.”

“The partner of Ruelle seems like a good person, contrary to appearances!”

When the somewhat annoying tea time of the plump little ones had matured a bit,

They cautiously broached the subject.

“We would like to visit your hidden paradise in the valley… could you possibly invite us?”

In response, the Louinons, with chocolate smeared on their mouths, blinked their eyes and grinned. It was a reaction as if they hadn’t expected it at all.

The fairy’s paradise was a space that declared eternal separation from the secular world.

Naturally, they wouldn’t easily accept such an offer.

Having not hidden in the Prerazia Valley to preserve the myths passed down from the era of rapid change, the Louinons, who had rejected change until now, were bound to refuse the proposal from humans, which was as good as offering them a blank sheet.

“We’ll give you as many candy canes as you want.”

“Th-that…! Not the candy canes I received?!”

Ignoring Ruelle’s exclamation, they observed the Louinons’ response.

Rustle.

They scattered candy canes, neatly wrapped in paper, across the table.

And then, the Louinons eagerly devoured the barley sugar candies. Rolling the sweetness around in their mouths, the little ones gradually began to widen their eyes, much like a cat experiencing pâté for the first time.

* * *

Upon conveying the intention to visit the fairyland, Rudmila and Jeblinnyu exhibited expressions of bewilderment that they couldn’t conceal.

With sidelong glances at each other, the red and white dragons simultaneously spoke.

“Your Highness… you suffered a head injury during the battle. Unfortunately.”

“One must nurture faith. Trust in the Earth Mother heals all wounds.”

Though spoken with sincerity, it garnered sympathy and compassion from the princess and the saint.

Did I not explain enough?

Then how should I describe the “Fairy Paradise”?

From father to Rudmila and Jeblinnyu, everyone treated me as if I were mentally ill. It’s not surprising they find it odd for a twenty-three-year-old to talk about the fairyland.

“A human dressed entirely in white, from hair to clothes!”

“Rue claims you’re a lofty saint!”

“But what is a saint, anyway…?”

Girls, their pockets filled with barley sugar candies, approached like squirrels. Suddenly, they showed strong interest in Jeblinnyu, dressed in pure white robes.

Children, especially, tend to be initially drawn to young and beautiful women.

Facing the innocent admiration, Jeblinnyu smiled and shook hands with the Louinons.

In response, the Louinons squealed in delight.

“Madam.”

“She’s a madam.”

“Madam!”

Then, turning their attention to Rudmila, the Louinons laughed and expressed their feelings openly.

Well, they’re just children, so they’re naturally honest…!

Rudmila, offended by the unpleasant insult, emitted a stern aura with a rigid expression.

In response, the mischievous Louinons trembled and hid behind me.

“We’ll open the passage here for the little ones that leads to the paradise.”

“So, the fairyland you mentioned is…”

“The paradise where the Louinons live, the fairyland.”

“How absurd.”

Rudmila and Jeblinnyu, upon learning the whole story, displayed reactions of disbelief.

“When the Louislings gather, they can open a passage.

Now, we are about to embark on a journey through the passage to the fairyland.

The princess and the saint, who were observing the adorable girls, frowned. If they were to suddenly disappear, it would undoubtedly overturn the imperial knights and the holy knights.

“Well then, I’ll go!”

As Rudmila and Jeblin hesitated to respond,

The third princess, who had been quietly eavesdropping on the conversation, reached out her hand and intervened.

“Liza! It’s not a matter to accept so readily.”

“A paradise full of cute fairies… It sounds like it would be a lot of fun!”

Other than me, Elizabeth was the person closest to Rue, probably due to their intimate relationship.

Perhaps she had a knack for parenting?

Contrary to the typical villainess in romance novels, Elizabeth boasted an unusual maternal instinct.

Like a girl who loves dolls, Elizabeth had taken good care of Rue and showed kindness to the girls who visited the mansion.

“Opening the passage is incredibly simple.”

“Just pray to the gods in your heart and sing a song!”

Pa-i Louis, Ta-be Louis, Na-ru Louis, Ru-pa Louis.

The four girls reached out to each other, forming a circle.

Facing each other in a circle, the fairies held hands affectionately and began to sing in cheerful voices, spinning around.