"Welcome back, My Lord. You were out for quite some time today. However, before you rest, there is an invitation that requires your attention."
Fairy Knight Gawain (Barghest) had just returned to her residence after clearing out the surrounding Mors when her butler immediately presented her with an invitation. The wax seal indeed bore the crest of Fairy Tristan.
"It is said that Lord Fairy Knight Tristan of New Darlington has rung the Pilgrimage Bell, confirming their identity as the Child of Prophecy. They now intend to fulfill their duty and will close their 'National Slaughter Theater' in three days. An invitation has been extended to all Lords. Will you attend?"
"I was summoned for an audience with Her Majesty Morgan along the way... Fairy Knight Tristan?"
The three Fairy Knights—Gawain, Tristan, and Lancelot—all knew each other, having been granted their names by Morgan. But Fairy Tristan was a special case. They hadn't risen through the ranks based on strength or merit; Morgan had directly appointed them as her successor. As for their reputation... well, to say they were universally despised would be an understatement. They were loathed by gods and demons, shunned by humans and beasts alike.
"A savior?"
Fairy Gawain Barghest felt her mind struggling to keep up. Morgan had been searching for the Child of Prophecy for ages, and even Gawain herself had assisted in the effort. But hadn't the time of the Child's birth already been determined? Fairy Tristan was nearly the same age as her.
"It is absolutely true."
As a Lord's butler, he naturally had his own information channels.
"The Duke has confirmed the authenticity of the entire matter. Lord Tristan rang the Pilgrimage Bell within his territory."
"That's... unbelievable."
Gawain couldn't wrap her head around it. The Child of Prophecy being Fairy Tristan? That maniac was more like the Child of Destruction. "Could Her Majesty Morgan have manipulated things somehow?"
The butler cleared his throat twice. "While I share your suspicions, voicing them so directly would be somewhat unbecoming of a Knight."
"...You're right."
Gawain decided she shouldn't dwell on it. Her duty was to maintain her own territory, and that was all that mattered.
"I'm hungry. Is breakfast ready?"
"It's already noon, My Lord."
The butler offered a gentle smile. "I believe you will be quite satisfied with this lunch."
"Oh?"
Fairy Gawain had never heard her butler speak like this before, even though he had always excelled in preparing meals.
"If even you say so, I'm starting to look forward to it."
"Of course, I'm not referring to the taste." The butler paused, building suspense. "For us Fairies, the sentiment behind a meal is just as important."
-
Jiang You stared at the table laden with food, a growing sense of unease creeping over him.
He wasn't a stranger to games involving hypnosis, but this was the first time he'd used it in a game so close to reality. This must be what they call a guilty conscience, he thought.
After returning to the Faerie Realm, Jiang You had gone straight to Morgan. He had already made the necessary arrangements for Fairy Tristan, who was now prepared to follow in Morgan's footsteps. She was currently immersed in the library, diligently studying spells and other knowledge, no longer needing Jiang You's direct supervision. His current objective was to continue gathering the other Fairy Knights.
When Jiang You made his request, Morgan gave him an "I knew it" look. Nevertheless, she agreed to help him.
Truthfully, Jiang You had initially wanted to recruit Melusine. The combination of "Dragon + Woman + Mecha" was something no one could resist. However, considering the difficulty, Melusine was currently lost in her obsession with her "white (black) moonlight," making rational communication impossible. So, Jiang You decided to focus on Fairy Gawain, who had "lost her husband early in life."
After Jiang You explained Fairy Gawain's current state, Morgan decided to fight fire with fire. She would use her own spells to overwrite Oberon's manipulation, replacing everyone's memories of Adonia with Jiang You. For Morgan, this was a win-win: it would stabilize the Calamity that Fairy Gawain represented while allowing Jiang You to inherit the affection Fairy Gawain held for Adonia.
(Incidentally, Morgan had already begun hunting Oberon—personally leading the charge. Jiang You had thoroughly sold Oberon out for his own reward.)
-
"Why are you out of bed?"
When Fairy Gawain saw Jiang You, her initial surprise quickly turned to concern.
"You should be resting, given your condition."
"Thanks to your attentive care, I'm feeling much better now."
Jiang You felt a pang of guilt as he said this. Deceiving someone's feelings like this was a bit beyond his moral comfort zone, yet he couldn't deny a certain perverse thrill. This wasn't a game where he could just pick a dialogue option; he had to speak every word himself.
"Always taking without giving isn't a sustainable way to live. Let me do something for you too. After all, we're... we're lovers, aren't we?"
"You're being so forward... It's a little unlike you..."
Just as Jiang You's heart sank, thinking he'd messed up, Fairy Gawain quickly convinced herself. "No... it's nothing. I'm happy to see you like this."
She pulled Jiang You into an embrace. At 190 cm tall, plus her high heels, she stood nearly half a head taller than him.
"Thank you."
Fairy Gawain felt herself growing hungrier, yet Jiang You didn't exude the irresistible scent that usually drove her mad. Her consciousness craved his flesh and blood, but her body registered no such urge. She didn't know what this meant. A faint sense of unease made her gently push him away.
Paradoxically, this feeling actually made her happy. It meant she could get as close to her lover as she wanted without restraint.
-
"She didn't start eating? What a disappointment... Didn't she always start devouring them the moment she got her hands on them? If this keeps up, we won't be able to touch the human either, will we?"
A Fang Clan fairy, peeking into the living room from the wall, sounded utterly disappointed.
"What strange things are you saying? Jiang... Jiang You? Hasn't he been living with My Lord for a long time now? Since My Lord hasn't been sneaking bites, it wouldn't be right for us to do something like that. Stop peeking! We'll be punished if we're caught... Crap, that old butler is looking this way! Let's get out of here!"
Her companion elbowed her and bolted.
"But didn't she already... Huh? You're right. Wait for me!"
The fairy scrambled to follow her companion.
As the Lostbelt King, Morgan, empowered by her Throne, cast Suggestion Magic even stronger than Merlin's. She directly twisted the perceptions of every human and fairy in Fairy Gawain's entire fief of Manchester, making them forget that Adonia had been devoured by Fairy Gawain. In their memories, she replaced Adonia's image with Jiang You's. Now, even if Jiang You acted according to his own whims, no one would find it too strange.