Chapter 956: Beryl: This Infuriates Me!
"Tsk tsk, I originally just wanted a happy reunion with my long-lost lover, but who knew so many uninvited guests would show up? I came here joyfully to vent my frustration after being turned into a human stick by that hateable handsome guy, but both Grimm and Mash ignored me..."
On the other side, Beryl watched as Sheffield gradually disappeared into the flames, his face filled with discontent, displeasure, and displeased gloom.
"It's alright, Mr. Red Beryl. Since your so-called lover has escaped, Mother will definitely issue a nationwide warrant for her arrest. You'll meet again sooner or later!"
Fairy Tristan chuckled nonchalantly, comforting Beryl.
"Though that may be true, prey that has escaped once becomes wary. Catching them again will be troublesome..."
Beryl muttered under his breath, his glasses obscuring his eyes, making it impossible to discern his emotions.
Only the ever-present smile at the corner of his mouth had vanished.
The Queen's methods were truly extraordinary—even injuries as severe as being reduced to a human stick were completely healed in less than a day.
However, by the time he recovered, that bastard handsome guy who had chopped him into a human stick had already left Camelot.
This left him extremely displeased.
It wasn't anger over being turned into a human stick—it was purely because he couldn't stand the guy, as if they were inherently incompatible from birth.
Like two parallel railway tracks that normally never intersect; once they do cross paths, they must fight until only one remains alive!
If he didn't eliminate that bastard handsome guy, he'd be so uncomfortable he wouldn't be able to sleep well every night!
"Well, let's take it slow... But direct confrontation is really tough. Even the two strongest Fairy Knights lost. If I go alone, it'd be like saying, 'Ah, please chop me up again!'—like a complete idiot."
"Even so, I can't ask the Queen to intervene. The bond between us has already run its course. The only reason I'm still treated as a husband is purely for formality's sake. If I overuse the Queen's favor, I'll definitely be kicked out of this position."
"But more importantly—I still don't know the Queen's objective. Why did she make him her consort? Love at first sight? What a hilarious joke!"
Beryl's thoughts churned tumultuously, and he couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle at the parts he found amusing.
This was the most crucial point!
The Queen made him her husband because of a prior formal relationship between them, giving him face as a special consideration.
But what about that bastard handsome guy?
Could it be that he also shares some formal connection with the Queen?
It couldn't possibly be because of love—falling for his face at first sight, could it?
What a joke, it's downright nauseating!
Beryl knew all too well—that Queen had long stopped believing in love!
Now, besides herself, she doesn't believe in anyone, doesn't trust anyone, and certainly wouldn't love anyone!
She is the coldest, yet most passionate Queen!
Aside from this Britain, she loves nothing else!
"Oh, this airhead might be an exception... but without understanding the Queen's true intentions, I can't act recklessly."
Beryl glanced at the fairy Tristan beside him.
He was one hundred percent certain that the Queen had some scheme in mind when she took that human as her consort.
And the reason he could move so freely around the Fairy Kingdom now was entirely because he was borrowing the Queen's authority - offending her was the last thing he could afford to do!
Therefore, until the Queen abandoned that consort, he couldn't openly use established forces to deal with him.
"Red Beryl? What's wrong? Why aren't you speaking?"
Fairy Tristan, having been glanced at by him, found it utterly baffling and couldn't help waving her hand in front of his face.
"Swish!"
The fairy strings automatically leaped from her hand, unexpectedly slicing off Beryl's third leg.
Beryl's expression contorted violently for a moment.
He wanted to explode and kill Fairy Tristan, but didn't dare to actually do it. Instead, he had to look at her with an appeasing smile.
"...Do you have a problem with my gender, Miss Spinel?"
"No, no, of course not! I-I don't know what happened either, the fairy strings suddenly went out of control for a moment... Are you alright? When we return, I'll have Mother reattach it for you?"
Fairy Tristan pointed somewhat awkwardly at the thing on the ground.
"Swish!"
"...Huh?"
Excruciating pain suddenly assaulted him. Beryl clenched his teeth, his vision spinning.
After a long moment, he realized both his legs had been severed at some unknown time, and his upper body had fallen defenselessly to the ground!
Fairy Tristan looked completely flustered, the fairy strings in her hand still dripping blood.
The familiar, searing pain made Beryl convulse, but what he felt more than anything was utter speechlessness.
"...Miss Spinel, have you finally become so incompetent that you can't even properly control the power Her Majesty the Queen bestowed upon you?"
"That's not true! The power Mother bestowed upon me, I mastered every last bit of it overnight as soon as I received it, without the slightest negligence! It's impossible for it to be abnormal—"
Fairy Tristan jumped up angrily, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Swish!"
Then, the fairy strings pierced through Beryl's abdomen.
For a moment, Beryl bled profusely, but he glared even more fiercely at Fairy Tristan, filled with accusatory fury.
"This, this... I understand! It must be because I was hit by that Mashu's shield before, it must have damaged my Given Name! That has to be it, there's no way I haven't mastered the power Mother bestowed upon me!"
Fairy Tristan hopped about anxiously. Having finally thought of a reason, she clung to it like a lifeline.
Beryl stared at her wordlessly.
Given Names cannot develop problems.
Unless one loses in an all-out battle, and loses completely at that, will the Given Name shatter and the original true name be exposed!
Just like with Barghest - although Eiji defeated her once, that wasn't actually her going all out. That battle was more of a repulsion than a true defeat. So even though Eiji became able to call her by her true name, her Given Name 'Gawain' wasn't broken!
This is the rule of the Given Names created by the Queen!
Merely being knocked away by Mash wouldn't affect the bestowed name's status - the fact that Beryl still cannot recognize Baobhan Sith's true name is proof of that!
But if Baobhan Sith's bestowed name isn't the issue, then who is targeting me?
Beryl fell into confusion. Could it be that I've unknowingly fallen under some curse?
What nonsense! To plant a curse right before the descendant of a witch without making a sound? In this Fairy Kingdom, only the Queen could accomplish such a thing!