Chapter 969: Aurora of the Wind
Salisbury has a grand cathedral located at the center of the town.
Every hour, melodious bell chimes emanate from within, drawing the attention of passersby.
Eiji arrived before this grand cathedral and paused to observe for a moment.
Without anyone noticing, he lifted his foot and stepped inside the cathedral.
The interior layout was almost identical to that of Pan-Human History—entirely white and luminous, appearing solemn and sacred. This was likely influenced by Queen Morgan bestowing the knowledge of Pan-Human History upon the fairies.
The cathedral was sparsely populated, with only a few human guards clad in armor; almost no one came here to pray.
Eiji suddenly noticed something strange.
He had spent some time in Camelot, Sheffield, and Salisbury, yet in none of these cities had he seen any worship of deities!
Logically speaking, Britain should fall under the domain of Celtic mythology, so why was there not a single church dedicated to any god?
The grand cathedral before him seemed to possess only the shell of a church, with no priests or nuns working there.
Instead, it felt more like private property owned by someone, with the surrounding guards resembling household protectors.
Why was there no trace of gods in a place that should be dedicated to their worship?
Holding this question in mind, Eiji slipped past the oblivious guards and ascended the stairs to the upper floors.
Upon reaching the upper levels, the atmosphere felt even more like a private domain.
By the time he reached the top floor, it had completely transformed into a personal space.
Sensing the life force around him, Eiji approached a certain room.
"Lady Aurora, as per your instructions, I have informed Oberon that the humans captured in southern Britain will be sent to the human pasture. I believe the Child of Prophecy and their companions will soon depart for the human pasture."
A meticulous female voice came from within, as if reporting work.
"Well done, Clarr."
Following this was a voice that sounded full of benevolence and tenderness.
"...But, Lady Aurora, I don't understand."
"Speak your mind, Clarr. If it is your doubt, I will do my best to explain it to you."
"Thank you for your kindness. Currently, the Fairy Knight Gawain is stationed at the human pasture. If they go to the human pasture to cause trouble, they will inevitably encounter Sir Gawain, who is an opponent the Child of Prophecy and their companions could never defeat. By sending them to the human pasture, are we not sending them to their deaths?"
Clarr's voice was very calm, as if she did not care about the survival of the Child of Prophecy and their group.
Yet, beneath the calmness lay a hint of perplexity.
"That line of thinking is incorrect, Clarr."
Aurora's voice remained gentle, and she let out a sigh filled with compassion.
"I also understand that the current Child of Prophecy and their companions are weak, but if they wish to oppose the Queen, the Fairy Knights are an unavoidable obstacle. They do not yet comprehend this, so I must help them understand through pain."
"This... I see. It is for their own good, then."
After a moment of hesitation, Clarr's voice still conveyed belief in Aurora's explanation.
Though from her perspective as the clan leader's secretary, she didn't wish for Lady Aurora to become involved with the Child of Prophecy, Lady Aurora had already decided to assist the Child of Prophecy and his companions, leaving her with no means to change the situation.
"Lady Aurora, I have other duties to attend to, so I must take my leave now."
After offering a respectful bow to the Wind Clan leader, Claire turned and opened the door.
The moment the door opened, the figure of the cloaked individual abruptly entered her field of vision.
"Wha—?!"
Claire was an exceptionally beautiful fairy maiden, appearing to be around fourteen or fifteen in human years. Her figure was slightly slender, with smooth, straight pink hair flowing down her back, and the butterfly-like wings behind her were particularly striking.
At first glance, she gave off the aura of a diligent, studious honor student.
"Thud."
Eiji drove his fist into her chest.
Before the shocked Claire could even finish her scream, the punch caused her eyes to roll back as she lost consciousness.
"Claire?"
The other person in the room turned around in confusion, then abruptly shuddered.
She happened to witness the cloaked figure gently laying the limp Claire on the floor.
"Who are you?"
Her expression grew extremely grave as she immediately took a step back, leaning against the window.
"You can try to escape through the window, but before you do, you'll need to gamble on whether your speed at fleeing is faster than my speed at striking."
The cloaked figure snapped his fingers and murmured a low incantation.
Tiny golden light swords, no larger than a finger, materialized in mid-air, their points aimed directly at the woman standing by the window.
She was undoubtedly a remarkably beautiful woman.
Her golden hair cascaded straight and smooth like fringe, adorned with a crown woven from olive leaves of the same hue. Her amber eyes seemed to radiate benevolence and kindness at all times.
The form-fitting white pencil skirt accentuated her figure to perfection—her full bust, slender waist, and curvaceous hips swayed with an ideal proportion that captivated the mind, while her skin, visible through the attire, was as delicate as snow and as smooth as an infant's.
At first glance, she even seemed to sparkle like a character from a shoujo manga, truly living up to her name as "Aurora."
Even Eiji, who was accustomed to seeing beauties, had to acknowledge her beauty in the presence of this Wind Clan leader. Her enchanting and diverse charm was in no way inferior to that of a goddess; in all his life, only the goddess of beauty, Freya, could surpass her.
That said, Eiji threatened her without the slightest mercy.
"..."
Aurora hesitated for a moment but ultimately remained still.
"What about Claire?"
"She's just in shock. Given a fairy's vitality, she'll recover soon enough."
Eiji glanced around the room, found a chair, and unabashedly took a seat.
As expected of the clan leader's room, the floor was covered with expensive carpets, the walls adorned with paintings likely originating from Pan-Human History, and an air of sophistication could be felt everywhere.
"I wonder if I have ever offended you in the past, prompting you to seek revenge in this manner?"
Aurora breathed a sigh of relief, and the tension in her expression eased slightly.
Immediately after, a warm smile spread across her face.
Gentle, yet tinged with a hint of humility.
"Not at all."
Eiji crossed his legs and folded his arms across his chest.
"However, there is one matter for which I need your assistance as the Clan Leader of the Wind Clan. I have long heard that the Wind Clan Leader is benevolent and kind-hearted, particularly fond of helping humans. I trust you will not send me away empty-handed."
"What sort of matter might that be?"
Aurora smiled warmly.
Her eyes had already discerned that the other party was human, and she could see at a glance that his magical capacity surpassed that of ordinary high-ranking fairies.
But it still fell short of her own.