When I opened my eyes, it was dawn.
The time when the sun is just beginning to rise. When the cold air pierces the lungs and the chirping of insects can be heard.
…None of that actually exists.
The castle Morgan built blocks everything that could harm me. The design and magic are so perfect that I can't even get hurt if I try to hurt myself.
For example, if I were to hit my head with the water bottle on my bedside table, I wouldn't be injured.
"I think I self-harmed for the first few years. I probably gave up in the end because it didn't work."
I stared at the blue ceramic water bottle.
It clearly looks like glass on the outside, but no matter how hard I hit it, it doesn't even get a scratch.
Feeling an unknown impulse, I picked up the water bottle upside down. The water inside spilled out, soaking the sheets and my clothes.
"My head is scary. Should I try breaking it on the desk?"
It won't break. Even if it does, the protection magic on my body will block everything.
I put all my strength into the hand holding the water bottle and slammed it down on the desk.
Unlike my expectation that it would bounce off with a thud, the water bottle made a clear sound.
Crash.
"Huh?"
My eyes widened. I reached out a hand to the glass shards that had scattered in all directions.
Along with a stinging pain, blood began to well up on my finger.
The magic is broken.
"...Should I go for a walk?"
It seems the time has finally come to go outside the castle.
The structure of the castle was quite complex. The path from my room to the dining hall was familiar and not difficult, but from then on, it was a challenge.
The hallway seemed to have no end, no matter how much I walked.
I thought I had gone down the stairs, but at some point, I was back in the same place.
Wondering if Morgan's magic was at play, I scratched my finger again with the glass shard I had brought.
"It hurts, so there's no magic. Was I just bad with directions?"
I tried to recall my memory, but it only made my head ache more.
No. It wasn't just an ache.
The pain grew increasingly worse.
"Ugh..."
My vision suddenly flipped.
-♩ ~♫♩ ~
The tear-soaked lyrics of a beautiful someone.
-■■■■■!!!!
Someone screaming, and two people looking down at that someone with pity in their eyes.
-We'll surely meet again, even in heaven.
The voice of a woman I've never seen before, filled with love.
"What kind of hallucination is this?"
It feels like I've peeked into someone's memories.
They all seem like important memories, to the point where I feel bad for having stolen a glance.
"Did Morgan prepare this? If so, she could have just used a hallucination spell, but why did she also disable the protection magic?"
I don't know the reason.
As I continued to walk down the hallway while thinking, an exit appeared.
"Bingo."
Should I go take a look around the Fae Kingdom?
If things get dangerous, Morgan will save me, right?
"Are you human?"
"That's right."
The owner of the restaurant asked as he was taking my order.
I nodded, and I shouldn't have.
"I never thought I'd be a spectacle at my age."
"Human! Human!"
"Show us something interesting!"
"Why do you have wrinkles around your eyes? Most humans don't, is it a special ability?"
The restaurant was soon in an uproar with fae who had come to see me.
"I don't know how to do anything interesting. The wrinkles are from getting old."
"If you're old, are you 30? My slave died at that age!"
"No, I'm probably... over 40."
I could hear the fae gasp.
"40?! That's amazing! Who's your master? I definitely want to buy you!"
"I don't have a maste—"
I stopped talking and looked around.
The look in the eyes of the fae watching me was unusual.
They're asking questions politely now, but you never know how a fae might change.
"You don't have one? No master? Then can I have you?"
"No. I have one."
"Who? Who?"
The fae's breathing quickened.
Who is the most well-known person among the people I know?
Come to think of it, only one person comes to mind, but I felt like she was too famous and it would backfire.
Who are the other fae?
Mélusine, Baobhan Sith, and Barghest came to mind in that order.
But they're all out. Mélusine would probably play pranks, saying it's fun, and I feel really sorry for the other two.
It's not right to get them involved in my little escapade.
"Tell us quickly! I can't hold back much longer!"
"Hey! Are you the only one? I'm getting annoyed too! It's been 100 years since I've seen a human!"
They're starting to fight. The patience of fae.
In the end, I made a decision.
"I'm from Tintagel. I've forgotten my master's name."
Why Tintagel? I don't know either.
Rattle. Rattle.
"Ahem. I've never seen a human like you, but Tintagel is my hometown as well. It's an honor to be able to take you there."
I chose the most rural town, a region that no one would know, but who would have thought there'd be a fae from Tintagel in the restaurant.
Thanks to that, I'm now in a situation where I'm heading to Tintagel without knowing why.
The good thing is that the fae who gave me a ride is a decent one, for a fae.
Perhaps because he's into the 'gentleman' play that's popular in the royal palace, he was kind even to me, a human.
Of course, no one knows when the play will end.
"Could you teach me a game? I've arranged a game of chess, but how embarrassing would it be if I don't know how to play."
"I know a little about chess. If you promise my safety, I'll even teach you a special technique."
"Safety... ahem. I don't know why you're asking about safety. I was planning on taking you to Tintagel safely anyway."
As if.
"It's a Mors! Aaargh! Where are the guards? Is it even possible that I'm the only one in this vast meadow!"
I'm doomed.
It's only been an hour since we left the capital.
Mors have appeared on the plains.
A Mors is a monster that can kill a fae with just a touch.
They have a nice name like 'calamity', but I think they got that name because they kill slowly, as if contaminating the flesh.
I don't know much else about them. I've never had to encounter them, after all.
"I'm dead now. Hwaaak! I... I have to run!"
The fae abandoned the carriage and fled.
The horse, seeing its master run away, began to neigh and run wild.
The black Mors are getting closer and closer, so it must be scary.
But why am I not so scared?
The horse fainted, and the Mors surrounded me.
The largest-looking Mors came forward as a representative.
The surprisingly squishy-looking Mors was looking me over with what I should call its eyes.
Swoosh. Swoosh.
"...Hello?"
Whether it knew the concept of a greeting, the Mors bowed its head deeply.
It was a quite surprising sight. A monster with such intelligence.
Could it be that there's a Mors school and they receive education?
As I was coming up with interesting hypotheses.
Swoosh.
Swoosh.
Following the largest Mors, the other Mors also began to bow their heads.
It was a 90-degree folder-phone bow.
It felt more like serving a superior than a greeting.
"What's with you guys? Weren't you going to catch and kill me?"
The Mors showed no particular reaction.
It seems they don't understand my words.
Then why are they bowing their heads?
Since Morgan is the king of the fae, have I become the king of the Mors?
"...No way."
It's absurd even to me.
The king of beings born to kill fae.
The Mors stayed with their heads bowed for a long time before disappearing.
The sight of the dense crowd of Mors splitting in two to let me pass is a magnificent spectacle.
Am I the only one in the history of the Fae Kingdom to have seen it?
After watching the Mors' procession to the end, I started walking again.
I walked and walked until I was out of breath.
"Tintagel Village. The sign is quite old."
I've arrived.
I was locked up in a prison.
"I've never received such a welcome even from the Mors... how absurd."
The first fae I saw welcomed me as soon as he saw me and let me in, then immediately locke