Chapter 939 – Throne Lottery

000

The place the party arrived at was the council room, where the ceiling had collapsed, and the sky was clearly exposed – no, it was originally the throne room where the fairy king’s throne, where Niniane was the owner, was located.

The doorwood that had disappeared due to the witches’ magic had returned to its original state, and the old man, who had no memory of his sudden disappearance, opened the door without saying a word as soon as he saw the group.

The door opens with a loud clicking sound.

On her return, Cleon thought it would be a good idea to grease the door a little.

In any case, beyond the opened door, there was a somewhat dreamy scene unfolding beneath the ceiling they had destroyed – in the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the lake.

Chopper, who has become a strange sculpture, an execution platform, and Niniane, who is polishing the execution platform by wiping away the dust.

To those who don’t know the situation, she would only have looked like a maid cleaning decorations in the castle, but on one side, she was the horse of a fairy who threw everything she had to save this world.

Another thing was the fact that he was the original owner of this castle and the biggest victim in this story.

＂Kang!＂

The small fox’s cry echoed in the room in a healthy way.

When I asked where she was, I found out that she was sitting next to the collapsed table, continuing to watch Nini Anne work.

She ran straight to Cleon’s direction and rubbed her head against his leg.

And, next to where the fox was sitting just a moment ago, there was Vivre, who was still hanging out and not showing off her energy properly.

At first, I thought the reason for the hesitation was due to the ‘magic power of the water’ in the lake that was generated in this castle, but after learning about the situation, I began to think that there might be a slightly different reason.

The strongest fairy knight who protects the fairy king of the lake. Her identity as Melusine and her past.

For example… She has lost her memory, name, and appearance, but there is something about her, such as her guilt for the king she could not protect.

“You’re here.”

When Ninianne saw that her group had entered the room, she stopped moving her hand and looked in the direction they were in.

This and that happened, but the eyes of Ninianne, the fairy she saw for the first time after arriving at this castle, were filled with a different light than before.

I could see that Niniane at that time really had no heart.

Her business-like manner, her outspokenness to her nobles, who were clearly her superiors, and her lack of kindness or fear. Is it because?

＂Hmm…?＂

At that time, Ninianne’s frown frowned.

Did I find something, even something I didn’t like?

When Cleon followed her gaze and slightly turned his head, there stood Dorothea, hiding behind Cleon, showing only her face.

＂As expected, His Majesty the Fairy King is angry that he suffered such a disgrace because of me…!?＂

Dorothea says this as if she is scared, but Nini Anne walks up to Cleon and holds out her hand.

At that confident step, Cleon tensed without realizing it, but the next moment, what Nini Anne’s hand touched was none other than Dorothea’s head.

Dorothea closes her eyes tightly.

But after a while, Niniane’s hand falls away as if nothing had happened.

When she gently opened her eyes, Ninianne held only a small thread in her hand.

“Your Majesty the Fairy King. There were stitches stuck to her head. Your Majesty is the most noble being in this Fairy Village. You must be careful to dress appropriately. As expected, the royal family exudes elegance in every step they take…”

Suddenly, nagging words pour out from her mouth towards Dorothea.

… I guess what she wants to say is her true nature, regardless of her feelings.

＂Hey, there, there! Wait a minute! I am not the fairy king!”

Dorothea raises her voice, as if to interrupt Nini Anne’s continuous words.

Then Nini Anne stopped her long speech and looked at her.

“But, aren’t you Dorothea?”

“It’s true that it’s Dorothea, but… Should I say that the ones who have been pretending to be the Fairy King up until now are the witches who were manipulating me… After all, it’s strange to be treated with such respect by someone who was originally the Fairy King…”

Dorothea was not used to seeing Ninianne speaking to her respectfully, and she spoke as if she felt awkward.

“… Well, something like that. Niniane. Because she didn’t try to become the fairy king of her own free will. From now on, I am going to give back what the witches took from you.”

“That’s right. Because it doesn’t suit me…”

Dorothea nodded her head in agreement, and she mustered up the courage to walk out from behind Cleon and stand by Nini Anne’s side.

＂…＂

At Cleon’s words, Ninianne looked up at him quietly, and then closed her mouth as if she was thinking about something.

Her gaze was fixed on Cleon’s eyes, as if she was trying to look inside.

When Cleon found it difficult to bear the transparent yet direct look in her eyes that was a bit burdensome, she first closed her eyes and then opened them before answering.

“… I don’t know. While you were treating Her Majesty, Dorothea, the Fairy King, I asked Chopper many questions. If it were me before, I wouldn’t have asked ‘questions’ about ‘things I’m curious about’-“

“I guess that’s because curiosity has returned.”

Nini Anne nodded her head at Cleon’s words.

“I was originally a lake fairy. And the fact that the witches took a lot of things from me seems to be a story about someone other than me… What if I were the same person as the previous Fairy King…”

She puts her hand on her own chest.

And he looked straight ahead, as if he was truly curious, and asked a question.

＂When we get back everything from the past you are talking about. What happens to me now, ‘Ninianne’, the ‘Guide Fairy’?”

＂──.＂

None of these people would have a clear answer to that question.

That’s why we can’t all be quick to talk about it.

What is now in front of the party is a fairy called ‘Ninianne’.

Her role is to guide humans who come to this castle in search of the fairy king and nobles, and to manage this castle.

She has faithfully performed that role since the witches usurped her throne 200 years ago.

However, because of this, Ninianne is both the same and different from the previous fairy king, the lake fairy.

＂… Is it scary?＂

“Yes, to be honest… It’s a shame.”

Answer Cleon’s question honestly.

Cleon knew what she was afraid of.

Because she has a similar existence.

A Rakshasa who was the guard of the demon sword emperor Cain and the great shaman.

To Cleon, they are the same being with the same soul, but they are two people who do not think of themselves as themselves.

Of course.

Cleon does not have complete memories of the two people, and the way he thinks and the choices he has made are different from those of the two.

For Nini Anne, she lost everything as she faced execution, similar to the process of death.

So, I could understand.

What would happen to Cleon if he were to return everything about Cain and everything about Rakshasa to their original state?

The person who feared it the most was none other than Cleon himself.

＂…＂

Therefore, Cleon, who was speechless, could no longer say to her, ‘Restore her original memories.’

You don’t deserve it.

“I tried to say… A little weakly.”

At that time, when Cleon was so speechless that she couldn’t quite decide what to do, Ninianne spoke.

She closed her eyes, which had been looking at Cleon just now, then opened them and smiled kindly.

What he said while looking at Dorothea at the end of his gaze was the following words.

“Of course, it would be scary to become someone other than who I am now. But… I understand more than anyone else that it is necessary.”

Even if it is an absurdity that you do not know and do not understand.

If it’s something I have to do, I’m prepared to throw away my current self.

She was there for her.

“It’s easy to pretend to be strong and say you’re not scared. But if you deceive yourself like that, one day you will actually believe the lie.”

The senses paralyzed by recklessness obscure her ability to judge.

“So, it’s not about ignoring fear. My heart is telling me that where you overcome is important. … I guess the original me, the owner of this heart, was that kind of person.”

Perhaps even those feelings may be far from her own.

She accepted it all.

To break up with myself as a guiding fairy and return to my unknown self, the fairy of the lake, and the fairy king, the being who ruled this fairy village.

Cleon witnessed her determination and opened her fists that had been tightly clenched.

＂Thank you.＂

＂Yes?＂

Nini Anne tilted her head as if she didn’t know why she was thanking her.

Cleon answers her with a slightly relieved expression.

“No. … Maybe I should make the same determination as you.”

“… Is that so? If so, please do it to you too. I hope you have the courage to overcome your fears with determination. A guest from the human world.”

As Nini Anne spoke, she put both her hands together in front of her and bowed as she did.

Perhaps, it was a greeting to Cleon and his companions, who were the last human guests he would greet as a servant.

“I am honored to have been able to serve you, even if only for a short time.”

Her posture is bent at 90 degrees without any wavering.

After saying hello, she turned around behind her, stamping her shoes.

＂Chopper. This Ninianne. I will accept everything. No regrets, no hesitation. I’ll do it all in her own form. For Fairy Incense.”

At Niniane’s words, the execution platform that had been stationary slowly began to move.

[The subject’s command has been received. From entity name: Dorothea to entity name: Ninianne, we will begin the transplantation of elements.]

The next moment, the sphere of the execution platform began to move in a now familiar manner.

Immediately after that, an abyss-like hole appeared in the sphere.

The pyramid’s eyes first turned towards Dorothea, who was standing nervously.

[Extraction begins.]

As Chopper’s emotionless voice rings again, Dorothea’s body is surrounded by a soft light.

Before healing her body Dorothea, experiencing the pain of the act, flinched once, but then noticed that this time she did not feel the pain, and she sighed, as if she was a little relieved.

However, I was only slightly relieved.

In the next moment, through the light surrounding Dorothea’s body, many things flowed from within her.

What was inside Dorothea – the witches took it away.

The fairy king’s magic, her knowledge and memories

＂Ssssscht too

Dorothea, who felt a large amount of magical energy leaving her body in an instant, suffered symptoms similar to her magical exhaustion and collapsed on the spot.

There were people who moved to accept her, but her Lila stopped her.

“If you don’t want to get caught up in that, it’s better to stay still.”

And-

Finally, when the light surrounding Dorothea slowly faded away, the magical power she felt was almost gone, leaving only a very small amount of magical energy.

At this level, she can have at least the level of magic power of an ordinary person who cannot use magic.

On the contrary, a large amount of magic is added to the execution platform that absorbed the fairy king’s magic and-

Next, Pyramid turned her head to face Nini Anne, who had been standing next to Dorothea a moment ago.

[Extraction process completed. Then, the transplantation began.]

The sphere of the scaffold remained open, but this time, much began to come out of it, by exhaling rather than sucking in.

Her essence returning to its original owner.

At first, it just looked like a bright light without any color, but its color gradually changed as it returned to its original owner.

From colorless, to the blue color that she, the lake nymph, is thought to have originally had.

That light is warmer than you think-

Thinking so, Ninianne closed her eyes.

And-the next time she opens her eyes, it is no longer the woman she was just a moment ago.

002

The eyes of the group were filled with flashes of light for the unknown number of times since coming to Fairy Village.

Now that I’m used to it, I close my eyes on my own, and open them when the light coming in from behind my eyelids decreases.

Then, where Ninianne was standing just moments ago, there was a different being standing there than before.

It’s not a simple black and white maid’s uniform – it’s a blue silk-based dress with colorful crystals decorated in silver scattered like the Milky Way.

Long, flowing blue hair that flows like water, and a sapphire tiara wrapped around the head.

The powerful magical pressure of natural magical energy flowing from the whole body.

At the same time – that body was radiating nobility just by standing there.

That nobility is the kind of nobility where every single movement of her breathing, gaze, and fingertips speaks of the ‘justice’ of that action.

So-

If she is, she can be forgiven no matter what she does.

She made everyone who saw her think that.

Indeed. If we succeed in robbing her of her dignity, even Dorothea, who was ruled by witches who behaved recklessly, could be recognized as a ‘king’.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to compare the majesty of the king they showed with the majesty of the woman in front of them now.

Of course, it means that the witches are very inferior.

Finally, she took a deep breath and sighed again. She looked back at her companions, sounding the crystal shoes on her feet.

The movement seemed to be a rewind of the movement she had made earlier, when she turned towards the execution platform after Nini Anne had finished her final greeting.

And – her companions finally make eye contact with her.

The face, as beautiful as a sculpture, was similar to Ninian’s but looked completely different.

All of her detailed parts will be the same – the pattern drawn with shining magic flowing from her eyes – the water drop-shaped pattern.

It showed that she was somehow a transcendent being who was not bound by the laws of this world.

Everyone there held their breath.

This is the rightful ruler of Fairy Village.

Unlike Nini Anne, who was expressionless, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, she took a moment to breathe and then spoke to her companions.

“Kneel. What you have an audience with is the queen of this fairyland and the protector of all fairies. Vivian is the lake fairy.”

As her voice echoed throughout the room, everyone in the group was taken aback.

Of course, her voice was full of royal majesty, but her remarks were like those of a high-class noble or arrogant royal in front of commoners.

This was because he was a little different from the lake fairy and previous fairy king that the party had expected.

Therefore, not only her companions but even Dorothea, who knew her original fairy king, looked at her in a bit of surprise, and there was silence in her room.

＂…＂

＂…＂

When the uncomfortable air enveloped the entire room, Vivian cleared her throat a little later, sighing.

＂Ah-there? I came back as a king after a long time, so I just wanted to make a joke, right? I never thought they would accept it so wholeheartedly…”

Ninianne continued speaking as if she was making excuses while fanning her face with her hand – no, Vivian.

＂… Ah- ahem. Then, I will formally greet you once again.”

After saying that, she blinked once and snapped her fingers.

Then, the Fairy King’s castle, which had collapsed here and there, began to return to its original state as if time had gone back, and the entire room began to tremble.

In the midst of the vibration, she was talking with her hands folded while looking at her companions without a care in the world.

“Welcome. Our beautiful paradise. We sincerely welcome you to Fairy Hyang. Humans.”

And then, when she smiles and shows her teeth-

＂Kishishit♪＂

A unique laughter that could not be imagined from her old appearance rang out.