Above the training tower, here the Hero lay, marveling at the false sky above his head. It seemed as realistic to him as the one Aketna had seen. He could have fallen asleep there, in the warmth of that false light, but he couldn't because of the fidgeting of the Fairy practicing her gymnastics. For once he did not want to see her, it was necessary that she invited herself before her training with Sawyer.
- But tell me, Princess, what are you doing here?
- Can't you tell? I'm in training.
And it was true that she was strong: she could do cartwheels... splits... and all sorts of things that did not interest the Hero. The only good thing about this disturbance was that he could enjoy the view during his various movements, but the Hero was not that kind of man. Although he was tempted, he remembered that she was someone else's wife, and couldn't let his hormones lead him into immorality - yet he didn't care about that in the first place!
Something had changed in him that he had not yet noticed...
- You could train elsewhere.
- Why is that? Don't you like my company anymore?
- I just... want to be alone until Sawyer gets here.
- Is it Thoosa's death that has you so upset? asked the Fairy while continuing her exercises.
- Don't you? After all, you're used to people wanting to shoot you...
The Fairy stopped her physical exercises and went to kick the Hero in the ribs.
- Ouch! What have I done now?
She stopped and sat down, sulking and cowering.
- It's not funny at all. I don't even know how you can laugh at the fact that people want to kill people. When it comes to such morbid matters, you always act nonchalantly, as if it doesn't affect you.
- Yet you know that it is the opposite, he retorted.
He stood up, then scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment.
- It was just to lighten the mood. I've never been comfortable with people dying, so I'd rather not think about it seriously or ignore it.
I am not so different from Queen Audisélia, after all..., he thought.
- Is that why you didn't come to his funeral?" she asked, turning to him.
- Probably, he hesitated, and also because I had nothing to say about her except that I thought she had pretty hair.
- You know, you don't necessarily have to have something to say to attend someone's funeral. The mere presence is enough, because, in the end, you attend for the dead person, but mostly to support the living and to show your existence in this world.
He turned to the sky and thought about it.
Will I be mourned when I die? Or will I die in total indifference as I have lived?
- I guess you're right," he admitted with a smile, "I think I've been too much of a loner and that's why I have trouble with all the socializing and nonsense. You're not so stupid after all.
- What do you mean?" she exclaimed, "who's the fool?
She threw herself on him and punched him in the stomach, but with her gnat strength. He did not feel anything. But he retaliated with tickling blows that pushed her away from him and took advantage of her. She countered, with the same attack as the Hero, and discovered, with joy, that he too feared tickling. After this short fight, they both ended up out of breath.
- How dare you pick on me when I can smack you into fairyland?
- One, fairies don't have a heaven like you think humans do," retorted the Fairy, breathing in and out sharply, "and two, you wouldn't dare hit me," she breathed with aplomb.
- Really?" he said, offended.
- Yes, I'm a billion percent sure.
- Why?
- Because you love me too much!
- Huh?" he said as he stood up and opened his eyes wide.
- Yes, yes.
The Hero blew his nose and looked away.
- It's not that I love you too much to dislocate your jaw, it's that I don't hate you enough to do it. That's all.
- Strange formulation, commented the Fairy, amused, but I accept.
He shook his head and whispered as he lay back down.
- You're stupid.
- Again?
The Hero protected himself in advance but this time the Fairy did not come to meet him, she stayed in her place and looked ahead.
- I have a question.
The boy let his guard down.
- You ask me a question when you haven't answered mine?
- Mine is more important.
- So you better answer my two questions.
- Okay.
- So what's your question? I'm all ears.
- Do you remember when the Fenrirs attacked us?
- Yes. Want to know how to gut a giant wolf like I did?
- Well... What? No !
- It could be useful to you, though.
- I don't think so. You are exhausting, you know.
- No but go ahead, I'll stop bothering you.
She sighed for a long time and then picked up where she had left off.
- When the Fenrirs attacked us and you tried to stop the one that was going to eat me before it had a heart attack, you called out a name, I think it was "Zelda. Who is "Zelda"?
- Did you? Did I do that?
- If I tell you! she exasperated.
- I don't remember a thing about it... But to make a long story short, it was my best friend who was with me during the Nemesis invasion in our village.
- Ah, I'm sorry for her... I'm sorry for your loss... It's not a good day today...
- Don't apologize. She's a tough cookie, she'll be able to get by without me for sure, he laughed coldly with a blank stare, and anyway, the Nemesis didn't kill her, and if he didn't, it's so that I don't flee to the other end of the world like the other heroes of the legend did.
- Were they as cowardly as you claim?
- Yes and no. It's much more complicated than that. I admit that I am hard and slanderous with them, but it is not their fault but the fault of fate.
Again, at this word, the Fairy's ears whistled, but this time it lasted a short time. It was just a momentary dizziness that the Hero did not even notice.
- And what was this Zelda like?
The Hero rose from the ground, a sparkling light shining in his eyes, a wide smile plastered on his absent face hidden by his inseparable hood.
- EXTRAORDINARY!
And he launched into an interminable monologue in which he recounted all his (mis)adventures in the company of that fearless girl Zelda, all the times she had defended him with her frail body, when he had tried to return the favor and had been beaten up and humiliated, and that it was his mother who had been in charge of correcting the little rascals who had bothered them with her baseball bat, when they went to see the supercharged train and its driver told them that it was able to run on water without needing rails - already it didn't need rails on dry land since it ran on it as if it were on a tarred road... He told her how important she was to him, how she had allowed him to open up to others when he was really afraid of people's looks because of his poor health.
And the more he sank into his memories, the more he noticed that he was giving himself freely to the Fairy who was watching him very attentively, his natural distrust was telling him to stop, yet his instinct was not screaming in his brain. He let him unfold his whole life to this girl he didn't know a few months ago and who had declared, in front of a whole assembly of Faeries hating from the depths of their being the human race, to be his friend. He couldn't admit it to himself yet, but he was beginning to really trust her, thanks to her kindness and candor - which was why he thought she was so stupid... if you could call it stupid.
It pleased the Fairy to see him like this, because, first of all, it was rare, she had only seen him like this when she showed him Lily and he had told her about this "Cho-nen" thing, but more important, or more remarkable, was the expression he displayed through the darkness caused by the curse that covered his body: it made him so "human" as members of his own race would say - though for the Faerie, it was a misleading word with far too much arrogance in its meaning, but that was not surprising given the arrogance of the race that used it. It was a real joy to listen to him talk about his life, it was those little moments that she was waiting for from him, to be able to get closer to him. But why did she want to get closer to him? She herself did not know, well, did not understand it for the moment.
- My big sister is really a great person, at least I hope that one day you can meet her.
- And how old is she?
- Right now... I think... actually... I don't know?
- What? But it's a bit shameful not to remember the age of a family member?
- A lot of time had passed since we parted, he justified himself, I didn't even see the time pass anymore. Notwithstanding, it is for me to ask my questions, he dodged the question of the princess-without-wing.
- To use a very complicated word to get you out of there, that's just like you... But go ahead, I'll answer your famous question: I'm here to help you in your training.
- What do you mean? Since when do you know how to handle a sword?
- You are mistaken there, she stopped it, I am not there to help you in your handling of the sword, but so that you stop "being a brick which moves" as would say the chief of the Saints of the Queen, sire Sawyer. I'll pass on my dexterity and agility to you. Well, when he gets here, because he's a little late.
- What the hell! Like, right now, I'm going to have to follow your directions?
- Exactly.
- Well... I can't wait to see it.
- And do you have a second question, slanderer?
- Is it true that you are a ball pusher?
- Yes...
- Isn't there a girl who is taller than you who trains with you?
- I don't know... in size? In age?
- Really in size, she is brown with long hair...
- Ah! Camellia! Yes, yes. We're friends. What, Camellia? What do you want from her?
- Will you play matchmaker for me?
The Fairy froze at the Hero's request. Although she knew he was a man who could be driven by his baser instincts, the thought that he might consider wanting a partner had never crossed her mind. Still, it was perfectly age-appropriate to think about such things - especially for a man his age.
- Do you know that she is a princess?
- Yes.
- Did you ever talk to him?
- Yes. When Lin and the others came to pick me up several times to play, he answered.
- You know she's a slut?
- Why should I mind?" replied the Hero.
It was obvious that he had reached that age where he had a second brain growing out of his belly, and this irritated the Fairy, but she was able to hide it easily.
- But... but... you know she already has a partner? So the chair is already taken!
- Nothing official. Kid, it's okay. I've researched my target, I'm prepared.
Without even knowing it, the Hero had broken all the barriers of his interlocutor, she would not have thought him so serious in his quest. He had answers to all the questions she asked him during her interrogation. Then she asked him the fateful one.
- Do you... love him?
- Of course not, it's just that she's got a nice shape.
What a mistake, my young boy. It's obvious you don't know the madness of women yet.
She grabbed the Hero's shoulders, head down, and said:
- I don't know if you know this, but I think you are a good person.
- Uh... okay...
- And it's because you're a good person that I can't let you be with a slut like that.
She raised her head showing a strange expression on her face, with an ironic sneer and summarized her thoughts in one sentence.
- In short, it is no.
- But why? You're the second person to answer that.
- Who is the first person?
- Princess Marina...
- Well, she had the gumption to refuse! she congratulated her, I believe even to slander you to destroy any attempt of your share.
- No kidding, stop your nonsense and...
- Do you hear that noise? It must be the commander coming.
He tried to reason with her, to understand her refusal, but she would not budge from her position. And when Sawyer and Queen Audiselia arrived, the hero gave up in front of the obstinacy of the wingless princess. It came to him simply this thought in Franca:
"Dear brother, today I understood how crazy women are. You ask them for a favor, they can reduce any project to nothing by simple whim. Unfortunately, I don't have your oratorical talent to turn around such a situation and to "please" myself like you. In short, the celibacy continues.
Signed: me."
- Hello, young people!" greeted Sawyer.
The Fairy bowed to them with a smile, the Hero just shook his hand with a frown. The queen returned their greeting before asking why he was so grumpy.
- For nothing, the Fairy answered, he is just not happy that I am there to help him train because I don't have to fight, she lied openly.
- What is this sexist behavior?
The queen grabbed the hero's cheek and pulled it up off the ground. The Fairy, amused by the situation, stuck out her tongue at him.
Bitch!" insulted the Hero in thought.
Strangely enough, the Fairy seemed to guess what the Hero was saying and was amused.
After this little scuffle, Sawyer resumed training the Hero.
Still using real blades, he studied the Hero's technical improvements: he had less sweeping movements, more precision, and if he twirled, it was faster and he no longer looked like a spinning top that wouldn't hit the most skillful swordsmen, but the problem the Fairy mentioned was still there. He was far too tense.
Sawyer stopped the game.
- You're getting better but it's not enough. You're too tense, and it has to be done before your swordplay. That's why...
- I'm going to do gymnastics?
- Yes!" nodded the leader of the Queen's Saints, "but before that, there's your rematch with the Queen.
- The Hero and the Fairy cried out.
The young boy turned to his "surrogate mother". She waved to him and reassured him as she stood up.
- Don't worry. It's just a friendly game. And I'm not going to go all out.
Accepting the fight, the Hero thrust his two swords into the ground and set his guard against the queen. As soon as Sawyer declared the beginning of hostilities, the queen charged at the Hero and came up behind him at lightning speed, without the boy being aware of her presence, and delivered an electrified blow to the back of his neck, causing the Hero to fall to the ground.
- Sélia! shouted Sawyer revolted, it is a friendly match, what do you make?
- Hold on.
Contrary to what everyone thought, the Hero was not unconscious, he was just... unable to get up.
- What did you do to her, Majesty?" asked the Fairy.
She was totally dazed by this scene.
- He's not unconscious, though," said the Fairy.
- I reversed the nerve endings in his brain with a little electricity. Basically, to move his left arm, he has to think about moving his right arm and vice versa. I could have gone further and mixed up all the perception of your body so that when you want to blink, you have to move your big toe, but I'm a good person.
Then the queen bent down and whispered in his ear:
- In truth, I just wanted to remind you that our equality at the time of our first fight is due to my own irritation, she justified herself by taunting him, if not I transformed into juice of salary.
The queen of Sylvania was a person who could be loving and benevolent, however, one of her most striking flaws, besides her great anger, which could be out of proportion, was the fact that she was vindictive to the core. She had not mixed her physical perception with him, out of the goodness of her heart. She didn't do it to show him that she was capable of doing it, but to show that she had held back.
Angry, vindictive, proud and arrogant are the main flaws of Queen Audiselia, but it was at the same time the coal that fueled her fervor to defend her people with such a snarl that she was feared everywhere she went, and she was smart enough to use her flaws wisely, preferring to deliver a well-placed killing blow to the opponent, filled with resentment, rather than lashing out with all the rage she could muster. But this was also the reason why the kingdom of Sylvania had never known a single era of peace - but this was also the fault of the legacy of the warrior-kings...
- This "technique", if I can call it that, works on all creatures with nerve connections: humans, elves, fairies, pangolins, ogres, orcs, centaurs... But not on elemental beings, for example magmors, golems, Treemen..., or the "dead"...
- The dead?" asked the Fairy.
- Vampires, the reincarnated, the undead... They are much more complicated because for some of them, they are already dead and live thanks to magic. But even for the vampires who are not "dead", it is quite difficult for me to use it. But at least in a battle, it allows me to spill as little blood as possible.
- When you feel like being good," Sawyer added.
- Stop it. People will think I'm a belligerent person.
- If they knew...
- But in the end, isn't it magic?
- Well...
Very smart girl!
It is true that to make her technique the queen did not incant any spell, nor used any glyph or magic circle, and for a manipulation on the human brain which is a much more complex thing than simply throwing lightning from the sky, it was complicated to justify that she could incant it without magic sciences.
What are the magical sciences you ask?
But it's very simple, it's like mathematical formulas but put in the magical context. Formulas that every experienced magician thinks about to practice more and more powerful magic. Two magic incantations can have the same verses, the same forms, the same inscriptions... if the formulas calculated in his mind are wrong, it will not work. But as for mathematics: it's good to be able to make mental calculations, but you have to write them down in order to display the results, at least, the result to make the machine work.
If we want to synthesize by continuing the analogy with mathematics: if you are only able to add up, don't expect to be able to bring the dead back to life.
At the limit, you can always make fireballs.
And again...
Magic is available to everyone, but to master it to its full potential, one must work very hard. That's why the Queen is so proud to see the progress of the Wingless Fairy.
Speaking of her, I want to see how she will get out of the situation she got herself into because of her arrogance.
- You have reached the level above the archmages of our kingdom, you don't need to incant anymore, right? said the Fairy all excited.
And here is his way out!
Unexpected, but unexpected!
Audisélia would have felt bad if this little suggestion had not come up. Nevertheless, if this possibility had not occurred to her, it was for a reason: the archmages were the greatest mages in the kingdom. To pretend to match them was sheer folly. Although the queen was strong, if you leave out her genetic attribute that was given to her at birth, she had not achieved the speed and sequence of magical calculations that the most novice archmage could perform. - Imagine not a nine year old kid but rather an old man of seventy to one hundred and seventy years old who locks himself in with other old men even older than himself. Well, there are a few young magical geniuses who have managed to become archmages quite early in their lives.
It could indeed be said that they were the only ones capable of using magic without uttering any words, of performing miracles of nature - which was different from the miracles Elena had been able to perform earlier in the story.
However, to claim that was to claim that she is a true genius at it. And I don't think she's that arrogant to...
- That's right! You're absolutely right!" said His Majesty in an insecure voice.
Okay. She really did it.
To hear her say it, made her best friend laugh. What she had just said was not totally a lie, she had the ability to become one, but it would force her to move forward by proving that she had become stronger than the late Elena, but more importantly...
- This means that you will become the second queen-archimage after the Great Feline.
So the successor of the woman she firmly disowned since she was found in this cocoon of leaves and roots.
Audisélia thought that her words were imposed on her by the destiny itself, come to remind her the lie she had created on the back of this young fairy that she helped as well as she could, by guilt. This same destiny which was going to oblige her to embrace the way of the most hated woman of all the history of Sylvania.
- It's possible, but I haven't gotten to the point where I'm considering taking the test yet," she ventured to say.
Instinctively, the Fairy grabbed her hands.
- Don't be afraid, Majesty! I'm sure you can do it," she encouraged him with confidence.
Before letting go of her hands, understanding that she had just touched the queen, and apologized flatly for having overstepped the mark and overstepped her condition as a princess.
- Stop behaving in such a servile manner," the queen scolded him.
- But you are...
- The herald of the gods? That doesn't make me any less Fairy than the rest of you. So stop being afraid to brush up against me like I'm going to disintegrate you... And thanks for the encouragement," she said, blushing a little but still looking proud.
- Could you demonstrate your magic to me? I could only see it when you struck my champion during the attack of the lizard-man assassin.
- Probably, when I've revised a little bit because if it's to show you what is controllable by the common man, and not archmages, it wouldn't make sense.
While the Fairy and the Queen were talking, Sawyer watched the Hero struggle to get to his feet, his movements anarchic and jerky. It was as if he was stuck between two commands that his brain was sending to his body, but his body was having trouble executing them one after the other. His breath was intermittent and inconsistent, his eyes were starting to get bloodshot, his facial expressions were random, wincing with every attempt to close his mouth.
- Selia, put her body back to normal.
- Wait... He's immortal so maybe he'll achieve "automation".
- It took you several months to master it, years if you count the improvements and enhancements," Sawyer reminded him.
- You're right. I had just thought that with this famous capacity of assimilation of which you spoke to me, that the boy could have succeeded in making it, she says while rising.
- And I told you that you had to show it to him first so that he could reproduce it.
- Yes, yes...
As Sawyer watched her move toward the Hero, he wondered why the Queen had wanted the human to master this technique, which is unique to Audiselia. She usually used it on the battlefield when she was confronted with an armada of enemies that were pitted against her. Even when it was in its infancy, she had not dared to use it against Elena. This technique can only be deadly for the opponent because in a state of "automation", as she liked to call it, she did not think. Her only objective: to kill. To teach it to the Hero while he is participating in a non-lethal tournament is crazy!
- It'll save him from dying since you're asking the question, Sawyer," says Audiselia.
She says this as she rewires the Hero's brain to make his body work properly again.
Survive what if he only participates in the tournament?" wondered the leader of the Queen's Saints.
And it was in asking himself this question that he understood why the queen was so keen on him training when the vast majority of the participants in this tournament were not at his level: it was because she wanted him to survive his confrontation with the Nemesis, even though she knew the desperate goal of the Hero.
She had come to recognize that she liked him, beyond the fact that he was Elena's son and that he had accepted her unreasonable request to be his "mother". She had truly grown fond of this being that all of Europea feared.
Audisélia pressed her finger a second time on the back of the Hero's neck, releasing a small electric shock that restored the young boy's body to normal. She helped him to stand up and explained the purpose of her approach.
- I thought you just wanted to humiliate me..., said the Hero, his voice suffocating.
- A little, she admitted, but I wanted, in large part, to test you. To see if you were apt to that I teach you my secret boot. Tell me your first impressions.
- Nothing worked anymore, I had lost all my senses, my heart was either beating randomly or it was not beating at all. I had to make my limbs work one by one... I really thought I was going to die.
- You would have just fainted because of your immortality. Notwithstanding, it's just as I remember it. I'll let you train with Sawyer again.
- Selia, look after him. I remind you that originally you were just going to have a little exhibition match so that you could show him what kind of moves he should acquire.
- You can show him, right?
- You are stronger than me in hand-to-hand and your movements are more fluid, you are more able to help him progress.
- Excuse me, the "Blade of Sylvania", laughed the Fairy.
However, Queen Audiselia accepted with a grumble.
She healed the hero, who had been badly damaged by her test, and then walked to the proper distance to begin training. The Hero caught his breath and put on his guard, preparing to fight the queen once again.
As expected, the Hero couldn't keep up, he managed to counter a few blows, but he had trouble keeping up when the Queen wasn't using her magic powers or her genetic attribute abilities, when she tried to use them, that's when the Hero could guess where she was going to strike and either defend or dodge. But most of the time, as video game players would say, "he ate his balls". The Hero was not able to guess, despite his ingenuity and very good instincts, the right shots in the right places, a minimum of opening and parries. Because of this, he could not face the queen without the full force of his heroic strength, the power of his curse and the weapon of the Nemesis, Ymir.
Sawyer stopped the match and asked for her impressions of the sparring match she had just given them. She said, in summary, that the Hero was quite good for a man with no combat training, he could pretty much keep up with her and counter her at the right time, but he was easily distracted. She imagined that the presence of the Fairy could be the cause - although he knew very well that there was no shame in losing to her, he had too much movement and was too tense when he fought. Yet in their fight to the death, he didn't have all his worries.
Therefore, Sawyer concluded that these were the same worries he had when he was training him in swordplay. He was going to have to find a way for him to focus and be more proficient outside of extreme life-threatening situations...or getting angry.
Just thinking about the rage the Hero had when he faced Queen Audiselia made Sawyer break out in a cold sweat. It was true that he was able to control himself and his strength, but it was obvious that most of his blows were used to kill. Was it Ymir who made him so enraged, or was he enraged by nature? Was he creating a weapon of mass destruction without knowing it, even though it came from the queen's orders? He didn't want to think about it, and given his true strength - which was nevertheless constrained by his persistent pain - it was obvious that this boy didn't need him at all to become an unstoppable, bloodthirsty monster.
Nevertheless, he now understood the love the queen had for him. Beyond the fact that he was Elena's son, he was like her when he had met her... When his father had found him... If it hadn't been for his father that day, he doesn't know if he would still be alive or able to live decently right now.
- Let's get down to business," said the head of the Queen's Saints, clapping his hands, "my Queen, you can go sit down, it's the nameless princess' turn to play her part.
- Then I have to show him gymnastics.
- Sort of. But more completely, you need to teach him to relax his muscles and joints so that he stops being so tense and tight. All that's likely to happen is that he inadvertently hurts himself through his own fault.
- Okay, that works for me," she replied enthusiastically with a human military salute.
- What's next?" protested the Hero, as if I needed that to make me stronger. I'm not going to get strong enough to defeat the Nemesis and destroy the hero of the legend by wriggling around.
- Again? said the queen and her former champion but for different reasons.
It is true that his first objective is to kill the Nemesis and the hero of the legend, remembered the wingless princess, but how could he kill what he is?
Sawyer grabbed the sword he had stuck in the ground, raised the blade parallel to his gaze and pointed it at the Hero.
- What are you doing?" the Hero asked doubtfully.
The commander did not answer.
He just kept staring.
Suddenly, something strange happened with his sword. It began to whirr little by little until it vibrated intensely.
- Are you going to use it against him?" the queen exclaimed.
The Hero went on the defensive, preparing for the attack. But at the last moment Sawyer turned away from him and thrust the sword back into the ground to his left. And suddenly, the ground cracked until it became sand and fell to the floor of the barracks.
- What is this?" cried the princess and the champion.
- One of the arcana of my father's sword style: "Technique of the Sonic Blade School: First Arcana: Vibrating Blade".
- But it's incredible!" exclaimed the Hero.
- I knew you would like it. So now it's up to you: either I teach it to you and I'm sure you'll be able to master it very easily, but you have to do the flexibility exercises with the winged fairy, or I'll drop your training.
The Hero bit his lower lip in frustration, he did not want to practice this sport that he found far too feminine for his taste. He turned to the queen and by the look in her eyes, he knew he had no choice but to accept.
- So be it! I'll do it!
They went a little further than the hole created by Sawyer's attack and the two teenagers began to practice the famous stretching exercises prepared by the Fairy. That had to last one hour or one hour and a half, but in spite of all her good will, it is not in one hour that she would succeed in making him make the big gap, and she knew it. That's why she had prepared exercises written down on a piece of paper so that he could practice at home without having to call on her all the time.
- I think there's another way to help make it more flexible, thought Audiselia.
- Which one?
- Let's get them to balloon!
- HEIN? cried the Fairy and the Hero.
- I admit it's a good idea... Why not. The princess is supposed to have learned to dance by now. All right, come on! Swing!
Both of them stood up, knowing that any protest was futile, they complied, one of them red in the face, but you could tell that both of them were embarrassed.
- Let yourself be guided, okay? she stammered.
- Okay.
She intertwined her fingers between those of the Hero and they began their waltz, the tension of the Hero was even more felt during this dance. The Fairy then took the lead and cut short this discomfort which remained at the very beginning of this dance, she ordered him to relax more and to let her lead the dance.
- Close your eyes and trust me.
Unfortunately, when he closed his eyes, it made the spectacle even harder to watch. It was truly atrocious to watch: they were unknowingly pulling at each other, going in opposite directions, bumping heads...
Sawyer stopped this disaster and declared the training over.
The Hero and the Fairy went to rest in the company of Her Majesty and her faithful companion. The queen had brought them a delicious meal in a nice wicker basket, but Sawyer could not eat it because of an urgent call from his subordinates. The three of them enjoyed the meal on the edge of the training tower and could admire the kingdom in all its splendor thanks to the shimmering light of the artificial sky.
A group of people were watching them from the ground and were very upset that the queen was spending so much time with a piece of trash like the wingless fairy and her demon dog, the Hero. The queen could hear them gossiping about the two children but ignored them completely. She preferred to talk to them about their observation.
- I don't know if you realize it, children," Audisélia said, "but we have a small vision of what the world used to be like, although this is just a small window on the world before.
- A light that extends to the horizon of our planet..., commented the Hero with his mouth full.
So this is what you see when you fly in the sky..., the princess remarked.
Thinking about this, she began to look sullen, it depressed her a little to realize that her vision of the place where she lived since her birth was so narrow. A large part of the immigrant population of Sylvania was in the same case as her, but they didn't have similar people who didn't have this handicap...
- Is it my meal that disgusts you so much ? asked the queen.
- No! No! Absolutely not! He is simply divine! It's just... No, nothing.
- "Simply divine" is good, but the skewers of Lalécus, downstairs from me, are better.
Audisélia grabbed the hand holding the snack he was tasting and shoved it into his mouth.
- But who do you think you are to make fun of the meal I prepared? she revolted.
- I'm sure it wasn't even you who prepared it!
- A statement without any proof!
At this absurd scene, the winged fairy laughed, forgetting her gloomy thoughts. The Hero's goal had been achieved and the queen had understood her objective. She blew her nose and returned to her seat.
- You know, kid, if you need to confide in me like you used to, you can always do that," said the Hero.
- No but it is nothing, do not worry, as you say! she reassured him by wiping her tears of joy, and I am not going to pour out myself on problems which are going to be soon solved thanks to your help.
- If you say so.
- Plus coming from you it's a mockery of the world, she continued, you didn't even come to me to tell me you felt bad about Thoosa's death or your fight at the champions party.
- I didn't see the point, really. And anyway, I'm not the kind of person who confides in others, I'm more the kind of person who helps others, but I solve my own problems.
- In my short life, I have learned that trusting others is important, my little guys," said the Queen, "It saves you from losing loved ones who feel neglected by you. They see you moping around and find themselves unable to help you. Knowing that you are helpless in such a situation is an abominable pain.
The Hero turned to the Fairy, looked her straight in the eye, then lowered his head and said that he might make an effort, even though it was going to be complicated.
- No problem, I'll wait.
- It's crazy that it's been ten years since we've had a war," the queen changed the subject.
- It's true that it's amazing, but it must be so relaxing for you.
- Oh you know, many of our generals want to go back to war because they miss the battlefield, the queen revealed to him, I don't miss it so much, I prefer to deal with the paperwork. Even if, in a way, it allowed me to let off steam. I have the opportunity, not so long ago, moreover...
- And you?" said the Fairy, addressing the Hero, "have you ever been in a war?
- Yes. I was even the cause of it, he specified the glance more and more empty.
- Is that so? What have you done now?" asked the queen.
- You see the Chutes de Marselle...
Stunned, she dropped her appetizer, and ended up with her mouth wide open.
- Don't tell me that you were part of the "Plain Three Hundred Thousand Deaths" war that took place three years ago?
- The war on the "Plain of the Three Hundred Thousand Dead"? The war that lasted three months? asked the Fairy, but there are supposed to be no survivors of this war.
- That's right," confirmed the queen, "so why were you there?
- In fact, the Nemesis corrupted three armies that were going to confront each other while I was coming back from the Paradise Island, thanks to a Kelvic escapian portal that saved me to cross Eden, and I found myself assaulted by three hundred thousand men, without even waiting for me to take a step in Francilia. It was one of the most trying battles of my life. Those immortal and corrupt armies that were tireless gave me a lot of trouble, and I had to get killed many times, even with Ymir. Slashing, smashing, biting, shredding, everything that stood in my way against this tide of men who wouldn't leave me alone.
- In the end, did you manage to get this Nemesis? asked the Fairy.
- Yes, but he was not part of the armed forces that had attacked me. But that's another story I'll tell you later! he laughed.
- Seriously? You leave us in suspense?
He nodded his head with a satisfied look.
- I've already told you that you are tiring.
- Yes.
- Well, I'll tell you again. You're lucky I'm a nice person or I would never have given you your gift.
- What gift?
The Fairy got up and went to her belongings and began to rummage through them looking for this famous gift.
- Lady Selia, why does it shock you so much that I survived this so-called war?
- Nice try, but you'll have to work on your vocabulary, but it's good enough for a foreigner, even if Helmir taught you Oli'Ane. However, since you didn't speak, I understand that it must be complicated. I congratulate you for the little you can do. I wanted to tell you that.
She stroked his head and he nodded his head and thanked her.
- But to answer your question: yes, I am surprised that you managed to defeat these three armies which are among the most powerful states of Franca. The city-states of Toulkoun and Monico, and the kingdom of Borléaux were not to be taken lightly, even by us, but the main reason for my surprise is that we had to participate in this war, however, some disagreements made us withdraw from our alliance with Toulkoun.
- Then we could have faced each other...
- Yes.
"Was this another blow from the Fate of the hero of the legend?" was the first thought that came into the Hero's mind.
And for once, he thanked him for intervening that time.
Then, as the Fairy left, the Queen approached the Hero. Her facial expression became more serious, and she asked him what he had learned from Thoosa before his death and from his visit to the Nether. She had not been able to contact Helmir since then to ask for an update; she was busy with other things.
He explained to her that he had not been able to obtain anything from Thoosa, they had to meet outside but when he arrived at the meeting place, he had found him hanged.
- You know, it's strange that she ended up hanging herself," commented the queen.
- Why?
- Because she is the daughter of the fortune teller Sibyl. She had the same ability as her mother to perceive the future, that's why she was successful in everything. However, strangely enough, since your arrival, she no longer won in everything, giving her first place to the airy fairy.
- Since I arrived?
- Yes. Seriously, we knew Tarkus' abilities, we knew how strong he was. We knew that if Thoosa was his princess, she would be undefeated. In a way, we thought that she would win. With that kind of power, normally she couldn't be killed.
The Hero clenched his fists in anger. No sooner had he thanked him than he had to find out that the damn Fate had meddled in the fate of others again.
When one becomes a hero of the legend, one quickly understands that the most powerful thing that fate had was the Fate of the hero of the legend. Imagine a river flowing horizontally, a constant and unperturbed flow, then suddenly this flow is disrupted by a pebble that starts to make this river flow in a circular way even if it means that most of the water gets stuck and dries up just so that this pebble can reach its destination.
This is the fate of the hero of the legend for his contemporaries. The most horrifying thing is that this phenomenon can extend to the entire world population.
A sort of reverse butterfly effect.
Everything must happen to allow the success of the hero's objective of the legend.
And this! This! This could not leave the Hero unmoved!
Knowing that people were dying for the sake of the ultimate goal of this hero who had involved generations of people in this endless quest to destroy the Evil One. Which only made him hate this legend even more.
He calmed down and continued his summary of what he had learned in the Nether and his decision to help Malalalivia and Lelelitio.
Oh yes, didn't you hear that he changed his mind? I have to tell you what happened two nights ago when Helmir and the Hero were returning from the Nether.
Let's go back to two days earlier.
The Hero and Helmir were walking up the slope to the Upper Town. The boy was moving faster than Helmir, hands in his pockets, head down, biting furiously on a wooden stick from one of the skewers he had brought, not knowing how to vent his frustration, he was taking his anger out on that small piece of wood. Helmir tried to calm him down by getting him to change his mind.
- Is it the unsanitary streets that make you so angry?
- No," he grunted, "they are hardly different from those of Vicenti.
- It's true," he admitted, "they just don't have those fluorescent light signs inviting you into brothels... it reminds me much more of where I was born.
- Who is?" he said without even looking at her.
- The Obscure Protectorate.
The Hero slowed his pace, remembering having heard that name before.
- Maybe you've already heard about it. It is even sure that you have already heard about it since you are here.
- Yes. From the Queen's mouth, I think. Is it as disgusting as in Vicenti or here?
- No, it's just... the Dark Protectorate. A place darker than darkness, where all the creatures of the "night" have taken refuge being weaker than the colossal monsters of the outside world.
- Really?" he asked, stopping, curious.
- Yes. We are part of the refugee population like the other races you have seen all over Sylvania, but most of them cannot live in the light of this false sun.
- But you can, though.
- I'm just part of the minority of the population that can do it. But even so, this minority will never want to leave the Dark Protectorate because it is so much better there than in the Nether.
- Is it different from here?
- It's more like Uptown but just darker. We have our own nobility, hierarchy and discrimination. For example, while fairies are better off here, vampires are better off there. But it's not so different from here: the same distrust that the Protectorate's inhabitants have towards people they don't know is similar to those of the inhabitants who are watching us now. Although those in the Protectorate are much healthier.
- If it was so good why did you leave?
Helmir thought for a moment, her eyes seemed brighter than usual when she told him this. Her voice was no longer dull and lifeless, it wasn't as if she was incredibly cheerful, but she seemed much more alive than usual.
- I'll say it's because I wanted to discover the world," she answered with a slight smile full of stars in her eyes.
- What do you mean?" said the Hero, "like an adventurer? You?
- I assure you it's true. With two friends of mine.
- It's so... strange," doubted the Hero, "you, who are so... pragmatic and so... nihilistic, I would never have thought that you could have dreamed of discovering the world. Even when Asteron brought us to Anomalia Circus, you didn't even smile as big as you do now.
His smile is barely visible.
- Contrary to appearances, I was not always like this. I dreamed of the outside world, even if it was as dark as the place where I lived, I wanted to see it all the same. To discover territories that were just told to us in books or by newcomers. However... like the lizardmen, my people are prized for their special abilities that are useful for assassination or espionage. They are our main rivals in this field. So I was offered to become a spy for the queen. It was, and still is a job, very well paid with many benefits, but it would be giving up my dream of adventuring.
- And in your pragmatism, you chose to be a spy because it will allow you to travel while being well paid and well covered, he tried to guess.
- Be a little, boy," she scolded him, "I just told you that I wasn't at that time. And since I wasn't, I found myself moping around my room not knowing whether to abandon my friends and my dream or not. My indecision must have lasted a month.
- And what made you decide to take the step?
- The death of my two friends.
The Hero's wooden staff fell to the ground. He had not expected such an outcome in Helmir's story. She had said it with such detachment that it took him a while to understand what she had just said. He knew about the difficulties of Helmir's past, but he would never have thought that she, who was so lonely, had had loved ones, and on top of that, that she had lost them... But what was he saying? Of course she had relatives, even if she was an orphan! This gave her a point in her heart that made it hard to breathe.
- Why didn't you ever tell me?" bellowed the distraught Hero.
- Because you never asked me.
The Hero stared at her nastily, not liking her answer very much.
- You don't have to look so bad, it's a joke," she said, leaning against the wall of one of the houses along the main street, "but in a way it's not wrong. You never asked me, so I never told you. It's not like it's a sacred thing, but okay. And now, finally, I'm doing it.
Both of them huffed at the night elf's argument.
- Let's go back to where I left off," said Helmir, "I can imagine that you want to know how Rure and Ectae died.
Shyly, the Hero nodded as he swallowed, taken aback by the lack of feeling she had as she told him about the death of her friends.
- We were not the only ones who wanted to escape the monotony of life in the Dark Protectorate. A minority of the protectorate's population wanted to escape because of the Sylvani hegemony that no longer suited them. They wanted their independence by getting rid of the protection of the fairy kingdom. Thus, many attacks were perpetrated in every corner of the protectorate. It went so far that the independentists asked for help to one of the most violent states, if we can call it that, in Francilia and one of the biggest enemies of the Fairies: the state of Puy.
- The slave state whose main activity is this?
- Exactly.
Puy was located in Les Epesses. For a long time, there was a kingdom of humanoid animals, different from the therianthropes who had human features, they were bipedal animals. Whether they were canines, felines... rabbits... or any other existing animal that could stand upright - I've never seen a standing fish, by the way. After two millennia of tranquility in this area visited by no one, a group of humans had decided to target them and make them their livelihood. They were far too strong for the inhabitants of Le Puy and these humans managed to enslave them and sell them to the highest bidder. This market eventually spread to all races, even human. They were not the only ones to do so - Vicenti was an example - but the particularity of this bloodthirsty and savage state was not that they were a state, but that they had a government that ran the whole thing.
Anyone who has been there and back knows that its inhabitants are unworthy of being called intelligent beings. They were incapable of compassion or morality, and there were very few of them that you could do business with, so to think that there was a man who was able to keep other of his morbid fellow creatures on a leash, able to sell their own sister for a few coins, was simply amazing.
Besides, the bounty hunters who were caught with the Hero had to come from there.
- However, the deceitfulness of these men and women of Puy was harmful to the Protectorate, which found itself attacked from all sides by them and a large part of the population was killed, including my two friends. Two days later, the leaders of Sylvania came to report on the situation. We received no condemnation, no one was tried or sentenced, although Judge Triface wanted to exterminate us all for treason even though many of us were not connected to the separatists. The only thing that was done was that Queen Audiselia went to avenge my fellow citizens on her own by going to hold Vicoriliem Yarotu, leader of Puy, accountable. The rest is known only to her.
- But that has nothing to do with you and your decision, the Hero said.
- Yes, because if I had made the decision to go on an adventure with Rure and his brother Ectæ, they wouldn't have waited for me so long and would be alive, and if I had made the decision to become a spy earlier, I could have taken action by potentially spying on the doings of our nation's enemies. I would have had two regrets: either I would have regretted not living an adventurous life with my friends, or I would have regretted not being there when the Dark Protectorate attacked, but at least I would have made a decision and would not be crying every night about being so indecisive. Now I have to live with the weight of that indecision.
The Hero felt embarrassed. A few moments ago he had blamed her for not confiding in him earlier, but now he would never have her use that for this moral lesson that had excruciatingly twisted his gut.
- You can't tell, but their death really touched me. However, since that day, I feel unable to feel any emotion at all, well, as demonstratively as the rest of you. Often I let myself go and sometimes I feel jealous of you guys who had such... deep feelings.
- I think I understood, Helmir. I understood what I had to do.
- I don't force you to act for them...
- I know. You just want me to make a decision and take responsibility for it knowing that I might regret my decision anyway because of the consequences, but better that than my indecision.
- That's it. And that's how you become a real man. Girls love it.
- But don't talk about that! "blushes the hero.
It was always difficult to discuss this topic with the Hero: Girls.
Not in terms of gender, but in terms of how he might feel about them. Even as a child, with the other boys, he never dared to talk about it because of his physical problems. He imagined that if he said he liked a girl, they would go and reveal everything to the girl in question. So he always remained silent to this kind of question.
Later on, because of this decerebrate Asteron, he was more interested in the flesh than in human feelings - also due to teenage hormones - but was always unable to form any kind of relationship with anyone, because of his curse and his mutism. Yet, somehow, he was very appreciated by women older than him. Probably because of his kindness when he acted as a waiter in the different bars of the city of Vicenti, in exchange for a few services. The girls thanked him with kisses and hugs, he had even received advances once, but he had always refused, out of pure shyness, even though he found them beautiful. Asteron judged this through the prism of cowardice - if one can be polite. I'm glad he didn't give in. He hadn't been raised that way, after all.
- Are you now ready to make a decision without grumbling all the way back?
- Yes.
- So... Mr. Selino Lelelitio Grave can you come out of hiding?
- The two boys cried out.
Lelelitio appeared before the Hero and the night elf. The Hero's eyes widened as he watched him slowly reveal himself.
- A camouflage outfit? said the Hero.
- No, a spell of invisibility, even camouflage," Helmir corrected.
- How did you spot me, Tunsar elf?" asked the servant of the lowland fairy.
- "Tunsar elf"? questioned the Hero to Helmir, is that an insult?
- No way. It's the name of my people. But for someone to recognize an elf by his ethnicity, you can only be an elf yourself.
- What do you mean? Lelelitio, aren't you a fairy without wings?
- Hey no," Helmir answered in place of the main person concerned.
She approached Lelelitio and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.
- It is one of my fellow creatures.
- An elf? But his ears are as short as the fairies'.
Helmir laughed and resumed his seriousness.
- Champion," Lelelitio intervened, "having long ears is not a prerequisite for being an elf.
- Even if it makes the other elves jealous," Helmir laughed.
- At least we are less chased by poachers.
- I'll leave that point to you," said the spy, "because I don't think you've come to debate the ethnic differences between the elves and their good or bad qualities.
- Yes, it is.
Lelelitio withdrew Helmir's arm and walked towards the Hero. He expected a violent confrontation with the elf who was not a tunsar elf who would reproach him for not behaving like the hero he should be, as the majority of people would define him to be and as the world expected him to be.
However, it turned out differently.
Lelelitio had a look full of reproaches but he did not inveigh the young boy, he even did the opposite, he enjoined his hands, put them above his head that he lowered by putting a knee on the ground and emitted supplications against the Hero.
- O hero of the legend, I beg you, in the name of my princess and the people of the Nether, to help us fight these people who are preying on these poor, destitute people, with the legendary strength that you possess. Only you can help the protector of this lawless place. Neither the guards, nor the elites, nor even the queen will help us, we can only rely on Princess Malalalivia Talemilia Grave who is our last and only defense against this threat. So I beg you to consider my mistress' request carefully.
Around them, whispers could be heard, the Hero could not hear what they were saying to each other, but the elves could hear what the people, who were crowding around the Hero and Lelelitio who was pleading for his help, were saying.
- You must have overheard my conversation with Helmir, so you are aware that she is forcing me to make a decision, so you don't need to get down on your knees and beg me to make a choice because I'm going to make one," he said in a slightly embarrassed tone.
- That's why I'm begging you on my knees!" said Lelelitio, "I want you to do the right thing so that my princess doesn't fall into despair! Even if she seems strong, she is at the end of her tether, she has already reached her limits and does not see how to save these children she takes in. Giving them a home is not enough to protect them from these sacrificers. I just want you to consider my teacher's request.
- Leave the gentleman alone!" shouted a woman from the top of a building, "if your incompetent princess can't protect her own, it won't be a nobleman who does.
The Hero was still mistaken for a nobleman because of his flashy clothes, when he was nothing of the sort... He was like them, but he was lucky that his mother was friends with the queen of this shifting country otherwise... he wouldn't even be here after all. He would still be serving as a bogeyman on behalf of his former parents, if you could call them that.
Suddenly, Malalalivia's servant was hit by a can of food that shot out of one of the windows surrounding them. Lelelitio did not flinch. He kept the same position. He received a second one, then the skin of a fruit, mud, animal droppings, stones, bricks... In addition to the insults and contempt of the inhabitants of the Basfonds who spat at him and his princess with "weaklings", "buffoons", "useless", "royal pariahs", "false protectors"...
- You people promise to improve our living conditions but nothing changes!
- Now we are being killed without anyone paying attention and you are begging an unknown man to help you!" said another voice.
- Truly the trash of the kingdom of Sylvania!
- As if you were going to make us believe that a being as prestigious as the hero of the legend would come down here for us! We are not fooled!
- He has much more urgent things to do than to deal with wretches like us!
The Hero turned to Helmir, questioning her with his eyes, the elf simply answered him, making him understand that he could have the answer from the main person concerned. Then he went towards his interlocutor, receiving in full flight one of the bricks thrown by one of the detractors of the Talemilia Grave princess and sending it back to the thrower, exploding it against a wall, making the throws stop. He knelt down in front of Lelelitio and put a hand on his shoulder.
- You didn't have to kneel in front of me to ask for my help. I'm not a god or anything to deserve that much respect.
- You are more than a myth to the rest of us, begging for your help is like a divine prayer.
- It's pathetic to pray to a guy who prays too," retorted the Hero, "and besides, you weren't that distant with me at the reception. Stand up and ask me like you would anyone else.
Lelelitio refused the Hero's request, continuing to hold that pleading pose. Then the Hero lifted him from the ground by his armpits and put him face to face with his hands with his fingertips. The servant still kept his head down.
- I can't accept a request in such a formal way when I don't have my own name to define myself so if at least, if you could behave with me as I would like to be in your eyes, it would give me a proper existence.
Her words echoed strangely in the heart of the Tunsar elf, she had never thought about how it felt for Asteron's protégé not to have a name of his own, which is the first gesture of love that any living being makes to his child. Perhaps that was also the purpose of not giving a name to these "cursed" people, beyond denying their existence: not even offering them the most love possible.
- Champion of the princess, will you save us from these evil people for the sake of the people of the Netherland and for the heart of my princess?
- "Champion of the airy princess" is still a title but that's okay, we'll go with it. Since I don't have to be indecisive in this kind of situation and I have to take a stand, you can imagine that I made the decision to help you immediately.
Lelelitio widened his eyes, surprised by the Hero's quick decision, he was only able to say, in a weak, almost inaudible voice:
- Really?
- Hey how!" replied the Hero with a big smile, "let's kick the asses of these sectarians who think they can take the lives of others with impunity!
For the first time since she had met him, she saw him smiling broadly, making his face glow. Helmir knew deep down: she knew that helping others was what gave the boy the most pleasure. Even though she didn't want to interfere with the hero's decision at first, seeing him like this made her happy - though she didn't know how to express it. When Selino Grave had met the Hero at the reception, he had perceived a certain uneasiness in the young man, just by the sight of his eyes and the way he was slumped in his chair, he perceived in him a sad and disillusioned young man, whose soul was as black as the stain that covered his body, but here it was a dark face radiating light that faced him, to the point of making him cry. And as for his "Really?", he was only able to answer a simple, trembling lips:
- Thank you.
The Hero approached Lelelitio's ear, he asked him, in a whisper, if he should make a speech to the people watching him.
- That would be nice, yes.
- Don't you want to whisper it to me? I speak Oli'Ane well enough, but don't overdo it.
- The vast majority of people are illiterate and don't really have an education, so if you can't totally do the negation, it's not a big deal.
So he stood up and took a deep breath before facing the citizens of the Nether:
- Idle population! Contrary to what you think I am not a noble, I am even closer to you than you think. In any case, I am the famous hero of the legend that everyone in the kingdom talks about. The one who defeated the lizard-man and is the champion of the wingless princess. And at the request of this elf, I swear to you that I will stop these disgusting characters who are taking your lives as if you didn't count and bring their misdeeds to light! Whatever it takes!
There was a long silence before the citizens applauded, and the Hero set off in the direction of the Upper Town. Helmir smiled and followed him, telling the elf not to worry about those evil men, but rather about the state of this neighborhood if they happen to be strong.
- I have seen his strength, replied Lelelitio, I know what to expect.
Now the Hero found himself with a new rescue mission. In a way, he understood that Helmir would have wanted to intervene because this situation seemed similar to the one the Dark Protectorate had experienced. He clutched his chest, hoping from the bottom of his heart that he would be able to save these children as he had thought of doing with Astarte's father and mother, and not disappoint his sister-in-law's expectations...
No, this time it will not happen again. His eyes filled with determination, he vowed to stop these criminals so that their victims would not become a burden on his conscience like the too many deaths he has to bear - both his own and those of his predecessors.
The queen, having heard his story in outline - not all of it, only you are aware of the states of mind of each of the protagonists in the summary of the story of the Hero in the Underworld -, asked the Hero what he was going to do concretely to contain this threat. He replied that he did not yet have a solution, especially if they were nobles from the queen's court, she would have to intervene.
- Making serious accusations against them would not work in the favor of the descendant of the fourth king, says the queen, we need solid evidence to confront them, especially if these accusations come from a royal pariah...
- In fact," asked the Hero, "why do the citizens of the Netherland rely more on the kingship of the fourth king than on you?
- For it has been so since the death of the first king. He decreed that it was up to him to manage the unwanted populations of the holy fairy kingdom. This gave him something to do since he had no power. And knowing him, they knew he would not cause any revolution.
- Even among the fairies, there were undesirables...
- Yes. Discrimination does not stop at racial discrimination.
- Then the load of its descendants increased with the arrival of other races.
- Exactly. The continuity of the Great Feline's plan was to reform the law of the Nether so that it would no longer be a pit of poverty where all the ugliness of the fairy kingdom stagnates and everyone would be equal.
- A good initiative, noted the Hero, but abandoned because of the felony of this queen.
- That's it...
Upon hearing the Hero's story, Audiselia realized that there were even more people who did not feel safe with her. She had truly become nothing more than a degenerate weapon in the eyes of her people, an unattainable person who slaughtered the enemies of their nation.
Did these people remember that she was supposed to be the great liberator of the Faerie?
She thought she was right to leave them in charge: they would be better able to be helped by these people whom their nation had neglected.
- Can I still have my armor back for the tournament?
- No. Forget it.
- Why?
- It's a combat armor that's loaded with gadgets that can kill your opponents.
- As if a sword could not...
- It's true," the queen admitted, "in truth, I just want to... keep it to myself.
The Hero leaned towards Audiselia, before understanding what she was implying.
- It's okay, it doesn't matter. Keep it until I leave.
- Oh how nice... son..., she ventured to say, pretending to tease.
This surprised the Hero who didn't know how to react, he kept blinking and making strange noises with his mouth as if he was laughing while coughing, so he tried to tease her by following her.
- Nothing more normal for me ... mamounette! he said between his teeth with a smile more than uncomfortable.
He didn't know any other alternative to this word in Oli'Ane so he had to pronounce it in Franca. He hoped that she understood what he had said, and from the reddening of her face, she seemed to have understood what he had said very well.
- Mamounette? asked the Fairy, what does that mean?
Both the queen and the champion howled in surprise, far too engrossed in their discussion that they had forgotten the presence of the princess.
- How long have you been here?
- Now.
The Hero sighed with relief.
- What's up? Do you have something to hide from me?
- Absolutely nothing.
- That's it, yes, doubted the princess, you are relieved that I have not heard anything but you do not hide anything from me.
- Uh..., stammered the Hero.
- He is planning a surprise party for you for his victory during the tournament.
- Seriously?
- What? What?
Audisélia shrugged her shoulders.
But when did she have to go on such a big lie?
The Hero wanted to tell his princess the truth, but seeing the stars shining in her eyes, he quickly gave up the idea, not wanting to break the dream she had just created in her mind.
I have no money. She's going to pay off Her Majesty of the Flies!
This last sentence surprised him, he had never heard anyone use this expression in his life, yet it seemed so familiar and relevant in its use.
- Well, it's more of a surprise party..., says the Hero.
- No, but I'm going to pretend I don't know," the Fairy said excitedly, "I can erase my memory.
- Stop it," the queen warned her, "I don't mind that you're delighted by this news, and competent enough in magic to perform such a spell, but please don't make such nonsense about such trifles. We are fortunate to be able to use magic as we please, but that doesn't mean you have to use it any way you want.
- Yes, it's true," conceded the Fairy.
She turned to the Hero, hands behind her back, with a big smile, she seemed to be hiding something from him.
- I have a surprise for you too. Close your eyes.
He did so and held out his hands. He felt a heavy object land in the palm of his hands, then opened them when he had grasped the surprise, and saw that it was a book.
That was rather unexpected, he had told her that he liked to read but never what kind of works he liked.
- Turn the book.
He did so and found, to his surprise, that it was a Bible, another Christian Bible - he thought she was stupid enough to bring him one of the god Frezan.
- Oh well, thank you.
- It took me a while to get it, I had to ask your friend the night elf to help me, otherwise I would never have gotten it.
It is true that there are few left in the world of these books.
- She went to ask for a copy at the Universal Library of Vicenti?
- Yes! But did you know that this book was worth a fortune?
- Everything is worth a fortune there...
Fortunately, the one in Paris-la-Déchue was found...
- I tried to read it but it's in an old incomprehensible Franca, even if I re-translated it, it's still complicated like Franca.
- It's true that there are some turns of phrase that no one uses anymore.
- Anyway, glad you like it. Will you read it to me sometime?
- I don't think you'll be interested, really. But there's a story I'd like to read to you one of these days, do you want to read it?
- I'd love to.
Seeing them so fulfilled put a smile on Queen Audiselia's face, it was as if she was finally building something good in her life, instead of just being a source of destruction. Seeing their efforts to blossom despite what the world was taking from them made her want to do her best to improve herself and become a better person.
- I'm going to help the people of Downbelow, kid," she announced.
- For real?
- In a different way than yours, but I intend to contribute.
- What are you going to do in the Nether?
- I can't tell you it's about your party! he lied.
- Oh yes, that's right!
And all three laughed heartily.
In a few weeks, the next stage of the tournament would take place for the Hero and his fairy, events would awaken the Hero's anger and jeopardize the peace of Sylvania, but for now, there were still a few things to do and a few people to meet before it came to that.