Book 1 Chapter 870

870.

"We've arrived."

At Melina's words, everyone wore tense expressions.

Above the Fairy Forest, where the Old Fairy Land was located.

Leo and his group looked down at the winter forest spread out below.

As Melina deactivated the polymorph, everyone plummeted down.

Despite the sudden fall from a great height, no one panicked.

Just as Chelsea and Ril were about to grab Leo.

Chen Xia, faster than them, embraced Leo and fell to the ground.

*Rustle-!*

Chen Xia, having landed, rubbed her cheek against Leo's head.

"Get down."

"Yes."

At his words, Chen Xia smiled and let Leo down.

"You still treat me like a child."

"You should have treated us like children in the first place, Leo-doryeong."

"If they're children, what else would you call them?"

Leo's words made Chen Xia pout slightly.

Meanwhile, the others also landed.

"Let's divide into teams and determine our search areas."

They needed to find the key to unlock the illusion in the Old Fairy Land.

As it was a search mission, dividing the personnel now was the most efficient approach.

At Leo's words, Eliza spoke.

"Didn't we hear that Tartarus's legion commanders have infiltrated this illusion? Can we really afford to split up so carelessly?"

Leo crossed his arms at Eliza's words.

"Have you already forgotten? Each of you now possesses power comparable to at least a legion commander."

"Leave me out of it. No matter how much I flap my wings, I can't become such a monster."

At Leo's words, Kal raised his hand.

"What do you mean by that! Kal! Are you calling me a monster?"

"Eek?!"

Ril, who had been upset by Leo's teasing about being a monster just moments ago, reacted sharply.

Leo said, "Calm down. I'm not saying you're a monster."

"I got excited. I'm sorry, Kal."

"You're saying all of us are monsters."

Ril, no longer agitated, stared blankly at Leo.

Under her gaze, Leo averted his eyes and said, "Alright, that's enough joking."

'Wow, that shameless Leo Floob is avoiding eye contact.'

'Scary, Senior Ril.'

'At this point, he really seems like a monster.'

Eliza, Chelsea, and Chen Xia marveled inwardly.

Of course, they knew that at the moment they spoke these words, Ril's terrifying gaze would turn to them, so they didn't voice them.

Ril approached Leo, who was trying to avoid her gaze, and continued their staring contest.

Under her gaze, Leo scratched his head and said, "You have a beautiful smile, so don't make that face."

At his words, Ril's mood instantly lifted, and she smiled.

Leaving the now cheerful Ril behind, Leo said, "Even if we encounter a legion commander, with teams of two, we should be able to handle it."

At Leo's words, Melina spoke.

"Then I'll search alone."

If they formed pairs, one person would be left. Melina volunteered for that role.

"Then how do we decide the teams?"

When Ril asked, Chelsea pushed Kal, and Chen Xia pushed Eliza's back, bringing the two closer together.

"Let's pair up the married couples first."

"Who's married! Who!"

As Chen Xia said with a smile, Eliza retorted.

Then Chelsea said, "Xia. You never know what the future holds."

"Chelsea, what's with the sudden sensible advice…"

"Then we should say 'future married couples'."

"That does make sense."

Eliza lashed out with her whip at the two who were teasing her.

Of course, the two nimbly dodged the whip.

Leo sighed deeply.

"Why are you sighing so much?"

Kal, having dodged the whip and come to Leo's side, asked. Leo replied, "They look like adults on the outside, but they act like children."

"Ah. What can you do? They've just grown in size for now."

Kal chuckled.

"They'll change when they actually grow up."

"No. Even when they reach their actual age, they'll probably still be like this."

Leo shook his head and said, "If everyone's ready, we'll form teams, so gather around. We'll draw lots fairly. No complaints, right?"

And so, after the drawing of lots.

Eliza and Chelsea.

Kal and Ril.

Leo and Chen Xia became a team.

Chelsea pouted.

"I wanted to see more of Leo-oppa's cute side."

At her words, Eliza said, "Let's at least take pictures."

"Hmm. Not a bad idea, but wouldn't Leo-oppa be a little embarrassed?"

Chelsea thought that Leo might be embarrassed about appearing like a child, no matter what.

"Leo-doryeong won't be embarrassed at all. He didn't even bat an eye when he wore women's clothing."

"What?!"

Chelsea was shocked by Chen Xia's words.

"That happened too."

"See? He's nonchalant, isn't he?"

Chen Xia shrugged, seeing Leo's nonchalant reaction.

"D-do you have pictures? Pictures?"

Chelsea grabbed Chen Xia and asked.

"I do. He was incredibly beautiful."

"Sh-show me!"

"No."

"Why?"

Chen Xia smiled sweetly.

Melina, watching them, said, "Alright, everyone stop chattering and disperse."

At her words, Chelsea licked her lips and entered the forest with Eliza.

Ril and Kal also disappeared into the forest,

and after Melina left, Leo said, "Let's go."

"Yes."

Chen Xia smiled and followed behind Leo.

***

The search area assigned to Leo and Chen Xia was inside the Old Fairy Land.

The Fairy Forest itself was quite vast, so the Fairy Land, which Leo and Chen Xia were assigned, was relatively small in scope.

"Even so, it's quite large."

Chen Xia said, looking around from the center of the Fairy Land.

"It's the Fairy Land."

"Even if it's smaller than other places, there's a high probability the key is inside the Fairy Land… It might take longer."

At Chen Xia's words, Leo snapped his fingers.

With that, Fiora, Arti, and Kirran appeared.

*Fwoosh-!*

Upon being summoned, Fiora transformed into the form of a beautiful woman.

As the future was projected, she was no longer a child even in her human form.

Fiora gracefully curtsied towards Leo, lifting the hem of her skirt.

"Fiora has answered your summons. Master."

"You're magnificent, Fiora."

"Thank you, Arti."

"I have a request."

"What is it?"

"Please slap me once."

*Slap-!*

"Agh?!"

Fiora slapped him without hesitation, and Arti clutched his cheek and collapsed.

Then he wore an ecstatic expression.

"I love it."

"Leo-doryeong's familiars always have so much personality."

Chen Xia said, shaking her head.

Then she looked at Fiora.

"You've really grown into someone magnificent."

"Hmph."

Fiora puffed up her chest proudly.

"It's strange! She's not fat!"

At that moment, Kirran pointed at Fiora and said.

Then Fiora created a fly swatter out of flames and smacked Kirran.

*Thwack-!*

"-Eek!"

"Refrain from rude remarks, fairy."

Fiora scoffed.

Suddenly, Chen Xia wore a puzzled expression.

"But Kirran hasn't changed at all?"

At her words, Leo faltered.

It was true.

Arti was the same now as in the future.

Arti was originally a Pegasus who made a pact with the first emperor of the Rodren Empire.

He was already a fully grown being.

Therefore, it was natural that he wouldn't change in the future.

That's why he had overlooked it.

'Kirran is still a young fairy.'

If so, Kirran should have changed like Fiora.

At the very least, his wings should have taken on their complete form.

However, Kirran remained in his original form, having not yet regained his strength.

At Chen Xia's words, Kirran said, "It's probably because I haven't found my wings yet!"

"The future Fairy King wouldn't fail to find his wings."

Leo's words made Kirran flinch.

Looking at Kirran, who was slumped over, Leo said, "Kirran. You don't desire the future, do you? Is that it?"

"……"

At Leo's words, Kirran's shoulders drooped.

This place was an illusion.

Those who desired the future projected their future selves, and those who desired the past projected their past selves.

Therefore, it should be possible to project the present selves for those who desired the present.

Leo sighed lightly, looking at the dejected Kirran.

"I can guess why you were banished from the Fairy Land."

At Leo's words, Chen Xia tilted her head.

"Wasn't it because you were too mischievous?"

"That's right. But I thought there had to be a reason for the scale of mischief that led to this one being banished."

It was true that Kirran was fundamentally mischievous.

However, was it so problematic that Silod, the Fairy King, had to personally seal his powers and banish him?

Not really.

Losing one's powers and being banished was a punishment reserved for those who committed grave sins.

Until now, they had simply thought that he had become a little more mature after being banished.

"He accepted his banishment with indifference."

"Isn't that because… the Fairy King is the strongest fairy?"

"Kirran possessed overwhelmingly great power even compared to other fairies."

"What?"

"If he hadn't lost his wings, he would have been comparable to the Fairy King."

At those words, everyone looked surprised.

Kirran pouted.

"This wayward fairy is that strong?"

Fiora asked incredulously. Leo replied calmly, "In battle, Fiora, he fought with strength comparable to yours."

"That's because Master brought out my latent abilities."

"Yes. But Kirran has lost his wings. The foundation of a fairy's power is their wings. In other words, Kirran possesses that much potential even with his wings gone."

At those words, everyone looked at Kirran with astonished eyes.

"If he were truly a wayward fairy, he wouldn't have passively accepted the banishment when Silod tried to banish him."

'As expected, Leo is sharp. Is it because he's a friend of my father's?'

Kirran grumbled.

"Your excessive mischief that led to your banishment… and your passive acceptance of it… it was all because you didn't want to become the Fairy King, wasn't it?"

'That's right.'

"Why would you do that…"

Arti looked bewildered, and Chen Xia said, "…Were you afraid of Silod-nim's dissolution?"

"……"

Kirran remained silent.

Leo sighed.

"You must have known. That you weren't just born as one of the Fairy King's successors, but as a fairy born to become the Fairy King. And that the moment you became the Fairy King, Silod would dissolve."

'When Father dies, I'll have to do the job Father was supposed to do.'

Kirran grumbled.

"You unfilial child…!"

Arti covered Fiora's mouth, who was about to explode in anger.

He had guessed that Kirran hadn't refused to become the Fairy King for that reason alone.

'…And Father lived his whole life bound by 5000 years ago.'

Kirran bit his lip.

'I wish… he would look at the current era a little.'