Kapitel 55: 55, Flaming Gambit A Fairy's Dash to Safety
Using the Fairy Fire Gate as a distraction was a considerable gamble, but simply running away risked being caught. So, I enveloped myself in the most dramatic Fairy Fire Gate, using the flames to block the All Mosquito's line of sight—a spontaneous, reflexive strategy that I came up with in a flash.
"Speed up... so we're running now, huh?"
"Yeah, we're not in top shape."
As if she understood my thoughts, Phoebe whispered a speed-up spell. Thanks to the downhill slope, we were accelerating rapidly towards the barrier. The biggest concern was whether I could get inside it. Since it was a barrier created by fairies and hadn't been breached yet, it must be resistant even to the All Mosquito.
Of course, destroying it myself was out of the question, and with my MP depleted due to the Fairy Fire Gate, it was crucial that this barrier only repelled insects. If it were only allowing fairies through... then I had to take a chance and get Phoebe inside! If it only admitted fairies, at least it wouldn't harm her!
The worst part is that nobody can get through... but I'll push that thought aside. Determined in my mind, I charged forward, diving into the formless barrier headfirst!
■■■
As Lena plunged into the barrier, All Mosquito observed the column of fire with curiosity. He tilted his head, pondering the strange white-haired figure that had self-destructed simply by speaking. The thick flames still roared ahead, mesmerizing him. "Hmm, to think that after the centipede, the dragonfly has fallen too… It might be time to strategize. We're down to only two executives now. And to think we've missed out on such a feast… Well, it's fine. The arrival of one human means more are likely to follow. This is exciting! Human blood is quite delectable…"
He smiled to himself, envisioning the next feast, before turning to leave once the flames had died down.
■■■
The barrier didn't resist me… As I passed through, my vision adjusted to the other side.
"Flowers... Hyaah!?"
"Kyaa!?"
My foot caught on an uneven surface, tumbling me forward. I instinctively twisted my body, trying to avoid crashing onto my chest, but my back scraped against the ground.
My HP bar dipped slightly…
"Ouch… Phoebe, are you alright?"
"Y-yes... But more importantly, are you okay, Lena?"
"I'm fine. Just take a look around."
Lena sat up, gesturing for Phoebe to observe her surroundings.
They found themselves in a flower field, vibrant with red, blue, white, and yellow blooms, a stark contrast to the brown wasteland outside the barrier. The sweet scent of flowers filled the air. In the distance, a small wooden house appeared...
"Ah, it's just like it was back then..."
"There's a house! Let's check it out."
"Yes!"
As Phoebe's voice trembled with emotion, they began to walk, but suddenly, numerous magical circles spread out around them!
"Who are you...? How did you get past the barrier?"
A voice filled with clear hostility echoed around them. This was bad... they couldn't see the source of the magic circles. Yet, strangely, panic didn't rise within Phoebe—because the voice was the first one she heard when she saw her memories.
"Wait! I was sent to protect your daughter."
"Mom!!"
"What? Phoebe...!?"
At Phoebe's words, the empty space around them warped, and a fairy appeared—essentially a larger, more beautiful version of Phoebe. It was Phoebe's mother, just as Phoebe had seen in her memories.
The magical circles vanished, and though it was unclear if the strange tension was due to a lack of wariness or shock, for now, they felt a sense of relief.
"Wow!!! Mom, I missed you so much!"
Phoebe flapped her wings and burst out of her pocket, enveloping her mother in a tight embrace, crying louder than ever before.
"I'm so glad… so glad you're alive… ugh…"
"It was all Lena who helped me…"
Phoebe's mother started to cry as well. It was heartbreaking to see her trapped in such a huge barrier, fearing for her daughter's safety. It was only natural to assume that survival seemed hopeless under such circumstances.
For now, I decided to quietly observe—interrupting this moment would be rude.
I suddenly felt a multitude of gazes on me. Could it be that more fairies were hiding nearby? After all, Phoebe's mother had just appeared out of nowhere; perhaps others were using similar magic to remain concealed.
I decided to raise my hands in a gesture of harmlessness.
Then, Phoebe's mother stopped crying and spoke up.
"I apologize for acting hostile earlier! You saved my daughter's life, and I responded with aggression!"
"Oh, please, lift your head! I'm sorry for suddenly entering the barrier and startling you!"
Phoebe's mother bowed her head.
I quickly urged her to look up, feeling an unexpected combination of guilt and embarrassment at having someone related to Phoebe bow to me.
"Come on out, everyone! This person is Phoebe's savior!" Phoebe's mother clapped her hands, and suddenly, the space around us seemed to warp. Then, a swarm of tiny fairies, each about the same size as Phoebe, appeared—around thirty of them, I'd guess. But how had they been hiding? Was it some kind of stealth magic?
"Uh, so are you welcoming us? If possible, I'd like to understand more about this place and your situation…"
"Of course we welcome you! Standing and talking isn't ideal; please, come this way!"
Led by Phoebe's mother, we entered a spacious area furnished with wooden chairs and tables sized for humans—likely leftovers from Yuki's visit. The other fairies perched wherever they pleased, watching us with the curious eyes of children encountering something extraordinary. I felt a bit shy.
I sat down on a wooden chair while Phoebe returned to my chest pocket.
"Are you okay there?"
"Well, it's… the coziest spot for me," she replied with a cheerful smile.
Feeling no reason to object, I invited Phoebe back into my pocket.
"Now, you wanted to know about our situation, right? May I call you Lena?"
"Yes, please! I want to learn more. I know a little, but I need a clear understanding of what has happened here."
Phoebe's mother began to speak.
"We originally didn't live within the barrier, you see. Lena, I believe you've only seen the desolate wasteland outside the barrier, but this was once a land blanketed in flowers.
However, one day, the old Mosquito King, Allmosquito, who had been sealed away for ages, returned with an army of insects. They ravaged the flowers, consuming them mercilessly..."
"Is that why you sought refuge inside the barrier from Allmosquito?"
I had glimpsed the peaceful Fairy Garden in Phoebe's memories, but mentioning it might confuse things, so I remained silent.
"Yes, we initially put up a fight, but ultimately, we were forced into the barrier. Thanks to the final defense line created through a ritual spell, where everyone pooled their magical energy, we managed to protect the last flower fields from that disaster—Allmosquito and his army. Still, with fewer flowers, we're dealing with various inconveniences..."
"I'm so hungry! With a smaller flower field, there's less food to gather!"
"I'm exhausted from supplying magic to the barrier every day!"
As the other fairies expressed their discontent, Phoebe's mother clapped her hands sharply, silencing them.
I see, so there's a food shortage... now that I think about it, I still have a lot of cookies I got from TT.
About half of what I have is stored at Lily's house, but I own ten boxes of ten pieces each. Since Phoebe enjoyed them, it stands to reason that all the fairies would too. The nutritional balance might be questionable, but when you're hungry, it's essential to first satisfy that hunger.
"I'm sorry for interrupting my explanation... We make medicine and meals from flowers. When other humans visited, we used to share rare dishes, but since the All-Mosquitoes have returned, we haven't had any encounters, and we've lost many of our flower fields. Now, we're living on the edge."
"Oh, I have snacks, would you like some?"
At those words, all eyes but Phoebe's turned to me. Was the situation that dire?
"I'll say this upfront: I have quite a lot, so there's no need to fight over it. I want everyone to line up properly—I really don't want anyone getting hurt in a scramble."
With that, I opened my system screen and took out all the candies I had. The fairies erupted in cheers.
"I was in the middle of an explanation, but first, I need to distribute cookies before I can continue. Okay, everyone line up!"
At Phoebe's mother's command, the fairies began to form a single line. I took out the cookies, handing one to each fairy in turn.
Every time the fairies receive a cookie, they beam and say, "Thank you!" While it brings me joy to see their smiles, it also makes me a bit sad to realize just how dire their situation is regarding food. I handed out one cookie to each, and after distributing 47 cookies, I finally reached the last fairy, Phoebe's mother.
Originally, there were about thirty fairies, but as they caught sight of me, their numbers swelled significantly.
"Thank you so much... Honestly, I was very hungry, so this helps a lot. I should really be the one to explain and express my gratitude first... It seems like you are always the one helping me," she said.
"Well, I'm aware of the general situation now," I replied, summarizing what I'd learned.
To put it simply: the revival of the All-Mosquito had forced the fairies into a cramped barrier. As a result, they struggled to find food among the dwindling flower fields. It seemed clear that my mission was to defeat the All-Mosquito and eliminate the swarm of insects. Even if there was no official quest at hand, it didn't matter—those were enemies that needed to be vanquished.
"Is there a way to transform the wasteland back into a flower field after defeating the All-Mosquito and eliminating the insects to the point where the barrier is no longer needed?"
"Technically, yes... But to restore everything at once, you would need a powerful magical item. It would likely take a gradual approach to increase the flower fields, especially considering that I've already used up such an item..."
A powerful magic item... I might be able to create one, but I shouldn't think about that right now. I need to deal with the All-Mosquitoes first before I make any plans.
"Just to confirm, Phoebe's mother is in a leadership position among the fairies, right?" I asked.
"Yes, she serves as a kind of leader. She's not very good at it, but if we lose coordination in this situation, we won't be able to maintain the barrier, and we could face total annihilation..."
"In that case, I'll leave the rest of the cookies with you. If possible, I'll bring more later."
"Thank you so much! This will help us survive a little longer!"
With that, Phoebe's mother bowed her head again. I could tell how dire the food shortage was, but I felt uncomfortable having Phoebe's mother bow to me! Besides, Phoebe herself was panicking and didn't know what to do! So, I found myself desperately urging Phoebe's mother to lift her head.
"For now, as I mentioned earlier, I have a good understanding of the situation... Would it be alright if I took a walk inside the barrier? I need some time alone to think."
After finally getting Phoebe's mother to lift her head, I began walking alone within the barrier. When I suggested a stroll, Phoebe had wanted to join me, but I told her to take the chance to catch up with her mother and friends instead.
"Hmm, what should I do about this… After meeting with Phoebe and her mother, I've been thinking a bit… Is it really fair to keep dragging Phoebe around? But then again, could I really defeat the All-Mosquitoes without her help? With the Neige Flower in her hands, Phoebe is incredibly reliable.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein