Chapter 100 – Migratory Fairies (2/2)
Now that I thought about it, it was certainly strange that there wasn't any evidence of civilization in this area. While it could have been just put to chance, it wasn't really a convincing argument. This place was pretty safe, and there was a great dungeon as well. It was actually stranger that there wasn't some sort of large city here already.
”According to legends, the sacred mountain of Hourai was the domain of the gods. The forest protected their home and the powerful monsters within were a warning to any trespassers.”
”Huh...”
(So that mountain has a name huh?)
To have thought that it was believed to be a sacred mountain, and I lived inside of it like it wasn't anything special.
”They also said that the fools who didn't turn back would be judged by the gods themselves.”
”Wait, what would you have done if that really happened?!”
”Those that survived would go back to warn the rest.”
”That's it?”
”Was there anything else we can do? We've been looking for a way for the spirits to get away from those stubborn and foolish elves for so long. We had to take this opportunity.”
”I see.”
To have thought that they were driven into a corner so badly.
(They really care about the spirits huh?)
Despite how sombre the atmosphere had grown, I couldn't help but let my cheeks rise as I looked up at the fluttering fluffballs. Those guys were probably the most innocent creatures in this world, and they deserved to be treated well.
”Wait, you said gods, but I thought that people believed there was only one god?”
”That's what the church teaches. We fairies don't care what other people say about things. My granny told me, from what her granny told her, and her granny before her, that long, long ago, there were many gods who lived on Hourai Mountain. They watched over the people of light, played with us, and fought beside us against the people of dark.”
”So those gods back then walked amongst the people?”
”That's right. But one day, they all just disappeared. Some think that they chose to watch from far away while we solved our own problems while others think that they abandoned us, disappointed that even with their help we couldn't end the great war.”
”The great war?”
”The terrible, never ending war between light and dark people.”
”The same war from the age when gods walked the land?”
”That's right.”
(Seriously?)
”How long has this war been going on for?”
”They say for about as long as the world has existed.”
”Continuously?”
”Yes.”
”That's...”
(It sounded absurd. There was no way such a long was could exist.)
The war would have ended one way or another at some point. Either one side would have won, or a peace treaty would have been signed. Even if that didn't last, I couldn't see how a single war could have continued throughout all of this world's history.
(Did this world's gods have a hand in prolonging the war?)
For that matter...
”You said the church teaches that there's only one god, right?”
”That's right.”
”Then do they just ignore all the other gods or something?”
”The church teaches that there's only one god, but under him were countless heroes. That's why the church raises new heroes all the time to fight in the war.”
”The heroes are always part of the church?”
”They are.”
That explained why all the stories of heroes I've read sounded like all the heroes were just the church's private hounds. Because it was true.
”You mentioned that the war was between the people of light and people of dark, but do you mean the people from each side of the Abyssal Chasm?”
If I remembered right, Claret had told me that the chasm divided the continent between the land of light and the land of dark. If the war was merely due to that divide, then there was hope if something could be done about that.
”To be exact, the races from each side of the chasm.”
”The races?”
”That's right. Like the spirits and us fairies are both light races, while vampires and dragonkin are dark races.”
”So this is a racial war then?”
”That's right.”
Racial lines were much harder to resolve. And it was much easier to simply point at someone who looked different and declare them as the enemy.
Even despite the peaceful nature of Earth's first world countries, racism was still extremely difficult to stamp out, and even tiny sparks easily caused them to flare up again out of nowhere. History had repeatedly taught us that lesson yet the richest and most affluent people still were unable to learn it properly.
”Is that why you guys attacked us on sight?”
”Sorry.”
”No, it's fine. I'm just glad to have figured it out. I was worried that people just universally hated vampires specifically.”
When all the information was brought out, it was no wonder that vampires were looked so poorly on. Fundamentally my kind had been at war with the people on this side of the continent for as long as history had been passed down.
It was more like a minor miracle that the people who figured me out up until then hadn't just freaked out and outed me immediately. Even more so that these fairies had accepted me despite having only just met me.
”You're a good vampire! The fact that the spirits like you proves that! And so, we fairies like you too!”
All of a sudden the fairy elder peeked under my hood and stroked my cheek. Despite how tiny her hand was, it felt really warm.
”Thanks.”
Before I knew it, my mood had plummeted, yet in an instant this fairy elder that somehow looked like a pre-teen managed to give my emotions a complete 180.
Maybe she really wasn't just an elder for show?
”Now then, about what we owe you.”
”No, really, that's not...”
”Shh shh shh shh shh. Even if you don't want it...it doesn't matter. We'll do it anyways.”
The tiny elder lightly tapped my cheek with her hand while talking down to me like a child.
Despite the context, the implications of her words sent a small shiver down my spine.
(Fairies really do think differently from anyone else like in the stories.)
Considering all that, all I could do was weakly nod in response.
”Alrighty then! As for what...how about some new clothes? There's a few tailors amongst us. I'm sure one of them can make something better than this ratty robe.”
I felt a little insulted at her words as she lightly tugged the hem of my hood, but at the same time I couldn't bring myself to disagree with her assessment. These robes really were poorly made, and frankly it was a small miracle that they had held up for so long.
The weave is inconsistent the colour was a bit splotchy. The fabric was warped and the material had grown thin in some places. If one looked closely, you could even see some small tears here and there as well.
I was well beyond in need of a replacement, and the fact that this was my first line of defence against sunlight and light magic, it was stupid to continue neglecting it if something could be done about it.
”Alright.”
With my mind set, I gave Aurae a firm nod.
”That's my girl!”
The fairy gave me a bright smile before looking off to the side.
”Orphne! Hey! Come over here!”
Aurae wildly swung her arm as she called over another fairy. The one to turn towards us was the leader of that patrol group I had first met.
(So her name's Orphne huh?)
”What is...it Elder Aurae?”
The little blue winged one flew diagonally towards us before realizing she shifted too far to one side and corrected. Or rather, over corrected and partially circled around us and a bit under before realizing her mistake and finally arrived in front of us. While slowly sliding upwards.
Her face was quite red as she took a big gulp of whatever was inside that flower head.
”Orphne. Can you take, umm...what was your name again?”
”Scarlet.”
Frankly, it was feeling like going nameless had become a trait of mine. Almost everyone I met didn't learn my name until a while after we first met. Sometimes even days.
”Oh, you've got the same name as the legendary saint?”
”Yea, I was named after her.”
”Well, you live up to your name.”
”Thanks.”
”Now, Orphne, can you take Scarlet to our best tailor and have some clothes made for her afterwards?”
”Aye aye!”
The little fairy did a sloppy salute while barely avoiding dropping the flower in her left hand.
”You...!”
”Huh?”
The fairy turned to me and scrunched up her tiny face.
”Vampires can't eat is it?”
”Umm, yea. We can't eat normal foods.”
”But they say you drink instead, right?”
”Umm, right. We drink blood instead.”
I had a bad feeling about where this was going.
”It's a feast! But if you can't eat drink, then drink!”
She pressed that flower to my face.
The sweet smell of some sort of flower filled my nose along with the scent of alcohol.
”Wait wait! I can't...!”
”No waiting! Drink!”
Taking advantage of the fact that my mouth was open as I protested, she dumped the entire contents of the flower into my unguarded maw.
The entire inside of my mouth started to burn and as I tried to take a breath in shock, the sensation filled my throat, then as I exhaled it consumed my nostrils as well.
Unable to stand it, I ducked my head and did my best to spit out whatever it was that had invaded my face.
”Wah! What a waste! Gimme it if you don't want it!”
It was only after a few more moments of trying to purge the burning sensation in my mouth did I realize that there was a fairy hugging my face inverted while sucking on my distended tongue.
(This...doesn't count as a kiss, right?)
Ninetailed_Furball
Hi everybody! It's your usual furball! (≧∇≦)/
More fairy fun! Yay! (⌒▽⌒)/
Maybe the fairy stuff is a bit too ridiculous, but really I think you guys deserved some time with extra fluff. Too bad this was a chapter quite filled with exposition though, but lots of things had to be explained. Hope you guys still enjoyed this chapter.
And finally! Scarlet has little need to hide how little she knows!
Maybe she'll stop being so naive about this world soon? Maybe not. You don't learn common sense in just a few days or weeks. Some people don't learn it all their life after all.
Or the ability to read signs. But I'm rambling, so moving on! ~~~(-_-)/~~~
I wonder how many of you managed to catch the quote I threw in there? It's from one of my favourite games!
But anyways, so this was my hundredth chapter! Woo! (✿◠‿◠)
That's if you don't include the side chapters though, but who's counting? (I am, apparently) (#^.^#)
Unfortunately I don't have anything special regarding that. (-.-)
Well, I think that's everything for today.
Stay safe everyone, and wash your hands! (/◕ヮ◕)/