C376 - Descendant of the Fairies
"It seems like the subspace is about to collapse soon," said Jin, sensing the vibrations of the distorted subspace.
"That's right. I'm glad we didn't have to destroy it, as you suggested."
Valeria stood up, casually took off her robe, and continued speaking.
"It's been a rather intriguing conversation, Jin Runcandel."
During the three hours they spent inside the subspace, the two shared a considerable amount of stories.
Primarily, Jin talked while Valeria listened.
As a disciple of a past life and a current companion, he recounted how he had lived.
Of course, he wasn't talking about random things; Jin shared valuable information as companions.
Since becoming a Shadow Contractor at an early age (technically right after the Regression, from the moment of birth), the world's secrets he had uncovered since his Cadet days, the things he gained as a Provisional Flagbearer, the experiences he had as a Flagbearer, and his future plans...
Up until he met Valeria.
Valeria was genuinely interested in Jin's story.
She believed that the density of time accumulated by the human, Jin Runcandel, was incredibly profound.
"He's only nineteen, but he's been through so much."
Of course, Jin also knew the events that had unfolded in Valeria's life. But right now, she was nothing more than a seventeen-year-old girl just entering adulthood.
She was very aware that the happiness of her childhood had been short-lived, and she had endured more loneliness than anyone would expect from a young girl.
So, just before the subspace was about to collapse completely, Valeria shared an emotional story from her past.
"Do you remember what I was commemorating earlier?"
"Yes."
"It was a tribute to the Gray Owl Mercenaries and my deceased family. After Zipple massacred them, I vowed never to let others get close to me again."
Valeria looked into Jin's eyes.
Then she began to say something but stopped herself.
"What is it?"
"It's nothing. Anyway, after hearing your stories, I have a slightly clearer idea of what we're going to do together in the future."
Jin was surprised that she had mentioned the Gray Owl Mercenaries first. And he felt he understood the words Valeria had swallowed.
Fssss...
The collapse of the subspace was accelerating.
Shadows Energy particles fluttered like black pollen, spreading in all directions and disappearing.
Although only about three hours had passed inside the subspace, the outside world was approaching noon.
[They're here!]
[They've returned, Sheila-nim!]
The Cat Tribe members Lulu and Miru were the first to approach the two.
Both were wrapped in the Shadow Energy armor that Jin had provided, making them look like large tufts of fur.
The heavy rain had stopped, and the clouds parted, allowing the sun to shine down on them.
[Have you returned?]
Sheila flew toward them and spoke.
She looked tired.
Despite the distinctive fairy light flowing from her body, she appeared fragile.
Betrayed by her own family and having killed her only sister with her own hands in a single day, it was only natural.
"I didn't know time would flow like this. In my absence, haven't more pursuers come?"
[Yes. Someone is blocking those who approach the forest.]
"Who...?"
[That person introduced themselves as Mr. Green Rose.]
[Yes, Mr. Green Rose. That person said you'd know if we said that.]
[We've never met a human who could find us so easily.]
[And we didn't even notice Mr. Green Rose until he was right beside us.]
Lulu and Miru spent the entire night hidden, afraid of the pursuers, keeping watch over the forest's entrances.
Then, at one point, when they turned their heads, they saw Yona smiling at them.
They got very frightened and tried to run away.
However, Yona found the Cat Tribe members incredibly adorable and gave them their new alias.
'Sister Yona helped me.'
Jin felt grateful but also got goosebumps at the same time.
'When did big sister start following me...?'
Jin had no way of guessing.
It meant that Yona could have killed him at any moment.
Of course, Yona would never do that, but still...
[What's your relationship with Mr. Green Rose? An ally? Or just someone pretending to be an ally?]
"I'm glad we're on very friendly terms. We are allies."
Lulu and Miru breathed sighs of relief.
They had considered that if Yona turned out to be an enemy, Jin wouldn't be able to handle it.
'I don't exactly know when my sister started following me, but news of my journey to the Wantaramo Forest and that a Record Magician is with me won't reach Zipple.'
There was no need to hastily leave the forest.
While in the subspace, Jin had worried about not being able to converse with Sheila due to unfavorable external conditions.
Jin looked into Sheila's eyes.
"That you were descendants of the fairy tribe was just a name given to you by people, Sheila-nim. You're not descendants..."
[Nothing more than Fairies who lost their honor and were cursed by the Witch]
Sheila's response was filled with self-reflection.
[We're terrible beings. We kill powerless humans who approach us, exchange the Royal Melodic Drink with rulers in exchange for protection, and we've withered away in our small world.]
At that moment, Jin remembered a specific detail from the records of the Royal Melodic Drink.
They had regained existence solely thanks to Heluram's power, but not their true 'form'.
What they had forgotten weren't just memories of when they were true fairies.
Except for Shil, no, Sheila, most of the fairies were slowly forgetting even the actions and words Heluram had bestowed upon them.
Because it was boring.
Life that continued without purpose, meaning, or hope was a series of boredom.
So they found pleasure in killing humans who ventured into the forest, and that was enough for them.
Only Sheila was reflecting on her future as their Queen.
"...Nevertheless, you kept Solderet's promise."
[I didn't keep it; it was kept because you came. You are the promised Thousand Year Contractor, so I made no effort to keep Solderet's promise.]
"Among humans, there is a saying that the best way to substitute guilt is self-loathing. But, Sheila-nim, you are not human."
Jin paused briefly before continuing.
"So please, accept it. Sheila-nim, you made mistakes long ago. You suffered cruel consequences, and that wasn't enough; you were cursed. However, while other fairies completely lost themselves, you haven't forgotten Solderet's message."
That should suffice.
As Jin concluded his words, Sheila's wings trembled slightly.
[Thank you.]
"It may have sounded presumptuous. Thank you for listening kindly."
Sheila's gaze shifted to Valeria.
[Come closer.]
Valeria stepped in front of Sheila.
She had an expression as if she sensed something.
[What did you feel from the records seen through the Royal Melodic Drink?]
Valeria slowly closed her eyes and then opened them.
"Strangely, upon entering the Primordial Forest, a nearly agonizing sense of longing surged within me."
[It's because your soul originates from there.]
"My clan has existed since the year 1400. And now it's the year 1799. There's a significant time gap between the records of the Royal Melodic Drink and the current era."
[Yes, the records I left behind are a thousand years old. However, your soul has its roots in the Primordial Forest.]
"Why are you so sure of that?"
[For the first time, a human using the name Histor approached me.]
Valeria's pupils widened.
[The human's name was Minka Histor. Like you and my kin whom I betrayed, she had distinctive red hair that one never forgets once seen.]
Minka Histor.
Valeria also knew that name.
She was the ancestor of the Histor, the first person to emerge from a "Succession Temple," and also the first human to use Record Magic.
Histor's unique Record Magic had originated from Minka.
"...Why did my ancestor come to see you, Sheila-nim?"
[To inform me.]
"About what?"
[About the fairies who fought against Zipple until the bitter end... they were all forgotten. And my old sisters left behind a single spark before being completely forgotten and disappearing forever...]
Sheila's body reddened.
Remorse, sadness, resentment, passionate waves of emotions tore at her heart.
[That spark finally ignited and became like you.]
A thousand years ago, the fairies had been completely forgotten due to Zipple's manipulation of history.
But they left behind one last record.
A record in the form of "Souls."
The fairies living in the Primordial Forest understood the natural order more deeply than any other existence.
The only order the fairies understood; The Cycle.
Whether they were humans, animals, plants, or even ancient eternal steel, everything would eventually break down with time, becoming part of the earth, flowing in rivers, carried by the wind, and ultimately absorbed by the world.
They would become nourishment, mingling with seeds, giving birth to life anew.
The fairies had thus gathered all their souls and sent them into nature.
Someday, with fervent hope that these souls would bloom again somewhere...
Four hundred years later.
Finally, the souls of the fairies took the form of a single name.
The name was Histor.
While Sheila explained these facts, tears continuously streamed down Valeria's cheeks.
She breathed heavily, unaware that she was crying.
Valeria looked like a precious niece in Sheila's eyes, but she couldn't console Valeria thoughtlessly because she had committed unforgivable sins against her niece.
"What kind of person was my ancestor?"
It was a statement brimming with countless questions.
[She was so beautiful and graceful that I'm ashamed to mention it. Incredibly strong yet seemed lonely. Seeing you makes me wonder what kind of person she was...]
Minka Histor was the human who disappeared alongside Histor from history when Zipple erased Histor from it.
That's why Sheila couldn't recall the fact that Minka had come four hundred years ago.
She could barely conjure up a faint image, but she had a strong sense of foreboding ever since Valeria arrived in the forest.
And now, she had just glimpsed Minka's image from Valeria.
Only now did the vivid face of Minka come to her mind.
Alongside Minka, she also remembered the face of her older sister, Luetj Damiro Yul.
Memories of Sheila of the ancient fairies that had been erased were igniting.
[Can you tell me your name?]
"Valeria. Valeria Histor."
[You're a Descendant of the Fairy Tribe, not the ghosts of the Wantaramo Forest. And you're the only person who will inherit the existence of the fairies.]
It was the moment when Valeria's long and heavy task had come to an end.
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KO-FI BUY ME A COFEE
'Ko-fi o 'Buy Me A Coffe' for Adv4nc3 Ch4pt3r ( Up to '75' more ch4pt3rs) Publication of up to 6 w33kly ch4pters, thanks.
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