She had slept so sweetly that she felt refreshed when she woke up. Sylvia began to get ready, washing up, dressing, and packing her belongings.
She neatly packed her belongings into a row of cypress wood spaces and then placed the cypress wood spaces into a leather backpack space. She moved the simple meal she had prepared to the table and packed the prepared lunchboxes separately.
The mercenaries were also dismantling their tents and moving quickly. Felix, now in armor, seemed a bit unfamiliar after not seeing him for a day.
After dismantling the tents, Hubert mentioned he would scout the surroundings once more, just to be safe. Watching the mercenaries scatter, Sylvia called out to Felix.
“Let’s say goodbye to the villagers.”
Hearing her, Felix’s expression hardened, but she took his hand. She tapped the back of his hand lightly, acknowledging that it wasn’t his fault and that he was a victim too, but his position required him to bear all responsibilities.
Feeling the unfairness and pity for him, even though it wasn’t her concern…
Felix, noticing her encouragement, gently squeezed Sylvia’s hand. The villagers were bustling from early morning. Upon noticing the two of them, Benjamin hurried over.
“Have you arrived?”
The complexion of those who had gained a home and something to care for was bright and healthy. They seemed significantly healthier after a few days of good food.
Sylvia spoke first, in place of Felix.
“We are about to leave.”
“Oh, is that so…”
Benjamin clasped his hands politely and showed a sorrowful expression.
“Really… if we hadn’t met you two and the others… I can’t imagine what would have happened. We are immensely grateful… truly, thank you.”
Behind Benjamin, all the villagers respectfully bowed. Louis, with tears in his eyes, waved at Sylvia, who waved back and handed Benjamin a space pocket.
“As you know, there’s a place near the lakeside that I’ve marked. Every day, white clams will grow there. This is a space pocket, it will be useful. Oh, and I’ve put some meat in here, so make sure everyone gets some.”
Benjamin received the subspace pouch with trembling hands. Felix spoke to him in a low and firm voice as he hurriedly wiped away the tears that inevitably fell, embarrassed by his own weeping.
“I… will definitely come back for you. Until then, please… take care.”
His dark eyes, which had become even darker, looked down at him intently. Benjamin looked up at him for a moment before casting his eyes down. He simply nodded his head, deeply bowing it, as hot tears blurred his vision and choked his throat.
Felix scanned the villagers once. Then, taking Sylvia’s hand, he left the place.
“Sister! Take care! I won’t forget you!”
Although Louis’ shouting could be heard from behind, Sylvia was worried about Felix, who silently walked ahead, looking straight forward. Felix, having returned to where the horses were, reached out his hand to Sylvia, indicating he would help her onto the horse.
As Sylvia was about to take his hand as usual, she suddenly felt a sense of unease.
She turned her attention to the fairies that had been circling around them since earlier. Seeing that Sylvia did not mount the horse and was looking at the fairies, Felix also turned his gaze to look at them.
Sylvia counted the fairies with her fingers.
“Huh? Why are some missing? Where did Calmia and Lupinus go?”
Now that she thought about it, they were also absent during breakfast. Curious about what had happened, Sylvia called for Eryngium.
“Eryngium, we should also bring Calmia and Lupinus.”
It was time to leave, but their whereabouts were unknown. Sylvia was worried, especially since Lupinus, who was always so mature, was missing, and she urged the fairies.
“Go on, scatter and find them. Did they go to see some flowers?”
As Sylvia waved her hand to hurry them, the fairies just smiled at her. Without saying a word, just…… Even Eryngium did not respond, just staring intently at Sylvia, making her feel something was amiss as she urged them more urgently.
“Why, why isn’t anyone speaking? Aren’t you going to bring them?”
Feeling increasingly anxious, Sylvia bit her lip hard.
She finally decided to take action herself.
“Where on earth have they gone?”
Felix, closely following behind her, cautiously took her arm. He turned her around to face him and said,
“They’ve disappeared.”
He had known since the moment he woke up that morning.
It was a day like any other, yet something was different. He felt empty, yet… strangely fulfilled.
He could not quite understand what it was yet……
But remembering how Sylvia always adored the fairies, he was worried.
Sure enough, Sylvia’s face turned pale, and he pulled her into his arms. Holding her lightly, just enough not to fully embrace, he gently patted her shoulder.
Sylvia remembered Calmia and Lupinus, who had come to her the night before, and how they had behaved differently than usual.
This must have been their intention.
To leave like this, to have come to say goodbye……
Her eyes began to sting. The bright, lovely, kind, and mature fairies…… she was going to miss them.
Erin, Daisy, Clover, Poppy, and Asta flew around the two who were lightly embracing each other.
[Don’t worry, Sylvia. We just returned to the place we were born……]
At Eryngium’s words, Sylvia finally burst into tears.
Such a sudden farewell was something she could never get used to.
★★45. Off course★★
Felix led the horse as he looked at the small head covered by a robe, hiding swollen eyes. He carefully made Sylvia lean on him as he checked the mercenaries running ahead.
With a heavy voice, Sylvia asked,
“Why?”
Suddenly pulled, Sylvia asked reflexively, but Felix, not knowing what to say, simply replied with “just because.”
The Croban mercenary group and Sylvia deviated from their originally intended path. The journey, initially meant for monster subjugation, shifted direction to search for a lake under Felix’s command.
They aimed to find the lake where the Black Dragon’s magic lay dormant and to check for any potential refugees from the kingdom.
Benjamin had mentioned in passing that other villages were no different, and some had also set out with them.
Not forgetting those words, Felix decided that it was more urgent to take care of the kingdom’s refugees, whose fate was uncertain, rather than immediately returning to the kingdom to meet that woman.
Even though he was also in a situation of being pursued… after all, he was the Crown Prince of the Capitis Kingdom.
Listening to the fairies’ explanation, Felix instructed Hubert, who, being a water magician, began to search for the flow of water and followed a very faint current.
“Let’s go!”
Holding Sylvia tightly, Felix kicked the side of the horse to accelerate. Time was not on their side with winter approaching.
“Captain, I found it!”
Hubert, upon witnessing a strange sight, widened his eyes in amazement. Quickly catching up, Felix halted his horse. Along with the horse’s neighing, Sylvia exclaimed in awe. The lake they found was unlike any other.
The lake, glowing faintly pink, shimmered gently in the setting sun. Seeing the pink wildflowers blooming around the lake, Sylvia bit her lips again.
Amidst the pervasive pink, trees with sparse yellow leaves that reminded her of ginkgo trees, though lighter in color, made her think of Lupinus, eventually making Sylvia tear up again while in Felix’s arms, causing him discomfort.
He didn’t know how to comfort a crying woman, especially since it was Sylvia. His confusion caused his expression to involuntarily sour.
Having to deal with her tears had been quite the challenge already. Whether it was because of her deep attachment to the fairies, Sylvia teared up even at the sight of the remaining five fairies.
And she murmured,
“Make sure to tell me when you’re leaving. What is the person left behind supposed to do? No, don’t go. Stay with me. Can’t we live together?” continuously addressing the fairies.
Felix sighed softly and, holding her, lightly jumped off the horse.
“Eek!”
Sylvia screamed as she clung tightly to his neck, startled by the sudden leap without warning. Even upon landing, he didn’t put her down. Seeing Sylvia so snugly embraced, he somehow felt it was just right.
Taking large strides, Felix approached the lake with Sylvia in his arms.
Looking down at the lake from within the embrace of the much taller Felix, Sylvia saw the lake’s appearance as familiar. Its fluffy appearance felt very familiar.
“Ah?”
Looking at the lake, including the long rocks jutting out from the shore, something came to mind.
“It looks just like cotton candy.”
Sylvia murmured, gazing at the lake that resembled pink cotton candy on a stick.
“Cotton candy?”
Her face was so close to Felix’s ear that even her softly whispered words were clearly heard. At his question about the unfamiliar name, she stumbled over her words.
“Yes! It’s the name of a candy I made!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever tasted that…”
Although she often made new foods, she always explained their names and descriptions, so he remembered all of them. Even if he hadn’t tasted them, he remembered what his subordinates had eaten.
“Since it came up, I’ll make it for you later.”
“Alright.”
Seeing a slight improvement in her mood at the thought of cooking, Felix felt relieved. Believing that finding something in the lake, as before, would certainly lift her spirits, he hurried his steps.
As they approached, the pink lake was clear. It looked as sweet as a pink cocktail. Sylvia gazed intently into the lake, and Felix leaned forward to give her a better view.
Something moving inside the clear lake was spotted. Sylvia, looking closely, finally said,
“It’s a fish.”
She murmured and tried to get down from his arms. However, he held her tight and would not let go, staring at her, so Felix asked first.
“Why?”
“Let me down.”
“Why?”
“I want to take a closer look.”
No sooner had she finished her sentence than a fish jumped out of the water.
Splash!
Seeing the fish moving along with the water, Sylvia’s eyes widened.
She conjured magic without moving and fished the fish out of the water, placing it on the ground. On the grass that was a light green with a hint of fluorescent, the pink fish flapped vigorously.
“Wow, it’s pink.”
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