Inside Fairy Knight Gawain's manor, Fairy Knight Gawain, who had been knocked out cold by Aslan, slowly opened her eyes. The time she spent sleeping was definitely not short. After all, having suffered blow after blow, her brain had forced her to rest in order to recover and soothe her body and mind.
It was just like how humans could easily faint from extreme grief or joy; otherwise, one could easily end up losing their mind.
Fairy Knight Gawain clutched her forehead. Her memories began to flow back. The memories originally affected by the illusion finally returned to normal. She remembered everything she had done. She had actually eaten that boy—the boy she swore to let live out his old age in peace—with her own mouth... In the end, she couldn't escape the bloodline curse of their race.
"What have I done... I... someone like me has no right to find happiness..."
Fairy Knight Gawain covered her face with both hands. For a moment, it was as if she had lost her motivation to live. Simply put, she was somewhat depressed.
"No... you have indeed already obtained happiness... I examined the corpse. That child showed not a single sign of struggle. Do you think that under normal circumstances, this is possible? When someone beside you turns into a monster, most people's first reaction is to raise their hands to defend themselves or run away. But that child didn't. It was as if he opened his arms, waiting for death."
Aslan raised his head. His golden eyes stared fixedly at the Fairy Knight before him. He hoped the Fairy Knight understood what this meant; otherwise, he would feel that the boy's sacrifice was not worth it.
Fairy Knight Gawain slowly lowered her hands. How could she not understand? This meant that when she went mad, the boy had directly opened his chest and delivered himself to her mouth. Whether she did it intentionally or unintentionally at the time, if not for love—whether this love was genuine or twisted—how could such a situation have occurred?
She was happy. She was loved. But she had... the person who loved her...
If it was really me who did it, I couldn't have forgotten. Who? Who exactly affected my rationality? I can't remember! But the one who could affect my rationality must be a High Fairy... Why would the fairies I desperately protect do such a thing to me? What benefit does this bring them?
Aslan sighed. He reached out his hand again. The chain appeared in his hand, and he injected magical energy once more to calm the knight before him down. "It's useless to think about these things now. Calm down. It is currently a troubled time. The person who plotted against you will eventually reveal their tail. Calm down and act as if nothing happened; only then can you avoid alerting the enemy."
Really, this one before me... once the shell of a knight is shed, how can she be so...
For a moment, even Aslan didn't know how to describe the knight before him.
Aslan took out a bone ring from his pocket. This was forged using his ability combined with all the remaining bones of that boy. Treat it as a memento for the Fairy Knight before him.
Fairy Knight Gawain grabbed the ring firmly in her hand, then threaded it onto a chain and wore it around her neck. No matter what, she wouldn't lose it this time. Moreover, she probably wouldn't crave affection anymore in the future. She had already obtained the most precious emotion she had dreamed of.
However, even so, she still wanted to cry.
This time, Aslan didn't interrupt the Fairy Knight's weeping. He leaned against the wall. Once this knight calmed down, it would be time to continue their journey.
In a village on the other side, a girl with golden hair was humming a ballad. If one looked closely, one would find that she had the same appearance as King Arthur. At the same time, the smile on the girl's face carried a bit of falsehood, as if her true emotions were already hidden deep within her heart.
At this moment, the girl had just returned from a blacksmith's shop. The person in that blacksmith's shop was truly rare among all the fairies for treating her genuinely well. Only when chatting with that uncle could she truly feel a bit of happiness. Moreover, the uncle's adventure stories were very attractive.
If only I could experience such adventures too.
The girl stretched, preparing to return to her stable to rest for a while. That's right, this girl lived in a stable. This was the decision made by the fairies who adopted her. In the eyes of these fairies, this girl was merely a tool to be utilized, a tool to change their status and even rebel against that Queen.
However, this girl did not yet know her true identity. Although she could sense that these fairies had thoughts of controlling her, she was also grateful to these fairies for taking her in.
But when the girl opened the door to the stable, she found that for some reason, many fairies were already waiting for her in the stable today. These fairies wore fake smiles on their faces. They gradually made way for a path. Led by the Village Elder, they walked slowly toward her. At the same time, the fairies held a special box in their hands.
"Artoria, you have grown up. We don't intend to hide some things from you anymore. Presumably, you have heard of the Mirror Clan's prophecy. There will be a Child of Prophecy who will lead us to overthrow the Queen's rule. And you are the Child of Prophecy. We went through untold hardships to hide you in the stable, evading that Queen's searches multiple times. Now, it is time for you to repay us."
The girl froze on the spot. She could feel that these fairies held an attitude of exploitation toward her, and she also knew she wasn't a native of this village. But she hadn't expected to be related to the prophecy passed down by word of mouth among the fairies.
Moreover, the girl didn't think she had any powerful strength to overthrow that Queen's rule.
The Village Elder took the box held by a fairy, then came before the girl and opened it. Inside was a staff with a unique shape.
"Artoria! This is the Staff of Selection belonging to you that we kept safe for you! Now it is time to return it to its original owner. You must also complete your mission—overthrow the Queen's rule!"
The Village Elder forcefully shoved the staff into the girl's hands. At the same time, a cold light flashed in his eyes. That was coercion, and also a threat.
"To prove you have this determination and ability... right now, there is a lackey of the Queen in the village. He was once the Queen's subordinate, known as the Black Knight. Go kill him!"