In the very center of a massive emerald lake, beyond a majestic crystal waterfall that seemed to pour down from the heavens, an overwhelming panorama—one you could never see in the human world—unfolded before Kay and his companions.
"Wow… this is seriously jaw-dropping in scale."
Kay stood at the bow of the boat, unable to contain his awe.
Through the mist, the Fairy Kingdom's Cleopolis revealed itself.
Encircling the city wasn't rugged stone or timber, but a towering golden wall that gleamed so brilliantly in the sunlight it was almost blinding.
Beyond the wall, hundreds of spires and cloud bridges—woven as if from crystal and the World Tree's boughs—spanned the air, completing a dazzling cityscape fit for a fairy tale.
"Beautiful, isn't it, Sir Kay?"
Britomart explained proudly.
"This great fairy city was founded and wrought into being by the first king of the Fairy Kingdom, King Elpinan, and his successor, King Elphilin, raised these impregnable golden walls. Now, Her Majesty Queen Gloriana carries on that glory as our ruler."
As the boat that had boarded at the lake passed through the giant watergates in the golden wall and entered the city's canals, the streets bustled with all manner of marvelously beautiful creatures.
Tiny fairies fluttered above the canals, elves—resembling humans but with pointed ears and an air of nobility—strolled about, and dwarves scurried by, hammers in hand.
Far from treating Kay—an unfamiliar human—with suspicion, they waved cheerfully and welcomed him.
"Wow~ I haven't met many fairies, but there's an incredible variety here."
Kay looked around the streets in wonder.
"Of course, brother! Not all fairies are the same."
Caster leaned on her staff and stuck close to Kay as she began a briefing on the fairy ecosystem. Britomart chimed in, adding to the explanation.
"Fairies are divided into different clans based on their origin and the nature of their magic. Among them, the foundation that supports the fairy realm of Britain is the descendants of the six primordial fairies… the so-called Six Clans."
Britomart counted off on her fingers as she explained.
"The most common and remarkable are the Wind Clan—they have wings and pointed ears, with the classic elf appearance. Cleopolis itself was founded by the Wind Clan, so they have the highest population here. Then there's the Wing Clan, whose members are of small stature but bear wings."
"Oh, are those hairy dwarves hammering away at the forge over there actual dwarves?"
Kay pointed to the workshop beside the canal, and Caster nodded.
"That's right. They're artisans who harness the power of earth and metals—the Earth Clan. And those beastfolk with wolf ears or tails pulling wagons are the Fang Clan, strong in fighting instinct."
"There's also the Rain Clan, specialized in manipulating water and possessing an innately pure, benevolent nature, and the Mirror Clan, endowed with mysterious foresight to glimpse fragments of the future. These form the core of British fairy society."
Kay found the complexity of the fairy ecosystem fascinating, but one question crossed his mind.
"Six clans, huh… So, Caster, you and Morgan—what clan do you belong to? You have no pointed ears, no wings, no fur. You look exactly like humans."
At Kay's pointed question, Caster and Britomart, who had been explaining without pause, fell completely silent.
"…Well, um, about that, brother…"
Caster scratched her cheek and shifted her eyes.
"To be honest… neither Morgan nor I really know which category we belong to. We're special cases. Generally, when a predecessor fairy dies, they're reborn in a successor, or they arise naturally. Cases like ours—being born like this—are exceedingly rare."
"That's correct."
Britomart added.
"Beyond the Six Clans, there are also the Royal Clan immigrants from Ireland, the Wales fairies—little fairies of lower intelligence and strength living as accessories to nature—and countless offshoots like the Black Dog from the Fang Clan. While we classify them for convenience, it's ambiguous to say everyone fits neatly into a single species."
Britomart smiled and said.
"As for Caster's true nature, perhaps our queen, Her Majesty Gloriana, knows her origins. Once we arrive at the castle, you should ask her in person."
The group disembarked from the canal boat, welcomed by the fairies, and crossed a broad crystal bridge toward the radiant emerald palace towering at the heart of the city.
"Look at that butcher's shop over there. Wild boar meat? Its color's silver. Instead of roasting, if you slow-cooked it with herbs into a stew, that would taste divine…"
It was then that Kay, drooling at the market's ingredients, noticed something—
"Oh my. What's that awful stench of rotting flesh? A foul odor that doesn't belong in this pleasant fairy street!"
From the opposite end of the bridge, a girl whose presence clashed starkly with the surrounding kindhearted fairies was striding over with a defiant gait.
She wore a lavish Gothic dress, her hair a deep, blood-soaked red, her pale skin accentuated by crimson eyes and razor-sharp fangs.
She was like a vampire hunting for blood in the dark—devastatingly beautiful yet dripping with a cruel aura.
Her arrival sent the fairies, who had been chattering and laughing brightly, into terror—they hastily stepped aside.
"…Bavanshi."
Britomart frowned and called out her name.
Bavanshi.
Among the kind and playful fairies of Cleopolis, she was a rare vampire-type fairy—an aberration with a sadistic nature that reveled in others' blood and suffering.
Yet despite being a fairy, her talent for curse-based black Magecraft and her superior physical abilities were so outstanding that Queen Gloriana had recruited her as a Fairy Knight to guard the palace.
In return, strict restrictions bound her: her cruel and violent tendencies may only be unleashed against invading Pict or Saxon armies.
With the click of her high heels, Bavanshi stepped in front of Kay's group, eyes raking over Caster as she sneered.
"What's with that tacky staff? What backwoods fairy bitch crawled into the City of Glory? Your Mana reek is just pathetic."
"…Excuse me?"
Caster's brows twitched.
Bavanshi's venomous words didn't stop. This time, her target shifted to Britomart.
"And you, Britomart, why did you slither in here empty-handed? Weren't you commanded to defeat the Irish tyrant and bring back Knight Arthégal? Tsk tsk… Of course, what could a fake bitch who's just a human spruced up by the Queen's favor as a fairy knight possibly accomplish? I pity Arthégal."
An evil provocation hitting Britomart's sore spot. Britomart, burdened by guilt for failing to protect Arthégal, bowed her head.
Finally, Bavanshi's red eyes turned toward Kay, the large man standing at the front of the group.
"So you're the source of that rotting beast stench? All muscle and no Mana—a stinking, inferior human male. What kind of maggot rolled out of which trash heap…"
"You arrogant vampire, how dare you open your mouth to my brother…!!"
Crackle!!
First to erupt was Caster.
She cast aside her usual demure act and drew down Zeus's Thunderbolt with a flourish, poised to strike Bavanshi into a charcoal lump at any moment.
"Hey, hey!! Caster! Calm down! What are you doing firing lightning in another country?!"
Startled, Kay seized Caster's Thunderbolt and forced it down. He also forced Medusa and Jeanne Alter, who were about to draw their weapons behind him, to stand down, then turned his gaze to Bavanshi.
Bavanshi wore a provocative smile, expecting Kay to rage or attack her. But Kay's response completely confounded her expectations.
"…I think the stink isn't coming from me but from you. Your breath reeks of blood. Try brushing your teeth once in a while."
"…What?"
Kay gave Bavanshi a cold, detached once-over, then lost interest as if she were a pebble lying by the roadside.
"Move along. Don't waste my time. Your breath is killing my appetite."
Kay lightly tapped Bavanshi's shoulder and walked past her. Caster, Britomart, and the Servants treated her like an invisible person as they trotted behind Kay.
...
Bavanshi was left alone.
Never in her life had she been so completely ignored. Not fear, not anger—just a dismissive gaze that regarded her as little more than a roadside insect.
"…How dare you ignore me? A lowly lump of meat like a human?"
Bavanshi's red eyes began to blaze with humiliation and rage. It was the moment an irreparable scratch was carved into her pride.
The blood-red obsession of the vampire fairy began to cling sticky to a new target.
Leaving Bavanshi's little commotion behind, the group finally reached the heart of Cleopolis: the Emerald Palace.
"Welcome, true hero of Britain. We sincerely welcome you to Cleopolis, the Fairy Kingdom."
The palace's glittering audience hall.
Amid rows of hundreds of fairy nobles, descending from the throne to greet Kay's group was the fairy queen, Gloriana—so dazzlingly beautiful she could blind one's eyes.
In a gown woven as if from starlight and with a gentle, noble smile, she eschewed regal formality and instead clasped Kay's hand softly as though greeting an old friend.
"I have heard all of Britomart's report. I offer my deepest respect for your might and resolve in overthrowing the terrible tyrant of Ireland and safeguarding the peace of Britain."
Queen Gloriana declared with a radiant smile.
"Now, let us put aside heavy matters. Tonight is a banquet for heroes! We will lavish upon you the finest delicacies and nectars the Fairy Kingdom boasts, so please enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"
A joyous smile finally spread across Kay's lips.