The fairies who appeared before us numbered eight in total.
Patrols like them, with keen hearing and swift feet, took turns guarding the perimeter of the Great Forest. Though it wasn’t common for them to come out to the forest’s edge like this.
I took out the plaque I had received from Ailaro earlier.
“I am Aiden Stroke, son of Nevia Lilu Arieldee, who left the forest long ago. I’ve come as a guest of my great-grandfather, Barahal Lakel Arieldee, so I demand treatment accordingly.”
The patrols murmured in low voices.
“Blood of a high fairy?”
“Come to think of it, the family head’s granddaughter left the forest about 18 or 19 years ago for an alliance with a human nation. I heard she took a purple-haired half-fairy as her attendant.”
Suddenly, their gazes focused on Linia. The patrol leader approached and checked the pattern engraved on the plaque.
“It’s undoubtedly the Arieldee family’s plaque. We’ll escort you inside the barrier.”
“Thanks. And one request: is it alright to bring that land roller into the Great Forest? It’s a Machine God Tribe member contracted to me.”
“A Machine God Tribe…?”
The patrol leader stared blankly in the direction I pointed. At the unidentified metal vehicle, Respinel.
“Pleased to meet you.”
“A-a machine speaking?”
“It really is a Machine God Tribe!”
The patrol members observed Respinel with eyes full of interest. There were only 27 Machine God Tribe members on the Prima Continent. Meaning humans who traveled with one were extremely rare.
A situation they were encountering for the first time.
The patrol leader pondered before speaking.
“Hmm… There are precedents for bringing in Machine God Tribe from the distant past, but if you stop by the administration and explain, it shouldn’t be hard to handle. Follow us.”
We followed behind the patrols.
<Machine God Tribe Core – Respinel>
[Level: 24/83]
[Description: In active state.]
As a result of haphazardly attaching parts torn from Melkina using Dismixer (U), Respinel’s level had reached 24.
The character sheet for Machine God Tribe was fundamentally different from humans’. This guy’s level didn’t represent the sum of stats but rather the quality and quantity of parts it controlled—how high-quality or numerous they were.
Moreover, what it could do varied greatly depending on the types and combinations of metals handled, so level didn’t necessarily correlate with combat power.
For example, the Level 76 Machine God Tribe ‘Ropandelli,’ slowly wandering the entire southern continent, was a case of focusing solely on quantitative growth by attaching cheap metals indiscriminately despite a high level cap.
As a result, it gained a massive body 8 km long, but it became so cumbersome that its combat ability was practically nonexistent. Though with its size and self-regeneration, it would be hard for anyone to destroy it.
In contrast, ‘Scrijem,’ the Machine God Tribe who had been the Five Heroes’ contractor and waited for their comrades’ revival, had collected only high-grade metals while traveling the world for 400 years.
Its level was exactly 70 when it appeared in the main story, and it looked like a humanoid golem about 2.5 m tall on the outside.
Its mobility and movements were efficient at the level of a same-level human warrior, and with about 40% of its body made of a metal called ‘glacial iron,’ it even had the ability to emit powerful cold from its entire body.
Thud! Thud!
Loud footsteps echoed.
Shifting my gaze to the source of the noise, I saw trees with limbs moving.
“…The trees are moving?”
“They’re the forest’s guardians, ‘Treants,’ Clara. They have a symbiotic relationship with the fairies living in the Great Forest.”
Linia explained to Clara, whose eyes sparkled with curiosity. The Treant stared quietly in our direction, then, after checking the fairies attached to it, passed by indifferently.
It appeared in the novel, so I knew of its existence, but seeing it in person was still fascinating.
The patrol leader spoke.
“If you stray from us carelessly, the Treants might see you as intruders and chase you. Please be cautious.”
With our current members averaging Level 30, we wouldn’t fall to a few Treants, though.
After wandering the maze-like forest for about two hours.
A city connected by countless trees revealed itself.
“Welcome to the fairies’ homeland, ‘Illinoer.’ The Arieldee family’s domain covers the western and part of the northern forest. Straying from this sector could cause unnecessary issues, so please mind your whereabouts.”
Chesa slightly furrowed her brow.
“…What do you mean by unnecessary issues?”
“Our Arieldee family members are relatively open to interactions with other races, but among the fairies from other families, some despise humans and other races. Especially now, with the ongoing dispute over the mana stone mine with a human nation.”
The Arieldee family.
The Kirianejial family.
The Pirion family.
All fairies in the Great Forest belonged to one of these three families.
In other words, to them, a family was closer to a ‘tribe’-like community than what humans meant by the term.
As the patrol leader said, public opinion toward humans had turned extremely hostile due to the dispute over the mana stone mine’s ownership with the Croa Kingdom. That was why it felt odd that the cunning Barahal had permitted my visit.
It was an action that could give rival families unnecessary pretext in their power struggles.
Afterward, we visited Illinoer’s administration to leave Respinel and were guided to the guest quarters.
It was a place on the outskirts of the sector managed by the Arieldee family.
“When can I meet with Barahal?”
“Your visit was sudden, and as family head, Barahal has a backlog of duties, so it’ll take at least three days for him to have time.”
“Three days, huh….”
The guiding fairy cleared his throat.
“Ahem, until further notice, please try not to leave the Arieldee family’s sector. Tensions with the Kirianejial family, where anti-human sentiment is rampant, have been escalating lately….”
At that, Linia asked.
“But I remember the restaurants are all gathered in the central bustling area where members from all three families mingle?”
“Ah, that’s true. But we’ll provide high-quality meals suited to human tastes at mealtimes, so no need to worry. Please rest comfortably.”
The guide said that and left.
Clara pouted.
“It feels like they’re saying don’t cause trouble and stay put.”
But the provided meals were luxurious, and the quarters were comfortable. In fairy society, this was sufficient for VIP treatment.
With one day left until the meeting with Barahal.
An unexpected trouble arose.
It wasn’t due to anyone in the party’s carelessness.
Crash!
The door made of high-quality wood was torn off and flew away. Immediately after, over a dozen people swarmed into the spacious quarters.
All were robed, but their tiger-like ferocity couldn’t be hidden.
<Lanaerillu Kirianejial>
[Level: 25/28]
[Description: Age 28, fairy from the Kirianejial family. An elite of the Leaf Knight Order.]
The Leaf Knight Order. One of the fairy knight orders guarding Illinoer. Scanning the sheets, they were all fairy knights.
The hardened knight members suddenly parted to the sides. From between them, a knight with even more splendid features stepped forward.
A haughty-looking blond fairy.
He scanned our party in the quarters and soon snorted.
“To think they really permitted a visit from humans at a time like this. Has the old man of the Arieldee family finally gone senile?”
“………”
I looked at the sheet floating before me.
<Erendrel Paru Kirianejial>
[Level: 47/56] [HP: 13] [STR: 12] [AGI: 15]
[MP: 17] [Mental: 04] [Sense: 15]
[Divinity: 04]
[Traits: Druid (S+), Swordsmanship Genius (A), Top Marksman (A), Precocious (A-), and 2 others]
[Skills: Beast Spirit Arts · Extreme (S), Advanced Spirit Arts (A), Kirianejial Swordsmanship · Extreme (A), Kirianejial Archery (B), Kirianejial Heart Method (B), and 5 others]
[Description: Age 20, high fairy from the Kirianejial family. Affiliated with the Illinoer Guardian Knight Order, one of the Great Forest’s Fifteen Divine Guards. Has an exclusionary disposition toward other races.]
Erendrel Paru Kirianejial.
To encounter this guy on my first visit.
He was the most promising spirit knight among the young fairies of the current Great Forest, and among the Fifteen Divine Guards protecting Illinoer, he was one of the top contenders in strength.
The issue was why this guy had come here.
It clearly wasn’t for a courtesy call.
For now, let’s probe what this is about.
“Isn’t this quarters prepared for the Arieldee family’s guests? You seem pretty high up, but if you can’t even respect sector boundaries, what use are you?”
“Guests? Don’t spout nonsense. Our family doesn’t recognize the likes of you as kin.”
…Kin?
This guy seemed to know about my origins.
“Restrain them.”
Suddenly, Erendrel gestured,
“Yes!”
And following the command, the fairy knights surrounded us.
“W-wait!”
Unable to stand by any longer, Linia stepped forward. The fairy knights also hesitated upon seeing her pointed ears.
“You’re all knights from the Kirianejial family, right? If the family head learns you’ve caused such a ruckus in Arieldee territory, he won’t let it slide!”
“Barahal? You think I fear that old geezer?”
“What…….”
Smack!
Suddenly, Erendrel, wiping the smile from his face, punched Linia in the face. With the merciless blow, she rolled several meters without even screaming.
“Don’t babble arrogantly in front of me, you mongrel bitch. It’s because your half-breed parents spread their legs indiscriminately that the fairy bloodline gets tainted.”
I suppressed my anger and spoke.
“…Chesa.”
“Yeah.”
<Firework>
Boom!
Chesa, grasping the situation, cast a spell toward the sky. The fireball pierced the ceiling and exploded brilliantly in the air.
It was a signal flare to alert the Arieldee family side.
“M-magic…!”
The flustered fairy knights.
Erendrel roared at them.
“Don’t panic! Quickly restrain them and get out of here!”
“Y-yes!”
The fairy knights approached us.
I removed the Flame Dragon Scale (S).
Clara snatched the cape.
Immediately after.
Boom! Boom!!
Two massive explosions occurred.
“Argh!”
“Ugh!”
This rendered four fairy knights incapacitated. Clara, draped in the red cape, smiled innocently as she spoke.
“Come any closer, and I’ll keep shooting?”
The <Ignition Burst> embedded in the Flame Dragon Scale was a rare spell whose power varied with the user’s [MP] value. Moreover, it could be cast consecutively equal to the Divinity value, so Clara, with Divinity 7, could use this spell five more times.
While Clara bought time.
Chesa finished chanting her spells.
<Ice Wall>
Right after activation, massive ice walls surrounded us protectively.
<Padio Blink>
And I used the spatial spell in the Accel Register (A+) to move behind Erendrel.
Aiming for his back of the head with ‘Vileshaker.’
“…!”
But Erendrel was a near-Twelve Heroes warrior.
Sensing the presence, he instinctively raised his shield.
Boom! My Ure clashed with his shield.
“Hah, you thought a sneak attack would work…?!”
Erendrel, poised for an immediate counterattack.
But feeling his insides shake, he soon grimaced and retreated. Thanks to timely defense, the damage didn’t seem severe. However.
His pupils shook with agitation.
“My energy armor didn’t function…? What did you do?”
“I’m willing to tell you if you apologize for laying a hand on my attendant.”
He furrowed his brow at my provocation.
“…I see. The old man didn’t invite you without thought.”
“Captain! If we drag this out any longer, the Arieldee family’s security will arrive.”
“…Withdraw.”
The Leaf Knight Order swiftly retreated as soon as Erendrel’s command fell.
Ignoring them, I confronted Erendrel.
“Tsk! You’ll pay for this soon enough.”
“………”
Clicking his tongue, Erendrel fled the quarters as well.
Soon, the Arieldee family’s fairies arrived at the quarters.
“W-what is this?”
Aiden didn’t answer the question.
He simply held the fallen Linia.
“…Hey.”
Finally, after laying Linia on the bed, he spoke. In a voice sharper than usual.
Overwhelmed, one of the fairy security officers blankly replied.
“Y-yes?”
“Aren’t you supposed to protect guests properly?”
“First, explain the situation…”
“Take me to that old man Barahal or whatever right now.”
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