Chapter 12
As Regina followed Noah, she saw a carriage waiting just beyond the forest path. The old coachman, having fallen asleep while waiting for Noah, was nodding off with his hunched back.
“Get in,” Noah said.
“Where are we going?” Regina asked as she accepted Noah’s help to climb into the carriage. Noah followed her inside and answered straightforwardly.
“We’re heading east. But first, we need to stop in the capital.”
“Are we going all the way to the capital in this carriage?” Regina was surprised and questioned Noah, as the Evelyn Viscounty was quite far from the capital, making the journey by carriage seem impractical. Noah shook his head.
“This carriage will take us to the train station. There isn’t one in this territory. I wonder how we ended up in such a remote place.”
“It’s not that remote. There’s a large town nearby, and we produce a lot of wheat!” Regina protested, feeling indignant. Noah lightly knocked on the carriage wall, and the old coachman started the horses. Regina’s retort seemed to amuse Noah, who crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
“Alright, fine. I’m going to rest now, so feel free to close your eyes or do whatever you want.”
“But I still have so many questions. Can’t you tell me more?” Regina pleaded.
“You’ll find out in due time. Don’t bother me. What if I change my mind and decide to get rid of you?” Noah opened one eye briefly before turning his body away, his firm attitude leaving Regina feeling frustrated. She realized it would be problematic if Noah suddenly decided it was better to eliminate her.
Regina turned her head to look out the window. The forest that had seemed endless was gradually receding. It was then that she realized just how exhausted she was and leaned back against the carriage, closing her eyes.
Not long after, Regina succumbed to sleep, her body slumping like a waterlogged cloth. Noah opened his eyes to look at her. From the energy he had sensed when absorbing her power, it was clear that Regina was indeed a Black Fairy. However, there were several oddities about her.
‘Absorbing another fairy, even if she was born in the Fairy King’s Forest, her appearance being so different from the original, and she even repelled my power,’ he thought.
Recalling the shock from that moment, Noah clenched and unclenched his fist. She was an intriguing woman. Perhaps she was a mutant.
As Noah quietly observed Regina’s sleeping face, he eventually closed his eyes again. For now, his power was still stronger.
‘…If she becomes dangerous, I’ll handle it immediately,’ he thought.
After all, he had plenty of time.
* * *
“Hey, wake up. We’ve arrived.”
The sound of a voice knocking on the carriage door startled Regina out of her dream. She opened her eyes in a panic.
“Huh?”
Still groggy, she blinked and looked around in confusion. Noah tossed a small luggage bag into her arms. Regina hurriedly caught the leather bag.
– Thud!
“What is this?”
“Your stuff. Since you haven’t fully transformed, you’ll need things just like a human. So, I prepared them.”
Noah got out of the carriage first and gestured for her to follow. Regina awkwardly stood up and exited the carriage. Noah slung his own bag over his shoulder and began walking. Regina saw the old coachman pocket the fare and turn away, so she quickly followed Noah.
“Is this the train station? It’s my first time on a train.”
“Not surprising.”
The enormous building was bustling with people. She had only seen such a crowd during festivals. As she looked around with wide eyes, Noah smirked.
“Are you mocking me?”
When Regina pouted, Noah shrugged and approached the station master who was checking tickets at the train.
“Two tickets to the capital.”
He handed over the tickets he had arranged with the coachman earlier. The station master verified the tickets and tore along the perforation.
“Have a pleasant trip.”
“Thank you.”
The station master tipped his hat, and Regina instinctively returned the gesture. The station master smiled and helped her onto the train. The interior of the train was more spacious than she had imagined.
“Come this way.”
Noah walked ahead, and Regina hurried to follow him. On the left side of the train corridor were large windows, and on the opposite side were compartments. Noah checked the numbers on their tickets and entered one of the rooms. As Regina entered, he closed the door and threw his bag onto the upper shelf.
“It’s more spacious than I thought. The seats look comfortable too. Is this room just for us?”
“Yes, it’s a royal compartment.”
“Are you going to sleep again?”
As soon as they arrived, Noah sat down and closed his eyes. Regina frowned. Doesn’t he ever get tired of sleeping?
“There’s nothing else to do. You should sleep some more too. You were completely out in the carriage.”
Regina’s face flushed red at his words.
“Out cold…! How could you say something so rude? I slept enough. I had a strange dream that left me feeling unsettled. I don’t want to sleep again. Isn’t there anything interesting to see here?”
“A dream? What kind of dream?”
The mention of a dream piqued Noah’s interest. Fairies having dreams was amusing to him. He opened his eyes, looking genuinely curious. Regina felt a bit embarrassed and cleared her throat.
“It was just a dream where I was a maid. After working for over ten years at an estate, I met a new young coachman who tricked me and stole the house’s jewels…”
“And then?”
Noah asked as Regina trailed off, recalling the end of the dream. She continued reluctantly.
“The coachman was a handsome young man. Maybe that’s why I fell for him. I was the eldest daughter of a poor family, working at the estate to support my siblings. I couldn’t resist his kindness. Though I suspected something was off since he only ever asked about the staff’s schedules and the estate’s layout. When I showed curiosity, he’d smile sweetly and tell me we could leave together once we saved enough money.”
“Save enough money.”
“Maybe I knew he was a thief. I imagined us living happily together once he stole the jewels. That’s probably why I was watching him bury the jewels in the garden one night. I wanted to move them, fearing they’d be discovered under the lady’s prized tree. I planned to tell him later so we could leave together and live happily.”
“Then?”
“In the middle of the night, while digging up the jewels, a dark shadow loomed behind me. When I turned around, the man was standing there, his face twisted in rage. He misunderstood, thinking I was stealing the jewels. Before I could explain, he lunged at me, strangling me. The shadow of the maid stretched long under the moonlight.”
“It was so futile. The end of a young maid who dreamt of happiness was so hollow it hurt.”
“What was the man’s name?”
“Huh?”
“The young coachman in your dream. What was his name?”
Regina blinked and remembered the name.
“Robert. The maid’s name was Betty.”
Noah fell silent upon hearing this. He then looked at Regina with his piercing blue eyes.
“Why, what is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Regina shivered under Noah’s gaze. He looked away.
“What kind of look? It’s just interesting.”
“If that’s your face when something piques your interest, you’ll end up scaring someone.”
“I was going to catch you anyway if you became dangerous. By the way, you can absorb the memories of fairies, can’t you?”
“What?”
Regina’s mouth gaped in shock. What did he just say?
“That maid. Her name was Betty, and she worked at the Jenkins estate where she turned into a monster. The coachman’s name was Robert. Your dream was likely a memory from the Black Fairy you absorbed.”
“Huh…?”
Confused, Regina asked again. Noah frowned, as if looking at an idiot, then sighed and demonstrated with his fingers.
“Here’s the maid, and the Black Fairy ate her. Then you ate the Black Fairy, so the memories transferred to you.”
“I get that, but why do I have such power?”
Regina, not wanting to seem completely clueless, waved her hands in protest. Noah shrugged.
“I don’t know either. You’re the first Black Fairy I’ve seen like this. Fairies absorbing other fairies is unheard of.”
“What…!”
Regina was speechless, her expression filled with indignation at the implication she had devoured her own kind. Noah leaned back in his seat.
“There’s no point in stressing over it. Neither of us knows anything more. Relax. If you can’t control your hunger and start eating humans, I’ll hunt you down.”
Regina, who was about to explode in anger, closed her mouth, unsure of what to say. Noah, seemingly disinterested, folded his arms and closed his eyes. After a long pause, Regina muttered to herself.
“I won’t eat humans.”
She was confused about her own identity. To reassure herself, she softly repeated, “I am human.”
The train’s clattering noise was loud, but she had grown used to it. Regina, feeling dejected, stood up and left the compartment. In the corridor, she saw people sitting by the windows, enjoying the view. Following suit, Regina lowered a seat and sat by the window, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed outside, reflecting on the whirlwind events of the past day.
‘…What will happen to me now?’
Just like the train’s wheels racing forward, unsure of their destination, she too was being swept along, unsure where she would end up.
