Chapter 19
“Ugh!”
Noah let out a short groan as a sharp pain twisted his insides. Consuming the essence of the Black Fairy should have amplified his power, but the side effects were unpredictable. Research on half-blood fairies was scant, given their rarity. Ezra observed Noah intently, documenting his reactions with a look of keen interest.
“How do you feel, Noah? Do you sense any changes?”
Ezra, despite his 200 years of life, had never encountered a half-blood like Noah. This unique being was born from a human woman who transformed into a Black Fairy during pregnancy. Neither fully human nor fully fairy, Noah was considered an ‘unclean existence,’ inherently toxic to fairies. His blood, flesh, and even breath were venomous, emitting a potent, sweet scent.
Suppressing his curiosity, Ezra took a deep breath. The sweetness in the air was eerily fascinating. He had to resist the urge to dissect Noah for research purposes.
“Too valuable to kill for simple research.”
Moreover, if he killed Noah, who was essential for eliminating Black Fairies, the other Light Fairies would not leave Ezra unpunished. Reminded of the strict elders, Ezra sighed and let go of his lingering curiosity.
“It seems like there aren’t any significant changes. My strength has increased slightly.”
While Ezra fought his impulses, Noah absorbed the liquid’s power and sighed. He clenched and unclenched his fists, a bit disappointed.
“Yes. But if you continue to consume it, you’ll notice a more substantial change once it’s sufficiently accumulated. Bring more essences if you collect them.”
Ezra was genuinely curious. If Noah kept absorbing the Black Fairy’s essence, would he become stronger or would he disintegrate under the strain? Either outcome would be fascinating.
Noah, sensing Ezra’s thoughts from his kinder tone, nodded and moved to leave the laboratory. He paused at the door and turned back.
“Oh, is it possible for fairies to kill each other?”
“No, it’s impossible. Fairies can’t kill each other. Why do you ask something everyone knows?”
Ezra’s gaze shifted, filled with intense longing rather than casual curiosity. Noah hesitated, his response seemed suspicious.
“…”
Noah considered mentioning Regina but stopped. The transparent glass tubes behind Ezra, illuminated by the moonlight, revealed dismembered Black Fairies submerged in liquid. They were faintly moving.
“Have you witnessed such an occurrence? Is that it?”
Ezra approached Noah quickly, pressing for an answer. Noah, tearing his gaze from the glass tubes, replied slowly.
“No. I was just confirming.”
Even if Regina were dissected alive by this fairy-crazed researcher, it wouldn’t matter to Noah. He intended to kill Regina eventually. Despite this, he was reluctant to reveal anything about her.
“Alright, if you discover something similar, let me know.”
Ezra, standing in the moonlit lab in his white coat, looked like a priest from a temple. Tiny lights flitted around him like fireflies, adding to the mystique. Noah was convinced Ezra was hiding something.
‘He must be desperate. Using fairy powers…’
Ezra’s glowing green eyes were repellent. Despite knowing they wouldn’t work on Noah, Ezra had attempted to use an illusion in his desperation. Noah silently nodded and left the lab.
‘Why is he so desperate? Could there be an exception to the rule that fairies can’t kill each other?’
Noah’s eyes darkened as he walked down the corridor. He needed to uncover what the Light Fairies were hiding.
* * *
Click, clack.
Noah seemed to have returned at dawn after abruptly leaving the inn. Regina, half-asleep, heard the door next to hers close and tried to sleep again. The small noise, however, gradually woke her up. Struggling to fall asleep, she sighed and opened her eyes.
It was still dark, and she couldn’t see anything, but as her eyes adjusted, she began to make out vague shapes in the room.
“…”
Unable to sleep, Regina clutched her pillow and thought of her family and nanny, who had cried for her.
“Margaret fainted back then. I hope she woke up safely and wasn’t hurt.”
She muttered, staring blankly at the ceiling.
“I hope they don’t grieve for too long.”
If Regina, with her current memories, became a monster, she would truly be gone from this world. She hoped those she loved wouldn’t mourn her for too long. She wished she could convey that to them. Regina suddenly sat up in bed.
“That’s it! I can send a letter! It doesn’t have to be from me. I’m a genius. No one can match my creative thinking!”
She turned on the light, pulled out a pen from her belongings, and started writing a letter on the inn’s memo pad. Signing it as a ‘friend of Regina,’ she wrote everything she wanted to say.
I love you, I miss you… and I hope you’re happy.
Even if they took it as a prank or discarded it, Regina was determined to send the letter. Writing it, she ended up crying but felt a sense of relief.
Wiping her tears away from the paper, she finished the letter just as the morning sun rose. Exhausted from sobbing through the night, Regina blinked at the morning birds’ song. She slapped her cheeks to wake up, got dressed, packed her things, and went downstairs.
Noah, sipping tea at a table in the corner, looked up as Regina descended the stairs. She walked over to him, passing other tables.
“Where did you go yesterday?”
“I followed the person you saw on the street.”
“Why?”
Regina, confused, sat across from him. Noah set down his empty coffee cup and rested his chin on one hand.
“Humans don’t have red eyes. The person you saw was a high-ranking Black Fairy.”
“Oh… I didn’t know.”
“That’s why I’m telling you.”
“The Black Fairies I’ve seen didn’t have red eyes…”
“Correct. Ordinary Black Fairies can hide their eye color when posing as humans. But high-ranking ones can’t conceal their red eyes. Next time, you might not be so lucky, so run if you see one.”
His unexpectedly kind response puzzled Regina. He wanted her to run away? Wasn’t he trying to kill her? Noah noticed her confusion and chuckled.
“I’m more considerate than you think.”
Regina’s face twisted in disbelief. Noah, noticing her expression, elaborated.
“But fairies can’t kill each other, right? So, I’m safe if I meet that high-ranking fairy?”
“You might not die.”
He shrugged, sipping his tea. His next words made Regina’s face go pale.
“But they can still harm you. Sometimes, it’s better to die.”
Unaware, Regina had been in real danger the previous night.
“Attacking each other… The fairies I know are gentle, small, and kind. But the Black Fairies seemed more like monsters.”
“How much truth can there be in old tales? Before the Black Fairies appeared, fairies rarely showed aggression. Maybe the old fairies were like the ones you know.”
“So, the appearance of Black Fairies changed everything?”
“The Light Fairies say so. They weren’t always human-sized. As Black Fairies absorbed humans and grew, Light Fairies adapted their size. Fairies rarely attacked before the Black Fairies appeared.”
“I see…”
“But that’s ancient history. Enough chit-chat. We need to go. We’re running late for the train.”
Noah, having finished his tea, stood up with his luggage. Regina, wanting to ask more about the Black Fairies, hurried after him.
“Wait! I’m coming!”
The train to Epola was due to arrive soon.
