Chapter 51 Goblin
◎I can no longer remember the hatred I felt back then.◎
A lily of the valley emerged from the dense forest, with half of the elf's body hanging among the petals.
She has a delicate appearance, with eyeballs filling most of her eye sockets, long silver-purple hair covering her entire upper body, a layer of curved leaves wrapped underneath, and two wings flickering, surrounded by star-like scales.
“…”
The four of them looked at each other in bewilderment, especially Antonio, who already had a look of "someone wake me up!" This thing before them was clearly the legendary goblin, right?!
If it weren't for the double vision that could see through the illusion, even Melia would have suspected that everyone had eaten wild mushrooms, and that everything from the assassination to the moment was just an illusion, and in reality they were dancing around the tree.
"Hey, rare human." The little elf jumped out of the petals and hovered steadily on the branch.
She twirled her lively pupils and waved her wings with interest. "You fell down accidentally, didn't you? Do you want to go back? You definitely want to go back, right?"
Elena wiped her face and nodded seriously: "Where is this place? Do you know the way back?"
Her mother once told her the story of Pixie the Fairy:
Back then, gods still roamed the world, and the human world was filled with vibrant magic. Fairies were small monsters born from this magic. One type of fairy resembled humans, but was smaller, typically no bigger than a palm or a forearm.
Their name is Pixie. Besides gathering magic, their greatest joy and purpose is play, especially their fondness for teasing humans. A rare few are kind guides, willing to point the way for those lost, but the vast majority simply play for fun, never satisfied until they've completely fooled humans.
The story my mother told me back then was about a Pixie who pretended to be a spring fairy and lured a passing woodcutter into the water and drowned him, but was eventually killed by the princess who saw through the truth.
Pixie blinked. "This is the fairy garden. I'm a fairy, so of course I know the way back."
Looking at the silent humans, she felt a little anxious. She landed on a leaf and jumped: "Hey, don't worry. Your human world is like this leaf. The fairy garden is on the dewdrop. It's easy to get out~"
Antonio took out a small bottle of honey and handed it to her. "Beautiful Fairy, can we use this bottle of honey to buy a way out?"
"Hmph!" The fairy turned around and slapped the crystal bottle open with its wings. "The fairy garden has no shortage of honey or crystal. If you're willing to help, I can give you a lot of this stuff."
It's not easy to help a goblin.
Elena subconsciously wanted to refuse, but she looked around. Every direction was surrounded by dense primeval forest, and there were huge clumps of mushrooms spraying spores. If a legendary chicken snake beast ran out, they would all die here.
To think her enemies would celebrate with drinks after her death... it was simply unacceptable.
She stood in front of Melia and chose her words carefully: "How can I help you?"
"It's very simple, super simple~ It doesn't hurt at all!" The fairy jumped up and danced two hearts in the air: "Follow me~"
She disappeared into the forest with a sudden sound. Everyone looked at each other and followed her tacitly.
Who would really believe that Pixie is such a famous fairy?
…
Ding-ling~Ding-ling-ling-ling~
As the crowd continued to move forward, the lilies of the valley passing by raised their heads and made loud bell sounds.
The silver-purple fairy flew proudly in the front. When a giant mushroom appeared in her sight, she folded her wings and dived over it. "Everyone, wake up! Look what I brought back!"
Ta-la, clatter, clatter.
Many fairies emerged from leaves, mushrooms, and tree trunks. Some of them were as young and beautiful as the silver-purple fairies, with a pair of translucent wings covered with scales on their backs, while others had the bodies of bees or butterflies, and even had two pairs of eyes, with only one face that looked like a human.
The goblins gathered around, cheering loudly and softly, forcing the four humans to huddle together.
"Okay, what are you busy with?" A gentle female voice suddenly sounded from the highest point of the dense forest, and a fairy as tall as Elena's forearm slowly descended from the sky.
She wears a crown on her head and has wings as gorgeous as those of a royal butterfly behind her. Every time she flaps her wings, star-like powder falls down. These powders will not disappear immediately, but will stay in the air and ignite a flame.
"Queen……"
"My Queen!"
"It's Her Majesty the Queen~"
The goblins had different expressions on their faces, and suddenly dispersed, making way for humans.
The Fairy Queen arrived gracefully, her jewel-like eyes sparkling with stars. "Welcome, my human friends. You can call me the Fairy Sage, or just the Sage."
Fairy Sage, Antonio's heart sank, he glanced at Elena's solemn expression.
Sure enough, all members of the royal family knew what the so-called fairy sage was.
The fairy sage slowly sank, and a rose caught her tiny crystal slipper. "Don't be afraid. I'm not the sage who tricked the King of Babylon into finding the elixir of immortality. I'm her... granddaughter."
When she mentioned the word "granddaughter," her voice rose noticeably. "So the legends of the human world have nothing to do with me. We are just a kind and weak tribe of fairies."
Wow...I don't believe you.
Even Taffy looked like he wanted to leave right away.
The sage chuckled, his voice sweeter than the clearest bell. "Don't be afraid. Daphne led you here, didn't she? I bet you all want to leave right away."
She said in her most seductive voice, "Of course. Our banquet will only last until tonight. When the moon reaches its zenith, I will escort you back in the name of the Sage and the Queen. The Fairy Garden is the closest alternate dimension to the real world, so there won't be any danger there."
Goblin feast, another dangerous term. Who knows what they add to the food just for fun? Poisonous mushrooms or rusty blades are not worthy of legends.
Rustle, rustle.
The fairies gathered around them, their scales radiating a brilliant light that enveloped the humans. Daphne tossed her silver-purple hair and addressed the Queen, "Queen, Queen, all human banquets need a theme, right?"
"Hmm, that's how it is." The Fairy Sage winked at Elena. "Since humans with the bearing of a King have gathered here, the theme is... a wedding, right?"
“Great—”
Ignoring the humans' colorful expressions, the fairies danced in the air, their scales falling onto tree trunks and mushrooms, transforming into roast suckling pig, apple pie, snacks, and fine wine...
"Wait a moment, sage." Elena raised her eyebrows. "What does marriage have to do with a king? Few human kings make marriage their profession. Don't they win support through their own strength?"
The fairies quieted down, and the Fairy Sage once again burst into laughter. "It does matter, of course it matters. Young princess, how can we bless you without a wedding?"
"Yes, yes, bless the little princess! May she be invincible, may she be lucky and intelligent, may she live forever in the legend of miracles~" The fairies jumped for joy and even threw candies in the air.
"The little princess you are talking about... is me?" Elena shuddered. She thought of many, many terrible stories about Pixie.
"Hahahahaha." The goblins laughed in unison, sounding harmless and full of innocence... and terror.
The fairy sage flapped his wings, and the star-like powder formed a web of fire.
"Your Highness, don't you like children?" Her tone was gentle and kind, but it made everyone feel cold in their hearts.
Elena held her breath: "I don't like it."
Given the nature of legends, if she answered "yes," the fairies might bring out a child after the "wedding" and then throw the child to death in front of her. Or they might wait until she returned to the human world and ascended the throne before asking for her "first child."
Answering "no" might lead to bad luck, but the worst outcome she could think of was being cursed by the Fairy Queen to "never have children again."
Well, there's no difference between this curse and this blessing.
"Oh my~" the Fairy Sage drawled out, like a worried old mother: "Princess, this is not romantic at all~"
She flicked her wrist, and a glowing leaf wand appeared out of thin air. As the wand swung, more and more goblins gathered and danced with their queen.
For a moment it was as if stars had fallen into the ocean, and glittering embers had fallen from the sky, forming a bridge of activity among men.
The fairy scales and powder created a stage, a garden, shadowy guests, and even the shape of a castle in the distance.
They formed circles, the queen hovered in the air, and Daphne slowly descended, placing the wreath on Elena's head while singing softly.
Melia stared at the goblins' every move with wide eyes, but she didn't find anything suspicious.
Could it be that these goblins really haven't seen humans for too long and are too bored. They really don't want to play tricks on them?
"Okay~ Next..." The sage nodded at Antonio: "It's time for the prince to take his place."
"Yeah!"
“Oh no!”
Melia pushed aside the half-human-high grass and raised her hands angrily: "Don't weddings always ask if anyone disagrees? I don't agree with this marriage!"
Antonio was holding out his hand, waiting for the wreath. When he saw her determined look, he slowly put his hand back. If possible, he didn't want to take the risk.
"Huh?"
"Can I disagree?"
The fairies gathered and dispersed, holding the garlands at a loss as to what to do.
Before the fairies could figure out what was going on, Melia leaped onto the platform they had prepared for Elena and stood side by side with her on the broken bridge in the moonlight.
"Elena is willing to risk her life to save me, so this life, which I have lived more than once... can certainly burn for her."
She gently opened her arms and shielded Elena behind her: "Queen, leave the wedding to me! Please hurry up~ We are in a hurry to get home."
Everyone looked sideways, whether they were humans or fairies, they could see unparalleled courage on the girl's face. There was a light shining in the depths of her eyes, which surpassed the dust possessed by the fairies.
Then the queen slowly raised the corners of her lips, and her clear eyes sparkled with dazzling stars: "Of course."
She opened her arms, and a flaming web slowly descended, enveloping Elena and Melia. When the scale-dust flames faded completely, the broken bridge was reconnected by starlight, and the two girls in silver dresses were shrouded in moonlight.
A gorgeous long dress defined her waist, rubies and sapphires sparkling under the magic. A veil woven from transparent threads finer than satin danced gracefully in the wind.
The two girls' eyes reflected each other's voices, and each other's faces made them ignore the glittering crowns. They held hands in a daze to avoid falling from the fragile star bridge.
The Fairy Queen nodded with satisfaction: "You are right, a wedding between princesses... is not a bad idea."
The starlight continued to float, and a crystal cup, filled with clear liquid, drifted with the waves and gently docked at the other end of the star bridge.
Daphne picked up the cup with a sweet smile and handed it to them: "Drink it quickly, drink it quickly~ Once you finish it, the wedding will be over."
Elena took the cup first: "What's in it?"
She thought the fairies would not answer, but she didn't expect to hear their chattering responses from all directions.
“This is a cup of blessing~”
"It's also a cup of curse."
"It will give you a new life, a new path."
"It will take so much out of your life."
“Whoever drinks from it will have constant worry until death.”
"Those who drink it may gain happiness, or they may not~"
The Fairy Queen stretched out her hand and gently suppressed the fairies' desire to talk.
She spoke in the most sincere tone, "Don't worry. Many, many humans will receive this blessing. Yours is no different. It's just... more romantic, and we're here to witness it."
"Can we not drink it?"
"cannot."
Elena lowered her head, a sinister intuition piercing her. If she had a choice, she would never drink something so suspicious.
But if they don't drink, these gentle and kind fairies in front of them will definitely let them see what it means to refuse a toast and then drink a forfeit.
More than one story has mentioned that Pixies hate those who directly expose their tricks the most. Unless that person has supernatural abilities, they will beat him to death. Compared with that, being tricked and laughed at is nothing.
She was about to lift the cup when her hands suddenly felt empty.
"Meliya?!"
Elena turned her head to the side, and the girl next to her closed her eyes and gulped down the drink, and the small cup was empty in no time.
"Ha~" Melia wiped her mouth and blinked at her: "It's very sweet."
"you--"
Elena clenched and relaxed her fists, and suddenly realized: since when, the scenes of Melia in her mind have been replaced by her various naughty gestures.
I can no longer remember the hatred I felt back then.
"Hey, are you okay? Do you want some water?" That's what she said that day, right? If it were Melia, she would definitely say that.
The author has something to say:
Thanks to Lei Lei of Seventeen Not Soft~
Thanks to Feiguang, Rainbow Society Suki, jgbvgyfch, Kaidong, and Boyan for their support~
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