Chapter 48.2
The warm scene in the forge was surreal. Wooden mugs clinking with fairies straight out of a storybook, even sparks dancing in the air. Occasionally, when she turned her head, her gaze would meet Damian’s. No special words were exchanged, but that was simply because there was no need.
He refilled their mugs, occasionally playing with the fairies with his fingers. The man who had radiated killing intent was nowhere to be seen; in his place was a gentle figure. If not for that incident, he might have made a good father. The aftertaste of the sweet mead was bitter.
***
Time flew by quickly. Amidst the lively conversation, the time for farewell arrived all too soon.
“It’s time to work. We can’t rest anymore.” Honglu was the first to speak, her voice tinged with disappointment as the rested fairies began to return to their tasks. The other small faces also reflected their regret.
“I’m sorry. Because of us, you’ll have to go back to work tired.”
“No, no. We had so much fun. To be honest, you’ve helped me break down some prejudices.”
“Prejudices?”
“We hate humans. It’s only natural. They appeared one day, slaughtered our families and friends, and declared their rule over us. But an even greater hatred comes from an instinctive revulsion. To us, humans are unspeakably stupid and repulsive. So, I think somewhere along the way, we started to believe all humans were like that.”
Their trembling wings and grimacing faces clearly conveyed their deep-seated disgust. Still, feeling her explanation was inadequate, Honglu added hesitantly, “It’s like… the sickening feeling of seeing disgusting, lowly insects.”
“Insects? Really?” Adeline’s surprised response drew Rune’s attention from his farewells with the other fairies.
“Honglu is right. I felt the same way before I got used to Riche, my first human friend. I’m sure the others feel the same.”
“With that level of revulsion, you must have been offended when I said you resembled a human.”
However, at this, Honglu and Rune exchanged glances.
“No. Strangely, when Adeline said it, it didn’t feel that bad. We didn’t even feel the instinctive revulsion. Right?” Rune nodded in agreement.
“So, maybe not all humans are like that.”
The conclusion was positive, but the information was unsettling. The sickening feeling of looking at lowly insects… perhaps that was why Escape described hummingbirds as arrogant, written from a human perspective. But why didn’t they feel that way about her?
If it was because Adeline wasn’t a player, then perhaps the fairies’ aversion was a system designed to make them perceive players as natural enemies. But why? What was gained by fostering conflict?
Lost in these speculations, Honglu spoke as if she had almost forgotten something. “Oh, by the way, we have a parting gift for you.”
“More gifts? We’ve had plenty to drink.” They had finished four barrels of mead where they sat, though most of it was Damian’s doing. She was about to decline more alcohol when Honglu shook her head.
“It’s not alcohol.”
“Then what is it?”
As if in answer, the fairies who had left returned, carrying something. They handed a dark object to both Damian and Adeline. It was…
“A gun?”
A 9mm automatic pistol. As Adeline stared in bewilderment, Honglu explained, “I made it myself. It’s for negotiations, in case you’re ever threatened by humans.”
Adeline didn’t particularly favor pistols, with their lower accuracy compared to other firearms. However, it was a gift, so she was about to thank them when she heard something shocking.
“This gun doesn’t need to have its magazine changed.”
“What? How?”
Her eyes widened at the dreamlike functionality. The unspoken How is that even possible? etched on her face amused the fairies, who burst into laughter. But Adeline was serious. A gun that didn’t need reloading was extraordinary. It felt like everything she knew about firearms was being challenged. As she examined the gun closely, one of the fairies chuckled and offered some advice.
“Even if you hear it, you won’t understand. Like the houses in the sky that humans marvel at.”
Adeline recalled the fairytale-like sight she had witnessed when she first stepped into the District 10 Plaza. It had certainly defied the laws of physics. She quickly gave up on trying to understand. If this was the innate crafting skill Escape had mentioned, it was no wonder greedy humans coveted it. It went beyond mere skill; it achieved the impossible.
“Thank you so much. I’ll put it to good use.” As she tucked the pistol into the holster on her uniform, she suddenly thought of Damian. She turned to see him looking at the gun. He glanced at her, then holstered his own pistol.
“I’ll teach you how to use it. Don’t touch it until then.” For some reason, he gave a short laugh at her words.
It was truly time to go.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
As if urging them to leave, the sound of the fairies’ hammers echoed through the forge as they resumed their work. Rune, now perched on Damian’s shoulder, had tears in his eyes.
“Once we know the secret of the labyrinth, we might be able to find another safe place and move!”
The fairies’ faces, now that she noticed, were quite gaunt as they chattered with optimistic speculation. She had realized it. They had avoided any hostile talk because she was human.
Not a single pair of their delicate hands was free of blisters from 18-hour workdays. They were all thin and frail.
Perhaps the true sage was the hermit who sat within the cage.
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