“— ‘Queen of Love'”
Lily muttered this as she looked down on Nel, who had collapsed on her back, with eyes that seemed to perceive a wicked criminal about to be punished.
Nel’s body, lying in the arena, bore no scars or dirt; it was pristine. It looked as if she had slipped into a quiet slumber, believing that this place was just her bedroom.
“You look so happy, Nel.”
In truth, she likely was happy. Nel was certainly within the greatest happiness she could imagine. Sweet and gentle was this ‘dream,’ one she would continue to wish for, even if it were a falsehood.
“I wonder if you like it. This is the Fourth Trial, ‘World of Lust’.”
Lily wasn’t simply messing around with Nel. Having mastered ancient jujutsu, and equipped with the national treasure-level magical tool, “Sky Dragon Palm: ‘Blue Sky’ and ‘Crimson Night’,” she had obtained a high combat evaluation, surpassing even Sariel in close combat. Engaging her head-on would mean certain difficulty, with the possibility of defeat looming large.
Thus, Lily had poured her whole being into crafting a massive trap specifically to take down Nel — this was the ‘World of Lust.’
“Nel, you possess the strength befitting a Rank 5 expert, able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Chrono. Yet still, you are the weakest.”
This trap could be instantly recognized by Chrono and Fiona. Only those who had slain Last Rose would notice that the rose and thorn patterns adorning various parts of the arena, starting with the walls enclosing this arena, were hypnosis magic circles activated by the sight.
Of course, Lily could not prepare something exactly the same as that cave in the Asbel Mountain Range, as she wasn’t the genuine Last Rose. Even if she calculated and positioned the magic circle using her genius in magic, the hypnotic effect would be one or two degrees inferior to the original.
However, the fact that she had managed to reproduce the strongest illusion that had trapped all the ‘Element Masters’ in a dream world was the true might of the Fourth Blessing, ‘Queen of Love.’
Chrono still could only make minimal use of it for mental defense and hadn’t been able to draw out various magical effects through sexual intercourse, which was its original intended usage. But, possessing powerful telepathy as her inherent magical ability, Fairy Lily was far more adept at handling such abilities than Chrono was. It was only natural that she would have applied it to illusion first.
Preparations were complete. Yet whether she would succeed or not was somewhat of a gamble.
Would she be able to effectively divide the three? Could she ensnare Nel in the prepared teleportation magic trap? And above all, could she endure the battle time without Nel noticing the illusion, until she fell into a hypnotic state?
A one-on-one duel with Nel. Up until the middle of the intense battle, everything had been occurring in reality. By continuously using the ‘Queen of Love,’ Lily aimed to ensnare Nel in the illusionary trap while they fought. It was challenging since using one blessing meant she couldn’t use others. She had been able to overwhelm Sariel because she supplemented her power with ‘Queen of Flames,’ dodged with ‘Queen of Thunder,’ and maintained speed with ‘Queen of Storm.’ She also had the insurance of ‘Queen of Steel’ for emergencies.
Fighting without Chrono’s blessing against Nel was filled with continuous danger, but… Lily emerged victorious. She successfully exploited Nel’s ‘weakness’ to the fullest.
“You just don’t learn, do you? This is the third time now. Realize that your excessive lust will bring about your own destruction.”
Nel’s weakness was her intense lust for Chrono, as Lily had concluded.
It was still fresh in her memory how she had threatened Nel over using her spoon under the pretense of enjoyment. This was just before the Galahad War began, not even a year ago.
Since then, she had been thoroughly led astray by Fiona’s sweet talk and had rejected the approach to Chrono that she should have avoided, which was only a short while ago.
Nel had been led by the sexual desire budded alongside her feelings for Chrono, suffering two brutal defeats to her romantic rival. And once again, her intense lust would again become the decisive cause of her downfall.
“You will never awaken. You can never escape that blissful world.”
Even Lily had been unable to see the eternal life with Chrono in that little shack in the woods as anything but an illusion and failed to wake up. Let alone, the lustful dream of Last Rose, which was specifically designed to stimulate sexual pleasure. There was no way Nel could part with such a wonderful world.
“What a foolish woman. You don’t even realize that your ugly desires will waste the affections of those who care about you—”
Lily would not make a mistake in the final stages. Her outstretched hand did not harbor the light of murder but gently touched Nel’s body.
Lily’s hand slipped inside through the slightly parted collar of her white robe like a snake. Pushing through the large untouched chest, she felt the target inside. It was the final shield protecting Avalon’s princess’s heart.
“I know about the ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers.’ Hehe, Chrono told me.”
When casting the illusion, the magic tool known as the ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ was the greatest concern. Its power was enough to repel the parasite ability of the Rank 5 monster Slowsgil, which could control countless monsters to form a vast army, with a single shot.
If this ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ reacted, no matter how much it was ‘World of Lust,’ the odds of being broken would be high.
However, there was hope.
“Positive effects will not cancel out. Your clever ability has turned against you.”
The effects of magical defense vary widely. Some merely grow a single wall, while others create a massive barrier that covers an entire town. Some types only affect spiritual entities like evil spirits, while others block everything.
Should ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ be categorized more strictly, it possesses the defensive ability to block and eliminate mental interference from the outside, alongside a sort of automatic selectivity regarding beneficial magical effects, like healing spells, that do not obstruct aid from allies.
This is quite an advanced function, one not commonly found in most mental defense magical tools. Many types that block or hinder support mechanisms like healing spells mean that adventurers need not always wear defensive magical gear.
However, Lily exploited this utility to cast the illusion. In other words, she made ‘World of Lust’ seem like an illusion that had a healing effect. It would be more accurate to say that the ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ selected against it because Nel herself wished to accept the effects of the illusion.
By making her wish to defeat Lily come true and showing her an ideal future in which everything would conveniently unfold for her, Nel was trapped in a profound depth of no return.
Now, having finally come to the long-awaited first night of marriage with Chrono, Nel would be desperate to keep this sweet illusion from ending at all costs. Because of her desires, the ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ would not respond.
“And since you’ve lost this feather, I have no obligation to show you a happy dream anymore—”
Throwing the ‘Heart’s Guardian Feathers’ into the space magic drawn by the red light magic circle, she then retrieved another magical tool.
It was a plain, pure white ring. The ultimate, worst magical tool that controls people, known as the ‘Thought Control Device.’
“— I shall show you an eternal nightmare.”
—
“Congratulations, Princess Nel! A healthy Divine Heir!”
At last, I have given birth to Chrono’s child. The historic birth of my first child. As a woman and a mother, I feel relieved to have fulfilled the significant role of bearing a child, at least for now. As a royal daughter who is expected to produce an heir, I also felt a considerable amount of pressure.
Yet, those anxieties are so trivial. After all, I love Chrono this much, and he loves me so much. The birth of a child between two people in love is an absolute certainty, even without the decree of the gods of fate.
Such petty fears and pressures don’t matter. For now, I am overwhelmingly happy that the crystal of my love with Chrono has safely entered this world.
“How are you feeling, Nel? You did well; thank you.”
“Yes, I’m fine… I’m glad I could give birth safely.”
“Oh, she’s a healthy girl.”
“Just like ‘One Princess, Two Sons,’ right?”
“Hahaha, you’re jumping ahead.”
Seeing Chrono’s face makes me want another child right away. I want your child. I want more of a testament to our love. It feels so good, and I can’t believe how wonderful ‘love’ can be.
“Chrono, can you show me her face?”
“She’s our daughter, an incredible beauty.”
As he smiles, Chrono shows me the face of the daughter he holds in his arms as I lie in bed.
A radiant little face of a girl peeks out from clean, pure white silk fabric.
“… Huh?”
Radiant? No, she is truly shining.
“How is it, Nel?”
The small girl, enveloped in a pure white veil of light, has platinum hair that glows, and shimmering emerald eyes.
“She looks adorable like a fairy.”
And from her back, something resembling red mist rises… and eventually transforms into blood-red, ominous butterfly wings.
“That’s right, Nel, we shall name her—”
No.
She isn’t my daughter.
Not the child of me and Chrono.
No, why, how?
Because this child is, no, this girl is—
“Let’s name her Lily.”
“Noooooo!!!”
—
Fiona was quietly waiting for that moment. Everything was progressing according to plan.
Using the teleportation function activated by Sariel, she quickly boarded the sky battleship controlled by Lily. This was the first phase of the operation.
It would have been easy if they could have defeated her outright with the momentum of a surprise attack, but of course, Lily wouldn’t falter at something so minor as an unforeseen situation.
After an intense exchange of attack magic, Fiona found herself trapped within the barrier that Lily had activated.
“Muu, I won’t let you through.”
Before Fiona stood a being performing a blocking pose with arms spread wide, resembling young Lily. This was the barrier.
Constructed from red light, it bore a resemblance to Lily but clearly indicated that it was merely an imitation.
In short, this being was none other than the monster known as Envy Ray, whom Chrono was meant to defeat in his final trial, and Fiona had already surmised this.
“I cannot pass. It seems I cannot break through this.”
“I told you, the barrier of Shangri-La is incredible!”
Its behavior was just like that of the young Lily whom Fiona knew all too well, which was annoying. Even though it was fake.
Even if she became irritated, the Envy Ray in front of her wasn’t even the essence of a spirit, merely a shadow displayed through light magic. It couldn’t be burned to ash. Conversely, it couldn’t launch an attack either.
Lily had activated a powerful wide-area barrier through Envy Ray to confine Fiona here.
It was likely that Envy Ray served as a source of magical power for Lily to maintain her true form. Monsters like dragons, who possess tremendous strength and intelligence, lend their power through contracts with humans. In the same way, Fiona interpreted that Lily had gained a vast amount of magical power by forming a contract with Envy Ray.
As she noted the secret behind Lily’s power in a memo within her triangular hat, Fiona once again observed the gigantic barrier confining her.
It perfectly enveloped the sky battleship. Fiona found herself confined in the vast middle of the deck.
This barrier was inferred not to have been created by Lily herself but by the defensive mechanisms of the sky battleship. This was a barrier belonging to a gigantic weapon created by a magical civilization far superior to the present one. Even Fiona did not consider breaking through it by force.
Such an extravagant mechanism required a considerable amount of magical power and control to activate, which likely meant it had to be entrusted to Envy Ray.
The division was not only affecting them but also Lily was sacrificing herself. While it was uncertain how much force Lily could exert, having separated from Envy Ray guaranteed that some time limitation would again be imposed.
Thus, being trapped here was totally the result of Lily’s design… but it was within the range of predictions. Moreover, it was relatively manageable.
Fiona didn’t expend much magical power nor did she sustain any injuries, thus she had momentarily halted combat with Lily. It was ideal for conserving strength, and she had also corroborated several points she needed to confirm.
First, she had successfully activated ‘The Proof of Demon’s Existence,’ the manifestation of the dark witch Endymion’s powers, even in the so-called God Destruction Domain where it was said all blessings vanish.
Lily’s combat ability was derived from her innate fairy magic. Therefore, she was greatly influenced by the blessing of Fairy Queen Iris. To fully unleash her capabilities, she must have needed to secure Iris’s blessing by any means necessary.
Nonetheless, the fact that Lily established a base within the ‘God Destruction Domain Avalon’ meant she had succeeded in nullifying that immense field effect of blessing disappearance.
While it couldn’t be definitively confirmed how she achieved that, the most likely method was to ‘build a church.’ The Sinclair Republic always constructs churches in the territories it invades. It serves not only as a mark of conquest but as a sort of magical ceremony or device to gain the blessing of the White God, essentially incorporating it into the sphere of influence of the Cross Religion.
This method isn’t unique to the Sinclair Republic; it can be observed in every nation on the Ark Continent, and in Pandora Continent, there is a culture of constructing something of a temple in human spheres of influence, which I learned in school of the gods.
In summary, within Lily’s paradise, she built a temple to worship Fairy Queen Iris, whom she calls her ‘Paradise,’ allowing blessings to be usable only within that range.
However, the field effect of nullifying all blessings is a highly specialized phenomenon that exists only here. To invalidate other blessings, two conditions are necessary: a powerful faith to be revered by many as a holy place and a massive dragon vein. Just a single temple cannot wield enough influence to nullify other blessings.
In other words, as long as they are within Lily’s paradise, Fiona too can use her blessings. Of course, while Lily will be able to draw out more power, Fiona’s will be lesser, but it isn’t a large enough issue to decide victory or defeat.
Having successfully activated the ‘Proof of Demon’s Existence’ after transferring here, Fiona secretly smiled, believing that one of her anxiety factors had been eliminated.
“I thought it would be about time…”
All preparations that could be made here were complete. With no magic power or energy left to sabotage the sky battleship, all that’s left now is to wait. Fiona fixed her gaze on the cage of the barrier, appearing as a pale blue light veil, not moving an inch, sitting on the end of the super-sized triple cannon mounted on the deck, quietly waiting.
“Hey, hey, are you sleeping?”
Envy Ray was mostly ignored.
Other than the meaningless jabber from the ghostly presence resembling young Lily, no sounds could be heard. Lily had flown off to deal with Sariel and Nel first, but no explosions or flashes could be felt. It was a chillingly eerie silence, as if time had stopped solely in this place.
I see, this is the calm before the storm.
As Fiona reflected on this, finally, the moment arrived.
“— I’ve kept you waiting, Fiona.”
As the pale blue wide-area barrier dissipated, a fairy girl enveloped in crimson light descended from the blazing heavens.
“No, it was nothing much, Lily.”
Her response was casual, as if they were just about to go shopping together.
Straightening her triangular hat, Fiona adjusted the collar of the large black cape she was still not quite used to and jumped down from the cannon’s muzzle onto the deck.
“‘Deeper than original sin, evil—‘ the ‘Dark Witch Endymion’—’Proof of Demon’s Existence’”
The second blessing, activated.
By the time Fiona landed lightly on the deck, her blue hair had grown down to her waist, and she had fully transformed into a demonic figure adorned with beautiful yet ominous dual horns crystal-like and golden devilish eyes.
“Welcome back, Lily!”
“It seems you’ve fulfilled your role safely; I feel relieved. Thank you, Ray.”
Floating gently, Envy Ray returned to Lily’s side.
“Truly, it looks like you managed to defeat Sariel and Nel with limited power.”
“It was cutting it close. They were both formidable foes who couldn’t be defeated without exploiting their weaknesses.”
Lily radiated elegance as she smiled, showing no signs of fatigue. Such mere composure could have been a display of modesty, but in truth, Sariel and Nel must have imposed considerable exhaustion on her.
Yet, she only needed to conceal her exhaustion to maintain her confidence.
“However, Fiona, you are the only one I cannot hope to beat without exerting my full strength—now, Ray, let’s go.”
“Okay! Good luck, Lily!”
Envy Ray fully transformed into crimson light, vanishing into Lily’s body.
Envelopment complete. A faintly eerie red aura wafted from Lily’s body, and the butterfly wings sprouting from her back glimmered ominously even more.
Above all, Fiona could feel the intense wave of magical power radiating from Lily’s body, tingling against her skin. With Envy Ray residing within Lily, there would no longer be a time limit.
That power was truly worthy of being called an Apostle. Chosen not by the White God, but by the Fairy God, as the Apostle of Love.
Finally, Fiona stood face to face with the serious Lily.
“I always thought this moment would come.”
“Yes, I feel the same.”
While Lily should have been consumed by jealousy, she wore a graceful smile reminiscent of Fiona’s memories.
“Fiona, you have always been my best friend. That hasn’t changed.”
“For me too, Lily; you are my one and only friend.”
It was strange, but her heart felt calm.
There was no hesitation. Therefore, there was no negotiation or persuasion. There was no need.
“This is the final battle. Now, come at me, Fiona. I will accept everything you throw at me.”
“Yes, Lily, I’m coming!”
Because, this is fate. From the moment I fell in love with that man named Chrono, it was an unchangeable destiny.
“Fall, remnants of the primordial fire—‘Purgatory Barrier.’”
“‘Fairy Barrier,’ full open.”
The fairy Lily and the witch Fiona. A pure love battle for one man began.