“Are you sure that you are all right?”

“I said, I am. I was just dizzy for a moment.”

“Well, that’s a relief. Then we should go to my oldest brother’s...I said it again, didn’t I? I should try to call him correctly, at least from today.”

Ian was now perfectly attuned to this Ian of another ‘world’ or ‘dimension’ in front of him. Ian was in his most peaceful, positive, and smooth life out of the endlessly fragmented worlds that Fran had spawned.

“How about the others?”

“Mother has already entered the palace with Haileyy, saying that she would like to receive the services of the royal maids. Father is busy with another research experiment with Douglas and said that he would come to the palace on the dot.”

“So, you’re the only one who has nothing to do.”

“Yes, it seems to be true.”

Ian and Ragnar exchanged jokes and laughed, but now changed the topic.

“Then let us go together since I also have nothing to do. His majesty is waiting, even if he would welcome you more than me, his blood brother.”

“Isn’t blood thicker than water?”

White light from a teleport spell swallowed the two mid-aged men. Their destination was the royal palace of the ‘Greenriver Unified Empire,’ and they would arrive at the ‘Main Garden’ where the ceremony commemorating Emperor Hayden Greenriver’s Day of Naming will soon begin.

“Are we the first to arrive?”

“We are always so.”

Ian, the mid-aged magician, replied to Ragnar’s question. They were not truly the first ones, as all the palace servants were busy with the preparations. They were the first of the VIPs to arrive.

“Will you go to his majesty first?”

“No, he would be picky choosing his attire about now.”

“He would welcome you even if you wake him up in the early morning.”

“It’s impolite since he is indulging his hobby.”

“Even an emperor needs a hobby.”

How long had their trivial conversation lasted? While Ian’s head still hurt, he ignored it since it was only a faint ache.

“Hmm..”

Ian began to search for the cause of the pain while Ragnar had gone off to somewhere. It was not a physical headache, and it was evident that a mental reason was behind his pain.

‘I have no idea.’

It felt like an itch rather than a headache, exactly like when a tickling sensation would elevate to a headache. The only problem was that the cause was in one’s mind.

‘It’s driving me crazy.’

Ian felt like something itchy, and murky was stuck in his mind. It was useless trying to cleanse his mind using mana breath, and this was the first time he had faced a problem like this after living as a magician for over thirty years.

‘I seem to be forgetting something..’

While Ian could not find a way out of his problem, those who are to participate in the Day of Naming celebration party started to arrive. Since the emperor was to be commemorated, those who held power, such as all lords, aristocrats, high ranking officials, and magicians, arrived.

“Isn’t this, Sir Ian?”

“I greet the one who led the unifying process.”

“My youngest admires you so much, even more than his own father. If it would not be too much trouble, could you sign here..”

They were here to celebrate the emperor’s Day of Naming, but people naturally flocked towards Ian to the point of excessiveness. Since the emperor had not yet arrived, and Ian’s renown across the lands made this situation possible.

It actually was natural, and Ian did not mind since he was used to the attention.

“Umm..”

However, today was different, and everyone who tried to talk to him tired Ian. While Ian wanted to go somewhere else, he could not do so because of his position.

‘Am I really sick? What is going on?’

It was that moment when a voice rang.

[His majesty has entered!]

The voice amplifier installed near where the party was announced the emperor’s entrance, and all eyes towards Ian moved to him.

“I greet your majesty.”

“I greet your majesty.”

“I greet your majesty.”

Everyone participating in the party greeted Emperor Hayden as he entered, and Ian stood up to place himself in the greeting line.

“Oh, isn’t this the Lord of the Ivory Tower?”

Emperor Hayden spoke in a welcoming voice after discovering Ian amidst the many people who bowed to him. His beauty still shone despite being a middle-aged man.

“My brother told me you seem a bit unwell. Is it all right to come out like this?”

“While your worry is a providence, he seems to have spoken something unnecessary. I am quite well.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

However, that friendly conversation ended, and since the party was now going on, they could not converse as usual. The emperor could only say to speak further later on with lingering disappointment.

‘Let’s endure only a bit more, only a bit.’

Ian started a light spell after sitting in a corner, which would allow others to pay him less attention. It was a hallucination spell that made Ian’s presence faint, and he was planning to endure at first and get out in the middle of the party.

“Your majesty, our lands are forever grateful to your grace and rule, and we have prepared this gift for your Day of Naming after much contemplation of how to give back even some of your grace. We hope you will accept this gift from our lands.”

As Ian remained in his position with silence, Emperor Hayden Greenriver received lines of gifts from all over the lands. Since they were from all over the lands, everything was vibrant and rare. One of the powerful lords from the former Coldwood Empire came forth confidently with gifts hidden in velvet. There were several of them.

“What are all those? They seem to be animal cages, shaped like a birdcage.”

“Your majesty has a sharp eye. Yes, these are birdcages.”

“So, the birds are your presents?”

“I may say so, but I hope your majesty will make the decision after seeing it.”

“You seem to have caught a majestic bird. Let’s take a look.”

Emperor Hayden stood up and went in front of the present and lightly grabbed the end of the velvet cover by himself.

“Can I look?”

“Of course, your majesty.”

“Then..”

The emperor pulled the velvet cover, and the birdcage under the red velvet was now revealed.

“....?”

It was a ‘birdcage,’ as everyone had expected, but the creature in it surprised everyone. It looked like a bird since the small size and white wings were top notch. However, it could not be a bird, since what bird had the face, body, and limbs of a human being?

“What is that?”

“I don’t know...”

“It doesn’t seem like a bird..”

“Is it a different race like a dwarf or an elf?”

“Can such a small race exist?”

With the beautiful small body of a woman with a pair of wings on its back, the creature was rare and mystic, and the cage riveted everyone in the party.

“Speak..is this bird..a bird?”

Emperor Hayden spoke to the lord from the former Coldwood Empire, and the lord said in a satisfied tone like the situation was going his way.

“It is not actually a bird since it is more beautiful and mysterious.”

“Yes, I can see that. What is this creature?”

“Has your majesty ever heard the name ‘fairy’?”

“Fairy? Isn’t that the name of forest beings in legends? They are said to be fictional beings like dragons..wait. Is this little creature..?”

“Yes, it is. Please accept my gift of ‘forest fairies’ that have only existed in legends, myths, and old tales for your forty-eighth Day of Naming.”

Everyone began to murmur at the arrival of forest fairies. The idea of fairies being gifts was absurd. Everything, from their existence, the acquisition route, and all else, were suspicious.

“How did you acquire such a rare creature? I cannot believe it with my own eyes.”

“Your majesty, with all due respect, it is too early to be surprised.

“Early? What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t you need to confirm the biggest cage that is at the furthest back?”

“Well, now..”

There was such a cage, a bigger one than the cages that held the pure white fairies. The velvet covering this one was of much higher quality than the rest. What creature was waiting for them? Not only the emperor, but everyone in the party focused on the biggest birdcage.

“To my respected majesty and all distinguished guests, I will introduce you to the one and only Queen who have ruled over the legendary forest fairies for over a long time.”

The lord that was presenting the gifts now grabbed the velvet cover and shouted as he pulled back the covers with all his strength.

“Behold, the Fairy Queen!”

The cover of the biggest birdcage was lifted, and the ‘Fairy Queen’ with pink hair and wings showed her exquisite self to all present.

“Oh..”

“That’s the Fairy Queen?”

“Look, she’s watching us!’

The girl with pink hair and wings, the Fairy Queen in the cage, looked around her with vacant eyes. The way her wings drooped was despondent, but no one was thinking of such a thing. There was only a simple curiosity and greed towards a creature they saw for the very first time.

“Your majesty and all honored guests, please be careful. While the birdcage is made in the same principle as a mana prison and the shackles have the same effects, she actually is a magician with great powers.”

The lord of the former Coldwood Empire continued to speak, and his explanation was fluid like he had prepared it in advance.

“I venture that her thunder magic is at the level of Sir Ian page, the greatest magician of all human history. Anyone who belittles her from her small and lovely posture will regret it.”

“Wait, while I agree that fairies are rare, how did you acquire such a high-class magical being if she is at the same level as Ian?”

Emperor Hayden asked with suspicious eyes, as the lord mentioned that the Fairy Queen is at Ian’s level regarding thunder magic. While the words could be said, how could he have caught such a creature alive that was much stronger than a high-class magician of the Ivory tower?

“The answer is this.”

The lord took out a jewel from his bosom at the emperor’s reasonable question.

“A jewel? Explain further.”

“Yes, as you know, this is a ‘heart ruby,’ which is one of the luxurious and rare jewels. I found by coincidence that fairies cannot resist a well-cut jewel.”

For fairies, jewels were the way to pleasure and satisfaction that fulfilled all demands. Using the jewels well would have made this feat possible.

“....”

While everyone talked about fairies from the acquisition method, the route, and their location in the party, only one person was not participating in this subject. It was Ian Page, but he seemed to be interested a little in the Fairy Queen herself. He could not help but stare at the pinkish creature.

‘What is this feeling?’

The Fairy Queen’s and Ian’s gaze met as she looked around. While her eyes were still vacant, Ian fell into inexplicable chaos as their eyes met as faint and fragmented bits of memory began to stab Ian’s head sharply. Ian groaned.

The memories were all strange, as scenes relevant to that pink fairy he had seen for the first time continued to pass him by. She had looked down on Ian as she called him ‘human’ or ‘you’, had stayed near his mother in the past as a pink cat, and had implored him that she did not want to be his enemy. The memories that did not exist and were not even consistent became clearer.

[I do not want to lose you people.]

Ian covered his head, and the pink fairy’s voice, which he had never heard before, rang in his ears.

[I’ll gladly lay down my life.]

[Please trust them just this once.]

[Human, Ian Page.]