LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 293.1
Chapter 293.1. The Fairy Queen
After passing through the elevator shaft, I found myself on the ground. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a snowy region. In fact, it wasn’t even an elevator hall.
Before me stood a lion. A golden lion. With the majestic aura of a king, its four limbs planted firmly on the ground, it had a beautiful golden mane and fur, and its claws gleamed coldly and terrifyingly, sharper than any famed sword.
It seemed I had been teleported. In front of me was a lush, neatly trimmed lawn, stretching endlessly, seemingly without bounds. It appeared I hadn’t been teleported to just any ordinary place.
If it were a trap, my trap detection and the abilities of luck and life should have alerted me, but I noticed nothing. This meant it wasn’t a simple teleportation trap. It was something else entirely.
To uncover its true nature, I relaxed my shoulders and gave a faint smile to the lion before me, about to speak.
It was also a way to buy time until my companions arrived. If my assumptions were correct, this lion before me should be the Fairy Queen. While keeping a wary eye on the enemy, I tried to gather information, but—
Thud.
The moment I tried to speak, I was slammed hard into the ground. Before I could understand what had happened, a powerful shock ran through my entire body, and pain surged through me. My left shoulder burned as if branded, hot and excruciating.
[High Dark Field]
Though I couldn’t fully grasp the situation, I activated a defensive spell that enveloped my entire body. It was a dome of darkness that blocked any form of scrying or the enemy’s line of sight.
The next moment, the dark dome shook from an impact. But it seemed I managed to block the attack, as the barrier only warped slightly.
[Dark Active Armor]
[Cloak of Darkness]
I created another layer of dark barrier that absorbed some of the enemy’s attack energy and reflected it back, along with a cloak of darkness that resisted all attacks except light. The lion likely couldn’t see me now, as the cloak also obscured my presence.
After layering multiple defenses, I winced at the pain in my shoulder and glanced sideways.
“When it hurts this much, all you feel is the heat.”
My left shoulder had been gouged deeply, taking a chunk of flesh along with my new equipment. Part of the bone was also torn away, leaving shattered fragments visible amidst the blood and gore.
[Shizuku, what was that attack? I couldn’t tell at all. One moment I was fine, the next I was blown to the ground.]
Even if I used acceleration-based combat skills, I had already used my counter skills. And with my current stats, I shouldn’t have lost track of a fast-moving enemy. Not knowing the nature of the enemy’s attack was bad. Feeling the barrier shake and collapse again from the enemy’s assault, I recreated the dark barrier and asked.
But the mental response that usually came immediately was absent. Unlike other fairies, Shizuku and I were connected at the soul. Even if she was far away due to the full summoning, this shouldn’t have been possible.
Wide-eyed in shock, I felt a wave of loneliness crash over me. In these six years, I had never once failed to sense Shizuku’s presence.
To mask my tension, I licked my lips and pulled out a high-grade potion from the pouch at my waist, downing it in one go. This meant I couldn’t use another potion until tomorrow.
As my body faintly glowed, the gouged shoulder bone regenerated, flesh covering it as the skin returned to normal. I wanted to click my tongue at having used a potion on the first strike, but it was necessary. The pain was intense, and my left arm had been rendered useless.
Feeling disgusted by the blood-soaked hem of my clothes, I took a deep breath. I hadn’t expected to be hit by the enemy’s first attack.
As the barrier shook and collapsed again, I created another one, like a never-ending game of chess. It seemed I could buy time until my mana ran out. The enemy, perhaps wary, wasn’t pushing too hard with its attacks. Still, it would likely change tactics after a few more blocked attempts.
But that brief moment was all I needed. Oxygen filled my lungs, and my brain regained its composure. Slowly, I calmed down and regained my cool.
“Humans are doomed. Your defeat has already been decided. It’s best to stop struggling.”
Finally, a voice reached me. It was a low, feminine voice, heavy with authority and dignity.
“Thanks for the welcome. I never expected to be invited to the fairy realm, a place said to exist somewhere created by fairies. Sadly, I forgot my camera. Mind if I go back and get it?”
“You seem to have the leisure to joke. This land, [Tir na nOg], cannot be entered by anyone who hasn’t been invited. Not even the fairy or divine machines you brought with you can enter here.”
“Then, can I sightsee until the mana sustaining this realm runs out? Show me around. I’ll treat you to lunch. For dinner, I’ll splurge on a nice restaurant. My treat. How about it?”
“For a human, the power you possess is impressive. Is that what gives you such confidence? But unfortunately, this realm can easily sustain itself for a week. Sorry to disappoint.”