The flower field behind the manor was the only place that felt alive.
Faye loved it there. The air smelled sweet, the breeze was gentle, and the sky always seemed wider when he lay beneath it. Sometimes, Barbara allowed him to play there as long as he stayed within sight of the manor walls. It was his private sanctuary—a world of colors and quiet, far removed from the cold hallways of his isolated home.
That day, he was lying under the big tree at the center of the field, his favorite spot. Its branches spread wide, casting a perfect shade from the sun. With his hands tucked beneath his head and the soft hum of the wind lulling him to sleep, his eyelids began to drift closed.
For once, the world felt peaceful.
Then, something poked his cheek.
"...Mmmh…" Faye grumbled, scrunching his nose and turning his head.
Poke.
He frowned, still half-asleep.
Poke.
"—Ugh, wha—?"
His crimson eyes fluttered open, groggy and unfocused… only to widen immediately.
An unfamiliar face stared down at him. A girl. No—an elf girl.
Her short blonde hair framed a delicate face, her striking blue eyes sharp with annoyance, and just beneath her lower lip was a faint but noticeable mole that drew his gaze. In her hand, she held a stick—the same stick currently prodding his cheek.
"Ah—uh—" Faye sat up so fast he almost tripped over himself. His heart skipped a beat.
The girl didn't say anything. She just pouted, glaring at him like he'd committed a terrible crime.
Faye panicked. "H-hello…?"
She didn't respond.
He tilted his head, unsure what else to do. He wasn't used to talking to strangers—especially not elves. Barbara had told him about them before: elves were proud, distant, and generally avoided humans. Yet here was one, standing in his flower field, poking his face like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Finally, after a long, unbearable silence, the girl snapped.
"You!" she yelled, stamping her foot. "You stole my napping place!"
Faye blinked. "...Eh?"
"You heard me!" Her pout deepened. "This is my spot! I always nap here! Then I come today, and you're just lying there like you own it!"
Faye's mind blanked. He… had no idea how to respond.
This was his family's manor. His family's field. His tree. But the way this girl spoke—so confident, so fiery—he almost felt like he was the intruder here.
"Um…" He tilted his head again, confused. "Stole… nap place?"
"Yes!" she huffed, crossing her arms. "Move over, human!"
He stared at her. He should've argued. He should've told her this was his home. But instead… he scooted over.
The girl, apparently satisfied, plopped down beside him without another word, hugging her knees before lying down in the grass. Within seconds, her eyes were closed.
Faye just sat there, dumbfounded.
He'd never seen an elf before. She didn't look dangerous—just bossy. And weird. Definitely weird.
After a long pause, curiosity got the better of him. "Um… who are you?"
No answer.
He leaned a little closer. "Hey… are you sleeping?"
Nothing.
"Hello?"
Still nothing.
Faye frowned, puffing his cheeks a little. He wasn't used to being ignored. So he asked again. And again. And again.
Finally, with an exasperated groan, the girl shot up, glaring at him like he'd committed the worst crime imaginable.
"UGH! My name is Nari!" she yelled. "There! Are you happy now?!"
Faye blinked. Then… he smiled.
"Hi, Nari," he said softly.
Nari stared at him like he was strange. But instead of yelling again, she flopped back down and closed her eyes.
And just like that… she was asleep.
---
The next day, Faye returned to the tree.
He didn't know why. Maybe he thought it was just a strange dream. Maybe the elf girl wouldn't come back. But when he arrived, there she was—already napping in the grass.
He sat down beside her quietly. She didn't wake up.
The day after that? Same thing.
And the day after that?
Again.
It became a routine.
Nari never spoke much. She didn't play with him or ask him questions. She just… napped. Under the tree. Every single day.
Faye didn't mind. He didn't need her to talk. Just having someone there—a presence that wasn't cruel, that didn't look at him like he was cursed—was enough to make his lonely little world feel brighter.
Sometimes, while she slept, he'd talk quietly. Not to wake her. Just to say things out loud he'd never said to anyone else.
"I… I want to be a hero, you know," he'd whisper, watching the sky through the branches. "Like my father. Barbara says he's really strong."
Nari would snore softly in response.
Faye smiled anyway.
"I'll be strong too. And then… I'll protect everyone."
Barbara would often watch them from the manor window, her expression unreadable. But she never stopped him. In fact, Faye almost thought he saw something faint—something almost like approval—in her eyes.
---
One afternoon, after nearly a week of this strange routine, Faye worked up the courage to ask Nari another question.
"Nari… why do you nap here?"
Nari cracked one eye open. "…Because it's my spot."
"But…" Faye scratched his cheek. "This is my house."
"Wrong," she mumbled, rolling over. "The tree picked me first."
Faye tilted his head. "…Trees don't pick people."
"They do if you listen hard enough."
He stared at her, baffled. But somehow… he believed her.
Nari yawned and closed her eyes again.
And for the first time in a long time, Faye laughed.
---
From then on, the manor's flower field wasn't just his sanctuary anymore.
It was their place.
And even though Nari never admitted it, Faye noticed she always left a little space beside her under the tree.
Just enough for him.
For the first time in his life, Faye Lanivelle didn't feel quite so alone.
---
The sky above the flower field was clear, and the sun was warm as usual. Under the shade of the big tree, Nari lay sprawled on the grass with her arms behind her head, looking utterly relaxed.
Beside her, Faye sat cross-legged, hugging his knees and talking endlessly about himself.
"And then Barbara said Father fought like ten men all by himself! Can you imagine that?! I bet he was like—whoosh! and bam!—and then the bad guys just ran away because they were scared!"
Nari yawned. Loudly.
"Uh-huh," she muttered, eyes half-closed.
Faye leaned closer, undeterred. "One day, I'm gonna be like him. Maybe I'll be even cooler! I'll protect everyone, even you!"
Nari didn't even open her eyes. "Sure."
Faye blinked at her lack of enthusiasm but kept going anyway. "And when I'm a hero, I'll get a sword bigger than me, and—"
"Ugh!"
Her sudden shout startled him so much he nearly fell backward. Nari sat up, throwing her arms in the air.
"You're so boring!"
Faye froze.
Boring?
He stared at her, stunned, his little face falling as though she'd just shattered his whole world.
Did… did she just call him boring?
He didn't say anything. He just hugged his knees tighter, turned away, and pouted silently.
Nari blinked at him, tilting her head. "What's wrong with you now?"
Faye didn't answer.
"Hey." She poked his shoulder. "Why are you making that face? Did I break you or something?"
He still didn't respond, just hugging his knees and staring at the grass.
Nari frowned. She wasn't used to people sulking at her. "You're weird," she muttered.
Then she plopped down in front of him, resting her chin on her hands, watching him like he was some curious little animal. After a long pause, she sighed dramatically.
"Fine. You're not boring."
Faye peeked at her from the corner of his eye, suspicious.
"You're just… kind of boring," she added.
Faye puffed his cheeks like a balloon and turned away again.
Nari groaned, rolling onto her back. "Ugh, this is too much effort…"
She stared at the sky for a long moment before suddenly blurting out, "Hey. Have you ever seen fairies?"
That got his attention.
Faye's head whipped around so fast he almost tripped over himself. "...Fairies?"
Nari smirked. "Yup. Fairies."
Faye blinked rapidly. "Like… real fairies? With wings? And sparkles?"
Nari grinned, her sharp blue eyes glinting with mischief. "Of course. They're rare, but they're real. And guess what? We elves? We're really good friends with them!"
She puffed out her chest proudly.
Faye, of course, didn't notice she was bragging. He was too busy vibrating with excitement.
"I knew it! Barbara told me about them before! She said Father once fought side-by-side with a fairy during the Arpa invasion! I knew they weren't just stories!"
Nari raised an eyebrow, impressed despite herself. "Huh. Guess your dad's not totally useless then."
Faye gasped like she'd just insulted the sun itself. "Don't call Father useless! He's a hero!"
"Yeah, yeah," Nari said with a wave of her hand. "Wanna see one or not?"
Faye froze.
"...Wait… you… you can show me one?"
"Duh." She smirked, standing up and brushing off her dress. "Follow me if you want to see a fairy, human!"
"My name's not 'human'!" Faye shouted, scrambling to his feet. "It's Faye! Faye Lanivelle!"
"Uh-huh. Whatever you say, human," Nari teased, grinning over her shoulder.
Faye puffed his cheeks again, but he still followed her.
---
From the manor window, Barbara watched silently.
She had been observing the two for days now—the cursed boy and the peculiar elf girl who appeared out of nowhere. Faye's laughter had grown louder, his loneliness quieter. And now, as he eagerly followed Nari toward the edge of the Old Forest, Barbara's sharp blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
"Reckless," she murmured under her breath.
Without a sound, she stepped away from the window.
If Faye thought he could wander into the Old Forest without her noticing, he was wrong.
---
"Are you sure this is safe?" Faye asked nervously as they approached the tree line.
The Old Forest loomed ahead, its ancient trees stretching so high they seemed to touch the clouds. Their trunks were gnarled, their leaves whispering secrets in the wind.
Nari turned and smirked. "Scared, human?"
Faye's cheeks burned. "No! I'm not scared!"
He was absolutely scared.
But his curiosity was stronger.
"C'mon," Nari said, waving him forward. "The fairies won't wait forever."
Faye gulped, then followed her into the shadows of the forest.
The deeper they went, the quieter the world became. No birds. No insects. Just the sound of their footsteps and the rustling of leaves.
Faye stuck close behind her, clutching his wooden sword like it might actually help.
After a while, he whispered, "...Hey, Nari… do you really know where they are?"
Nari didn't look back. "Of course I do. You just have to know how to listen."
"Listen?"
"Fairies don't show themselves to boring people," she said with a teasing grin. "So maybe you should try not being boring for once."
Faye pouted but didn't argue. He was too busy scanning the trees for glowing wings.
Then, suddenly…
The forest shifted.
The air grew warmer.
And a faint sound—like soft laughter—drifted through the trees.
Faye froze. "W-what was that…?"
Before Nari could answer, the world around them changed.
Light bloomed between the branches—tiny, shimmering orbs that floated through the air like drifting stars.
"Fairies…" Faye whispered, his eyes wide with wonder.
Dozens of them, their wings glimmering like crystal, circled around them, giggling in voices like silver bells. Faye reached out, almost forgetting to breathe. One of them landed on his hand, so small and delicate that he didn't dare move.
"They… they're real…" he said in awe.
"Of course they're real," Nari said smugly, crossing her arms. "Told you."
But as Faye stood there, surrounded by fairies, something strange happened.
The fairies didn't fear him. They didn't shy away from the cursed mark under his eye. Instead… they hovered closer, as if curious. One of them even brushed his cheek with its tiny glowing hand.
Nari tilted her head. "Huh… they like you."
"R-really?"
"Guess even fairies don't think you're boring," she teased.
Faye smiled so wide it almost hurt.
He didn't see the shadowy figure hiding in the trees behind them, watching with sharp, cautious eyes.
Barbara.
She had followed them as expected—but what she saw stunned even her.
The fairies… accepted him.
The boy with the cursed mark.
Barbara's expression didn't change, but her hand tightened into a fist.
"…Interesting," she murmured.
---
Faye's eyes sparkled brighter than the glowing lights around him.
The fairies danced like tiny stars, their wings shimmering with hues of silver, blue, gold, and violet. Each one wore a dress of radiant colors that looked as if they were spun from sunlight itself. They zipped around him and Nari, their laughter light and musical, as dozens of tiny orbs—like fireflies, or kunang-kunang—floated up to illuminate the once-gloomy forest.
Faye spun in place, craning his neck to take it all in. "This is… this is amazing!"
Nari folded her arms and huffed, though she couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at her lips. She'd seen the fairies before, but the boy's awe was contagious.
"Little one," one of the fairies greeted her in a voice as soft as the wind, bowing playfully mid-flight.
"Hey," Nari said casually, like she was greeting an old friend.
Then, several of the fairies turned their attention to Faye.
"Pure heart," they whispered in unison, their voices ringing like chimes.
Faye blinked, pointing at himself. "M-me?"
"Yes, pure heart!" one fairy twirled around his head, sprinkling faint motes of light that faded like stardust. "He's even brighter than the flowers he loves!"
Faye flushed red, hugging his wooden sword like it might keep him from floating away.
Nari rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Don't act like he's some big deal just because he smiles at flowers all day."
The fairies only giggled in response.
Normally, humans weren't allowed here. Even elves like Nari only entered the Old Forest with permission. But cursed ones? Never. That was forbidden—unthinkable.
And yet, the fairies welcomed Faye with open arms, their light shimmering brighter with every laugh and step he took.
"Everyone!" one of the fairies suddenly shouted, twirling mid-air. "Let's have a soiree! We have new company!"
The fairies cheered and whirled around like sparks in the wind, circling Faye and Nari before darting deeper into the forest, leaving a trail of glittering light for them to follow.
"W-wait—soiree?" Faye asked nervously, glancing at Nari.
"Party," she explained with a shrug. "They're always doing this. Just don't step on anyone. They get cranky if you do."
Faye nodded furiously, doing his best to keep his feet close together as he followed.
---
The further they went, the more breathtaking it became.
The dark forest transformed into a world of living light. Luminous flowers bloomed where they stepped, glowing vines hung like curtains of stars, and sparkling pools reflected the radiance above.
Faye's heart raced.
"Barbara… is never going to believe this," he whispered to himself.
At the heart of the forest, they came upon a grand clearing. And there, sitting upon a throne of intertwining branches and blossoms, was the Fairy Queen herself.
Fasya.
Unlike the others, she was no larger than an adult human, her beauty ethereal and commanding. Her long green hair shimmered like the first breath of spring, and her emerald eyes glowed warmly as she looked upon them.
Faye froze.
Nari, on the other hand, yawned. "Hey, Queen Fasya."
"Little one," Fasya greeted her with a soft smile before turning her gaze to Faye. "And you… welcome, Faye Lanivelle."
Faye blinked. "...Huh?"
How… how did she know his name?
"W-wait—uh—" He stammered, fumbling for words. "I… I didn't even—how do you—"
The queen chuckled, her voice warm and melodic. "True Nature itself speaks of you. Word of a blessed one has already reached our realm."
Blessed one?
Faye stared at her, wide-eyed. "B-blessed? But… I'm cursed. I… I have this—" He hesitated, touching the mark beneath his eye. His voice was small. "I'm… not blessed…"
Fasya stepped down from her throne, her movements graceful as if the world bent to her will. She knelt before him, lowering herself until her gaze met his. Her hand, soft and faintly glowing, rested gently atop his head.
"My dear child," she said with a tender smile, "the world is not always what it seems. What is called a curse is not always a burden. Sometimes, it is simply a misunderstood gift."
Faye's lips parted, his chest tight. He wanted to ask more, to beg her to explain, but before he could—
"Ugh!"
Nari stomped forward, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Don't start thinking you're special just because the queen said something nice!" she snapped. "You're just… not boring, that's all!"
Faye blinked at her, confused.
"I mean—!" Nari crossed her arms, her face flushed with frustration. "Don't get all smug! You probably just got lucky! I had to sneak into this forest like a hundred times before they let me in, you know!"
Faye tilted his head, still not understanding. "Um… this is actually the first time I left the manor."
That made her freeze.
Then her face turned redder, and she stomped her foot so hard the fairies around her scattered like startled birds. "THAT MAKES IT WORSE!"
Faye flinched. "I-I didn't do anything!"
"Exactly!"
As Nari fumed and Faye looked utterly lost, Fasya only laughed—a soft, melodic sound that quieted the forest.
But before the queen could say another word, the air shifted.
A sharp, chilling pressure swept over them, heavy and suffocating. The fairies froze mid-flight, their glow dimming. Even Nari's pointed ears twitched as she felt it.
Faye shivered, clutching his wooden sword instinctively.
"W-what… what is that?" he whispered.
The fairies huddled close together, trembling, while the queen remained calm, though her smile faded.
"Something foul," Fasya said softly. "A shadow creeping where it should not tread."
Nari's playful demeanor vanished. "That's… not normal."
Faye's heart pounded in his chest. His cursed mark burned faintly, as if reacting to the unseen presence.
The Fairy Queen knelt once more and placed a hand on both Faye's and Nari's shoulders.
"Come," she said firmly, her voice warm but unyielding. "It is not safe here. Let us return to the shelter."
And for the first time, Nari saw fear in the fairies' glowing eyes.