—You're looking thoughtful today. Are you thinking about the anthill again? Or that Amazon who's always bragging about her ants?
I chuckled, but there was no amusement in my voice.
—No. This time, it's something more serious.
Fritte's tiny wings fluttered, and his ears, if you could call them that, perked up.
—Eighteen days from now, me and my friends are going to a meeting. A very dangerous one. There will be a unique creature, named... Nemorrino.
The room was completely silent for a second.
Fritte blinked, then again. His eyes widened, and suddenly he jumped in the air, as if he had received a lightning bolt.
—Wh-what did you say?! N-nemorrino?!
He started running around the room, as if caught in a whirlwind, puffing out his cheeks with indignation.
— This is terrible! A disaster! The misfortune!
He muttered, sometimes flying up to the ceiling, then sharply diving down.
—Do you have any idea who you're going to meet? It's Nemorrino, the One Who Sits in the Poisonous Roots! His breath can stop hearts!
Fritte grabbed his head, pausing dramatically.
—He can even drive a guardian fairy mad!
—Oh, come on, is he that scary?
—That scary?!
Fritte stopped right in front of my face, pointing with his tiny paw.
—He's scarier than the Fairy Queen's taxes! You can't just walk up to him like it's a walk in the woods!
— But we have a goal. This is a rare opportunity. We should at least try.
Fritte covered his face with his hands in horror and moaned softly something like,
—Mommy's going to kill me...
Fritte jumped up and frantically flapped his wings.
— I urgently need to report to my mother... oh, that is, the Fairy Queen!
He quickly corrected himself, clearly realizing that he had blurted out too much.
2This is a matter of state! If you're really going to Nemorrino, the Queen must know!
—Wait, Fritte!
The little creature flew out with such speed that it left a faint trail of light behind it, like a comet cutting through the twilight.
—…at the speed of light, I hope the Queen doesn't send an army of fairies.
I sighed, leaning against the windowsill, and looked thoughtfully at the light of the room.
"Nemorrino… who are you really?"
I thought, feeling a slight chill of unease in my chest. Fifteen minutes later, the air in the bedroom began to vibrate, and a familiar glow appeared at the window, and Fritte flew back in.
He looked even more anxious than before, his wings trembling, his cheeks flushed, and his voice trembling with tension.
—D-disava! The Queen... The Queen of the Fairies wishes to see you. Right now!
—Right now? Sure, why not?
Again, I've probably touched some red flag again... or triggered their next trigger.
—And don't try to make excuses, she already knows!
—Oh, great. Let's go before it gets worse.
As they finally approached the massive doors, Fritte's flight unexpectedly slowed down.
—Uh... good luck, I'm not going any further.
—Of course.
I replied dryly and pushed the door open. Mor Adelina, the Queen of the Fairies, lay on the thick trunk, nestled among the roots and foliage of the luminescent willow.
She was not sitting on the throne, nor did she exude pomp or menace. Instead, she appeared to be in a deep state of meditation. Her eyes were closed, and her arms were crossed over her chest.
I stopped at the foot of the throne and bowed slightly.
—You called for me, Your Majesty.
—…You have spoken a name that should not be uttered in our Kingdom.
Each word sounded as if it were falling into water, creating waves around it.
—It's part of the assignment, we wouldn't have disturbed you if there wasn't a reason.
Adeline didn't move. Her voice became a little colder:
—There's always a reason. The only question is who creates it.
Silence fell over the hall again. Somewhere in the distance, an invisible bell rang, and the branches of the willow whispered, as if repeating the name: Nemorrino...
Fritte, hovering at the door, only sighed softly:
—Well, here it comes…
The Queen slowly opened her eyes, and their light became sharper, as if a cold ray of dawn had passed through amber. The air in the hall trembled visibly, and there was no hiding from her gaze.
—Are you sure you want to fight the Lord of the Ant Hill's Roots?
She spoke softly, but there was a sense of menace in her calmness, like the whisper of a storm before the thunderclap.
The words echoed through the hall, reflecting off the branches of the Luminescent Willow.
Even the magic in the air seemed to pause, waiting for a response.
I was momentarily taken aback. "The Lord Who Protects the Roots of the Ant Hill..." the name sounded almost like an ancient incantation.
So she knows as well... Nemorino is not just a rare monster or quest. Even the Fairy Queen is aware of it. What kind of creature is this?
—Yes, Your Majesty, I understand that it is dangerous… but I must do it. There is an argument that I cannot lose, and as strange as it may sound, this fight has become a part of it.
The Queen raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not interrupt.
— I'm not looking for fame. And I'm not doing it for a reward. It's just... if I step back now, I'll lose what I've already started protecting.
For a few seconds, Adelina was silent, as if studying me through and through. Then she closed her eyes, and the light around her became softer.
—Disputes... promises... Sometimes even the most foolish of them become knots of fate.
The willow behind her glowed faintly, dropping small, glowing petals to the floor.
—Lord of Roots is an ancient guardian, a child of rot and memory. He knows no mercy. If you truly go to him, you will not enter a battle, but a story that no longer belongs to the living.
I nodded, accepting the warning.
—I understand, but maybe this story is just waiting for someone to finish it.
She closed her eyes, as if listening not to words, but to the very flow of fate. Her face remained inscrutable, ancient, and calm, like a lake on a windless night.
When the Queen finally raised her hand, a slight wave passed through the air, and the space trembled slightly in response to her power.
—Very well, my apprentice. I see that you will not back down. But remember, your resolve must be purer than the poison you will encounter.
She turned her gaze to the closed doors, where Fritte had been eavesdropping all along.
—Fritte will stay here. He will only be a hindrance in this battle. His light is too bright for those who live in darkness.
—Thank you, Your Majesty. I will not let you down.
The Queen's eyes narrowed for a moment, and her gaze softened.
—I have no doubt, Disava. But before you leave...
She flicked her fingers, and a system notification appeared before me: [Quest Received].
On the panel, amidst the lines of code and symbols, the mysterious words shimmered:
—If you defeat this man, bring me [ ??? ]. It is a very valuable item.
Instead of the item's name, there were only three question marks, as if the system itself could not read what the Queen had in mind.
—What is it?
Mor Adeline only smiled, making the air around her heavier.
—When you find out, it will be too late to refuse.
Perhaps it was too early for me to know about this item, and it will be unlocked after defeating a unique monster.