I spun around and lashed out with a strike, but it was intercepted mid-air.
Nobody was in my sight. Yet my senses screamed that someone was definitely there.
(Was that a Magic Barrier? No, it was more sophisticated than that...)
A standard Magic Barrier shouldn't have been able to stop that strike. Even if I had used a barrier reinforced with my own ability, [Mana Convergence], the result likely would have been the same. And yet, this shimmering wall—something nearly identical to a Magic Barrier—had turned my blade aside with ease.
Who on earth was I dealing with?
"Goodness, what kind of manners is that? Attacking someone out of the blue."
While I kept my guard up, trying to parse the situation, an unfamiliar voice echoed in my mind.
I was well-acquainted with the sensation of having a voice projected directly into my head. It was Selma-san’s specialty, [Telepathy]. However, this felt different. Perhaps my senses had been altered because I’d pushed my Ki Activation to its absolute limit.
"Ignored after being attacked? How rude. Or did you only sense my presence, and you can’t hear my voice yet?"
The voice continued to ring in my skull. There was no disruption in the airflow, so they weren’t using [Hide] to conceal themselves. However, I felt something peculiar about the mana in the air.
(Wait. Mana? Could it be—)
"...I can hear you," I said, addressing the empty space where I felt the presence.
"Well, finally. You should have reacted sooner. Here I am, going out of my way to talk to you."
"Are you... a fairy?"
To put it simply, a fairy is sentient mana. Humans generally cannot perceive mana at all. Only those with specific abilities that allow them to interfere with it, like [Mana Convergence], can sense it to any degree. Even then, perceiving a fairy—an incredibly advanced form of mana—is usually impossible.
Because of this, their existence remains unproven. The general public considers the fairies of folklore to be nothing more than bedtime stories. After all, fairy tales never explicitly state that fairies are actually mana with a will of its own. In my case, I only knew the truth because of Luna, the only person capable of communicating with them.
"Heh. You figured it out, did you?"
The voice confirmed my suspicion. I didn't sense any hostility in its tone.
"Are you an acquaintance of Luna’s?"
"Luna...? Ah, Ruu-ko. She’s the only human I’ve ever taken a fancy to."
I remembered Luna telling me long ago that there was a fairy who called her "Ruu-ko." According to her, this fairy had fought alongside the Fairy Tale Hero against the Evil God. She was the Fairy Queen who reigned at the pinnacle of her kind.
"That means you’re Titania."
"Correct."
I knew that Titania had saved Luna’s life on several occasions. Based on her words, it was safe to assume she was Luna’s ally, though that didn't necessarily make her mine. Still, the lack of malice meant I could probably lower my guard just a fraction.
(I never thought the day would come when I’d actually speak with a fairy...)
Despite my shock at the sudden turn of events, I desperately worked my brain to process the situation. Maintaining this level of Ki Activation while holding a conversation was exhausting, but as long as we didn't come to blows, I could keep it up.
"I’m sorry for attacking you. You caught me by surprise."
"I’ll say. But fine, I'll forgive you."
"I appreciate it. Can I ask you something else?"
"Go ahead. I’ll decide whether to answer once I hear the question."
"...I’ve felt like I was being watched lately. Was that you?"
"Lately? What on—ah, I see. Yes, that was likely me."
Titania seemed to realize what I was referring to and admitted it casually. So she was the source of that lingering gaze. But why was she watching me? The only major event recently was that fight with Oliver. Would a fairy really find a human that interesting? If anything, wouldn't she be interested in Oliver instead? His [Mana Convergence] during that battle had been utterly monstrous.
"Is it that entertaining, watching someone like me?"
"If you're asking whether it's 'fun,' the answer is no. It was just a way to kill some time."
Killing time? I suppose fairies live for an eternity compared to humans. Since they’re made of mana, they probably don't have a concept of a lifespan, so they must be starved for entertainment.
Still, why was I able to hear her? I thought conversing with fairies was a unique privilege of Luna’s [Seirei Command]. Was I wrong? I had only sensed Titania’s gaze—and perceived the fairy herself—while my Ki was activated. Was it possible that any human could communicate with them by stimulating their Ki?
Haruto-san had never mentioned such a thing, but he was a secretive man; he might have withheld that information on purpose. Then again, Luna said there are only a handful of fairies in the entire world. Maybe he just didn't think it was worth mentioning since the odds of an encounter were practically zero.
"Now, can I ask you a question?" Titania asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"If it’s something I can answer, sure."
"Why did you take such a dangerous gamble?"
She was likely referring to [Culmination]. It had indeed been a risk. Just because the me from the dream could do it didn't guarantee the real me could. I’d had a hunch, but no certainty. In the worst-case scenario, I could have lost my mind and gone on a rampage, just as Oliver had. I’d judged the risk to be low and taken precautions, but it was a gamble nonetheless.
"The answer is simple: to get stronger. I need more power so I never lose again—so I can protect what I care about. I don’t want to live with any 'regrets'."
"No regrets? That’s impossible."
The weight in Titania’s voice shifted.
"Titania?"
"It is impossible to live without regret. As long as you are alive, you will have them. That is a truth for fairies and humans alike."
Her words echoed with the resonance of personal experience. Perhaps even the Fairy Queen carried a great weight from her past.
"...Yeah, you're probably right. A life entirely free of regret is a fantasy. But the 'regrets' I'm talking about aren't about every little mistake. I’m talking about the big picture. I'm talking about the moment I die."
When I lost to Oliver and prepared for the end, I was consumed by regret. I kept thinking, if only I’d done this, if only I’d tried that. After feeling that, I realized I never wanted to experience it again.
"Humans die eventually. There’s no avoiding that. But I believe the path to that end is up to the individual. When my time comes, I want to go out satisfied with my life. To do that, I have to keep winning. If I die in defeat, I'll definitely leave this world full of regrets."
"............In defeat. I see. So that's why Master—"
Though her voice was inside my head, I couldn't quite catch the end of her sentence. It sounded terribly sorrowful.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, it’s nothing. As I thought, the affairs of humans can only truly be understood by humans. But you've cleared up one of my doubts."
When I checked on her, her tone had returned to its previous lightness.
"What do you mean by that?"
"That’s a secret. Well then, I think I'll wander off and look for something more interesting."
With those words, Titania’s presence began to fade. Seconds later, she was gone entirely.
"...What was that all about?"
I was bewildered by the encounter, but there was a quiet thrill in having spoken to such a legendary being. Perhaps I’d cross paths with other fairies in the future.
That was a thought for another day, though. For now, I had to focus on my training. I cleared my mind and resumed my battles within the labyrinth. Managing Ki still required too much concentration; for now, I was still more effective in combat using [Stacking].
However, this new state allowed me to utilize Advanced or even Special-grade magic. The potential was on a completely different level. I would keep working until I could make this my standard style.
After dawn the next day, I led the members of [Twilight Moonbow] back to the labyrinth entrance.
"Labyrinth investigation! Let's give it our all!" Carol cheered.
"Right! We have to work hard to be useful to Orun-san!" Sophie added.
Log gave a curt nod. "...Master, I look forward to your instruction."
"Right. Like I mentioned before, I’m going to walk you through the standard procedure for a labyrinth investigation. I’ll stay with you for a while, but eventually, I expect [Twilight Moonbow] to map out and investigate an entire floor on your own. Listen carefully to my explanations."
"Yes, Master!" the three of them shouted in unison.
"Luna, I’m counting on you to back them up."
"Understood. I'll leave the lead to them and only step in if things get dangerous, right?"
"Exactly. Feel free to join the combat, though. We’ll be resuming the Great Labyrinth conquest once we’re back in Tsutrail, so take this chance to polish your coordination."
"I understand. Well then, everyone, let's do our best."
"I'll make sure not to be a burden on Big Sis Ruu!" Carol declared.
With our objectives clear, we stepped forward into the depths of the labyrinth.