The air shimmered faintly, like a heat haze.
Before long, that shimmer coalesced into a conscious will.
"...Where... is this...?"
Those were the first words.
Though hesitant and halting, the voice carried a distinct intelligence.
"A success, then."
Another voice, tinged with relief, drifted from nearby.
"...Who...?"
"My name is Titania. Some call me the Fairy Queen. And I am your parent."
"...Parent...? Mine...?"
"You were born from a fragment of my own power. Whether or not you would develop a soul was a gamble... but I am glad a will took root within you."
The air vibrated gently, responding to Titania’s emotions.
"...Why... can I speak...? I should... know nothing... yet I... understand so much...?"
"That is because I bestowed a fraction of my knowledge along with my power. You understand language, the principles of this world, and the nature of magic."
"I see... Tell me, Queen... do I have... a name...?"
Titania fell silent for a moment at the question.
"...A name. I hadn't considered that."
"...I don't... have one? My name..."
The nameless fairy murmured, her voice laced with sadness.
"I shall think of one now. Give me a moment."
A quiet, contemplative aura permeated the air.
Eventually, Titania began to speak, her words flowing like a soft whisper.
"Our names as fairies are taken from legends—from things that were spoken of as fictional beings in the Old Era."
"...Old Era...? Ah... I see it in my knowledge. ...The civilization of the world... before the World of Principles of Magic was born..."
"Yes. I was born in that era. A time when humans soared through the skies in birds of iron, reaching for the very ends of the heavens."
"...That is... unthinkable now..."
"Indeed. And yet, it truly existed. Though there are no humans left who remember it. They were swallowed by mana, and even their history was distorted."
A trace of loneliness—or perhaps nostalgia—seeped into Titania's voice. That ripple of emotion caused a slight tremor in the air.
"The name Titania was also taken from a 'Queen' spoken of in those times."
"...I see..."
"That is why I wish to grant you a 'Fairy Name' as well."
The nameless fairy vibrated the air once more. She seemed to be quietly absorbing the significance of being named.
"Pixie. That shall be your name."
"...Pixie..."
She repeated the word softly, as if rolling the sound around in her mind. Slowly, she felt the name settle into her being, defining her shape.
"...That is... me..."
"Yes. From this moment forth, you are Pixie."
A tiny spark of warmth flickered within Pixie. Now that she had a name, she could finally grasp the truth: that she truly existed here.
"...Thank you... for the name, Queen..."
"You are very welcome."
Those words resonated in Titania’s chest more than she had expected. Simultaneously, the voice of a long-lost friend flashed through her mind.
"Pixie. There is something I wish to entrust to you."
"...A request...?"
"There is a human girl named Luna Flockhart. She is a child destined to walk a steep and treacherous path."
Pixie listened in silence as Titania continued.
"I want you to stay by her side. Remain near her and watch over her."
"...Watch over her...?"
"And when she is troubled, or when she seems likely to be hurt, lend her your strength."
"...Is that... enough...?"
"That is all. Beyond that, you are free to act as you wish, however you feel is right."
Pixie swayed slightly. It wasn't a gesture of hesitation, but one of burgeoning resolve.
"...If that is... the reason I was born..."
As Pixie’s words dissolved into the air, her presence fluttered upward. Without sound or a physical silhouette, the essence that had undeniably been there began to drift away.
Watching that departing presence, Titania let out a self-deprecating sigh.
"Hmph... What on earth am I doing?"
Once, she had resolved to remain a mere bystander. She had defined herself as an entity that would do nothing more than observe the fate of this world.
Creating Pixie was nothing less than a betrayal of her own resolve.
Even so, she told herself that if a similar yet distinct existence like Pixie intervened in the life of a human like Luna, it wasn't truly her doing it.
She clung to that flimsy excuse, layering it over her heart to convince herself that she was still maintaining her neutrality.
As if to avert her eyes from her own contradiction, Titania recalled a casual remark a friend had once shared with her.
"...'A name is the first gift a parent gives to a child,' was it? I never dreamed the day would come where I would be the one giving one, Stella."
A breeze swept through the empty space. It felt as though Stella’s smile had returned for a fleeting moment, carried on the wings of a distant memory.
Titania said nothing more, simply surrendering herself to the wind.
Thank you for reading to the end.
Chapter Ten begins!
I hope you continue to enjoy the story.