Chapter 168: The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter

Lott regarded the shaggy, muscular dwarf-like man before him, feeling a twinge of sympathy. "He has no sense of beauty,".

Meanwhile, Morgan stroked her chin thoughtfully, glancing at the fairies. "It seems these fairies are hiding something about what their kin are doing," she mused.

"Or there's another possibility," Lott interjected.

"What possibility?" Morgan asked quickly, her curiosity piqued.

"The other fairies might be concealing the Earth Clan," he explained.

Morgan nodded, absorbing the information. "There are several clans of fairies," she continued. "There's the Earth Clan—like this dwarf type—along with the Wind Clan that looks human and the Tooth Clan that resembles orcs on the battlefield. And these are just the fairies born in Britain."

She paused, contemplating further. "The fairies we see now were born from the thoughts, grievances, and rumours of human society. They are not pure fairies."

Lott added, "Pure fairies originate from the Inner Sea of the Stars, called the 'Great Father' or 'Great Mother.' Those are the real fairies."

Morgan sighed, realizing that their knowledge of these beings was still limited. "We need to understand what these fairies are planning."

After a moment's thought, she ordered, "Let's go take a look at the remaining fairies. Since this one can't tell us their intentions, we'll need to eliminate them."

Initially, Morgan, Lott, and their companions had intended to be discreet, but now they realized they needed to make a show of force.

"This time, let me handle it," Morgan said, looking at Lott and Gawain, who were preparing to move.

Earlier, she had refrained from using her full power during the battle but dealing with these fairies required her to step up. "It's fine for me to use magic," she reassured herself.

"Alright," Lott replied, trusting her judgment.

As they approached, Gawain picked up the captured fairy and asked, "What should we do with this one?"

"Keep him here for future work," Lott instructed.

"Okay," Gawain agreed, tying the fairy securely.

During the process, the fairy protested loudly, "Don't expect me to help you! I—"

Before he could finish, Morgan turned her gaze toward him, her eyes narrowing.

Feeling the weight of her glare, the fairy quickly backtracked. "Who said I would help? I'd rather be sent to the mines to quarry stones than face your wrath."

Morgan spoke calmly, "I don't need your help. Your work will be to quarry stones, and naturally, someone will educate you on that."

The fairy wanted to retort, but Gawain swiftly stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth. "Shut up, old lady," she snapped playfully.

Morgan shot Gawain a glare, and Gawain quickly added, "Lady, give me some ladies."

Lott chuckled at the exchange, nearly unable to contain his laughter.

Soon, the three of them returned to the town of Falling Rock, where the fairies were still helping the villagers with construction.

"Mom, should we act now?" Gawain asked.

"Not yet," Morgan replied, observing the work nearing completion. "We'll wait until they finish this building, then we'll capture them. They can help us with work afterwards—without pay, of course."

Lott laughed aloud this time. Ah, my wife truly is remarkable. A capitalist at heart, perhaps taught by me, he thought, marvelling at Morgan's transformation from a naive girl to a savvy ruler.

"Good, good," he thought. "Treat your people with nobility, but be ruthless with your enemies. Anything is possible."

The three of them waited for the construction to conclude. Once it was over, Lott and Gawain swiftly positioned themselves at both exits of the town.

Two knights, wielding long swords, emerged, causing the fairies to sense danger. However, it was too late for them to escape.

Morgan initiated her magic, which had been carefully prepared. As her spell took effect, all the fairies and townsfolk fell into a deep slumber.

Seeing everyone unconscious, Morgan signalled to Lott and Gawain, "Let's catch all these fairies."

They sprang into action, capturing the fairies and pulling them outside. Lott organized them into two groups: the Wind Clan and the Earth Clan.

After interrogating the Earth Clan for some time, they discovered that the dwarves were clueless.

"Since the Earth Clan didn't know anything, let's move on to the Wind Clan," Lott suggested.

"I hope these Wind fairies know more than the Earth Clan did," Morgan expressed her hopes to Lott.

"Agreed. We need useful information," Lott replied, sharing her sentiment.

The Wind Clan seemed less capable than the Earth Clan; they weren't suited for heavy labour like digging and moving bricks. Their delicate appearances resembled those of slender beauties, making them unsuitable for manual work.

As for having them do anything else, that was a fantasy better suited for less serious tales.

Lott mused about how things needed to change in the future. If anyone ever suggested a tendency towards lesser education, they would face the consequences of "Vasilis."

He knew that unofficial history could shape their future if they didn't act accordingly.

Despite their good looks, Lott couldn't take them seriously. "If it comes to it, we might have to take them to the mines together," he thought.

As he approached the bound Wind Clan, one of the fairies—an attractive girl—gazed at them defiantly. "Who are you? Are you robbers? We don't have any money!"

"Robbery isn't our aim; we're here for something else," Gawain teased.

Lott kept quiet, aware of Morgan's jealous nature. Though she was understanding in many ways, jealousy sparked her protective instincts.

Feeling good about Morgan's jealousy, Lott found it reassuring. Unlike the typical, childish jealousy, hers came from a place of care and affection.

He had once fantasized about having a harem that didn't involve jealousy, but after meeting Morgan, that notion faded. He realized that an engaging partner was worth far more than lifeless decorations.

As Gawain continued to tease, the fairy glanced at her, torn between fear and fascination.