Chapter 54
The fairies were startled.
The magic barrier around Philly rippled like a crashing wave, surging toward them.
A bluish torrent of magical energy swept through their vision, filling their entire sight.
“Huh?!”
“What is that?!”
“Kyahhh! Run away!”
The magic swept across the ground with a heavy, crushing force.
Robenia’s gang had never seen magic like this.
They had assumed Philly’s spell was just a defensive barrier, but now it moved like a living thing, pushing forward and hunting them down.
This was another clever trick Ariella had taught her.
Whoosh!
Threads of magic spread through the air, weaving themselves into a dense net. There was no escape, no gaps.
Within seconds, the fairies were tangled like tiny fish trapped in a fisherman’s net, thrashing helplessly on the ground.
“Somebody help me!”
“My body won’t move! Why is this so heavy?!”
Their once-pristine wings and clothes were covered in dirt as they struggled.
They tried to fly away, but the sticky threads of magic clung to their wings. Their arms and legs were bound tightly, unable to budge.
“This can’t be happening!”
They writhed and squirmed, but the magic only pressed down heavier.
“Aaaagh! My wings! My wings!!!”
A scream tore through the air like a dagger.
Robenia was shrieking, her face pale with terror.
The magical net showed no mercy.
Her translucent, dragonfly-like wings bent under the pressure and finally snapped.
“AAAAHH! Philly, are you crazy?! What are you going to do about this?!”
She flailed her arms desperately as if trying to reattach her broken wings.
But her hands were tied tight by the magic threads, and she could only wriggle helplessly.
At that moment, Robenia met Philly’s gaze.
Philly looked down at her with an expression Robenia had never seen before.
There was disdain in her eyes… and the unshakable confidence of someone who had just claimed victory.
Robenia’s whole body burned with humiliation.
This scene should have been reversed.
It should’ve been Philly rolling in the mud while they laughed at her. That was how it was supposed to be.
But now…
Shaking with pain and shame, Robenia glared up at her enemy, but Philly didn’t even flinch.
She didn’t release the magic.
Instead, she spread her wings and grabbed her heavy bundle.
And then, with a powerful flap, she soared into the air.
The bullies she had completely subdued remained trapped on the ground, unable to move.
Philly flew straight toward the heart of the fairy village.
The moment she turned her back on them, a surge of intense joy flooded her face.
I did it! I really did it!
She couldn’t believe how much she had grown.
For years, she had been mocked as a “bookworm.” And it was true—Philly had devoured every kind of magic book she could find, yet her skills never improved much.
She had always been the type who excelled in theory but failed in practice.
Fairies had no formal way of teaching magic, so she had been stuck at the same level for years.
That was… until she met Ariella.
If it weren’t for her, this would’ve been impossible.
Ariella had studied the flow of magic inside Philly’s tiny body, pinpointing weaknesses and offering precise advice on how to improve.
Philly’s knowledge had already been nearly complete. What she lacked was practical training and control.
With Ariella’s guidance, her skills had advanced rapidly.
And today… she had finally proven it.
Philly’s heart swelled with overwhelming emotion.
Thank you, Lady Ariella!
* * *
At the edge of the Fairy Forest.
“Oh? There she is.”
Ariella pointed toward a spot in the distance.
Philly was returning from the fairy village, her mission complete.
Ludwig narrowed his eyes, following Ariella’s gaze.
“She’s carrying the bundle again.”
And indeed, she was. Just like when she left, Philly was flying back with a large cloth bundle almost as big as her body.
But despite its size, she moved swiftly and gracefully, perfectly balanced in the air. It reminded Ariella of the times she had seen Philly carrying stacks of books heavier than her own weight at the library, flying with ease.
“Lady Ariella! I’m back!”
Philly’s bright smile radiated confidence and relief. Her voice was more energetic than before she had left.
Ariella couldn’t help but smile too. She already knew the answer.
“You succeeded, didn’t you?”
“Yes!”
Philly’s face glowed with excitement as she explained everything that had happened in the forest.
She told them how she had dealt with the bullies who tried to stop her, and how she had reached the fairy village at its center without any more trouble.
“And then, just like you told me, I asked to meet with the elder right away.”
Not all fairies were cruel.
Some villagers were genuinely happy to see Philly after so long. Others asked about her visit with curiosity.
And those who mocked her out of habit were stunned by her transformation.
After all, she had already beaten her bullies with raw skill, and that victory gave her even more confidence.
Her boldness and composure left them no room to refuse her request. They brought her straight to the elder.
The fairies, who knew little of the outside world, were shocked to hear that Philly had come to deliver a message from Demon King Ludwig himself.
“You’re here as a representative of a Demon King’s domain?”
“But… who’s Ludwig? What kind of Demon King is he?”
“No idea, but he must be an impressive demon if he’s a Demon King.”
Most fairies had never seen a Demon King in their entire lives.
“Wow, Philly! So you’re here on behalf of a Demon King?”
“Unbelievable. You’ve really made it big!”
Listening to their reactions, Ariella felt both relieved and a little bitter.
If they knew the truth about Ludwig’s territory, their reaction would probably be different.
The fairies of the forest couldn’t imagine it.
They didn’t know that Ludwig’s land had been on the verge of bankruptcy not long ago.
Ariella looked at the bundle Philly carried.
“So, what’s inside?”
If Philly had succeeded, its contents would be very different from when she first left.
Philly beamed as she opened it.
* * *
A few hours earlier, in the fairy village.
“So, your Demon King’s domain wants to trade with us?”
The fairy elder’s expression was one of complete disinterest.
“Why would we bother?”
Philly wasn’t surprised. She had expected this reaction.
The elder wasn’t the type to seek out change. She preferred to keep things exactly as they were.
Not because she hated new ideas, but because new things meant extra work.
The elder’s just like all the other fairies. They all hate doing work.
Fairies loved lounging around, pulling pranks, and teasing each other.
Thanks to the World Tree’s blessings, food grew in abundance everywhere. There was no reason to labor when they could simply pluck fruit from nearby branches.
The elder shook her head.
“To gather the amount of herbs you’re talking about, every fairy in this village would have to help. I’m too lazy for that, and so are they. What’s the point? Nothing will change.”
She scowled at the very thought.
“Don’t waste my time with such nonsense.”
In truth, the elder hadn’t even wanted the job.
No one liked doing it, so they had a rule: the oldest fairy had to take the position.
Fairies slightly younger than her often wished her “a long and healthy life,” but their true thoughts were obvious.
If she died, one of them would have to take her place and do the annoying work instead.
“Of course, I didn’t come empty-handed.”
Despite the elder’s curt tone, Philly stayed confident.
She opened the bundle she had brought with her.
“You know, we don’t really care about demon money or—huh?”
The elder’s voice faltered.
The other fairies leaned closer, their eyes widening.
“What’s that?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It smells… amazing!”
“And look at how beautiful they are! How are they so perfect?”
All eyes were on Philly’s bundle.
Inside were rows of carefully packaged desserts—things they had never seen before.
Slices of colorful cakes, cookies, jellies, cream-filled biscuits, candied fruit…
Because fairies had strict rules against using fire, none of them had ever tasted baked goods.
“Mmm!”
The elder’s face completely changed.
The desserts were stunning to look at, and their sweet, rich aroma filled the room.
Philly smiled warmly and gestured toward them.
“These are gifts from Demon King Ludwig’s castle. We prepared desserts that suit fairy tastes. Please try them.”
To make this much, Chef Lavo and his assistants had worked through the night in the castle kitchen.
“Food from demons?”
Technically, not all of it was.
Many recipes were inspired by Ariella’s memories from the human world.
Even without exact recipes, she had provided ideas, and Lavo had recreated them as best he could.
Philly didn’t bother explaining that part.
“I’ve had them before, and I promise, they’re delicious. Please, don’t hold back. Here, start with this slice of cake.”
“Well… if you insist.”
Philly knew fairies too well. There was no way they could resist this temptation.
And she was right.
The elder reluctantly picked up a slice of cake and took a bite.
Then she froze.
“…What?”
A shiver ran down her back and spread to her wings.
By the World Tree… this flavor?!
It was like a rainbow of fireworks exploding in her mind.
Sweet, soft, and rich, the flavor melted on her tongue, sending warmth rushing through her body.
It’s melting… It just melts in my mouth!
The taste of sugar and fire combined into something divine.
This was a completely new world of flavor, electrifying every sense in her body.
“Elder? Elder, how is it?”
“Uh, I think we lost her.”
Chomp, chomp!
The elder devoured the entire slice of cake in seconds and licked her lips.
“Unbelievable.”
Her eyes darted toward the rest of the desserts.
If something she grabbed at random was this good, how amazing would the others be?
Without needing more encouragement, she reached for another piece—a round, flat treat that looked like a polished stone.
“What’s this one called?”
Her eyes gleamed with intense curiosity.
Her earlier annoyance at Philly’s visit had completely disappeared, replaced with childlike wonder and excitement.
This was exactly what Ariella and Philly had predicted.
