After giving the gifts, Morgan left the forest with the fairies.
Isabel carefully held the Golden Apple with both hands, looking at it and sniffing it for a while. She glanced back at Eivass expectantly. Only after he nodded did she feel at ease and take a small bite.
“What does it taste like?” Eivass asked curiously.
“…It’s very sweet,” Isabel said, then proudly offered the Golden Apple to Eivass, as if presenting a treasure.
Looking at the bright-eyed Isabel, Eivass also took a curious bite of the Golden Apple.
The texture of the Golden Apple was more like a peach than an apple. It wasn’t crisp but soft, like resilient flesh and blood. It had no core, yet possessed an unforgettable lingering sweetness.
He felt a surging life force flow into his body… the sensation was similar to when he used the Fire Worship Magic to replenish his life force after being severely depleted from repeatedly casting the Illuminate Spell. Even his soul felt nourished… For an Extraordinary whose soul was severely damaged during an Ascension Ritual, it might even be possible to heal their soul with a bite of this Golden Apple.
—The item was not problematic, and it was indeed a good thing.
Eivass closed his eyes and sensed for a moment. When he opened them and looked at the expectant Isabel, he smiled.
“No problem, it’s delicious… You eat it.”
He was somewhat worried that if he took too many bites, its “medicinal effect” might not reach the desired level. So, he watched Isabel slowly finish the Golden Apple bite by bite. Anyway, having tasted it, his curiosity was satisfied.
Compared to that…
Eivass was rather curious about what kind of gift the Queen of Fey had sent…
It wasn’t a treasure, but it wasn’t food or drink either—that was good, as Eivass was a little worried about what might happen if the fairies shared some of the banquet’s dishes, and he ate Fey food.
It was a rather thin cat.
In terms of breed, it was close to an orange and white British Shorthair. It looked less than a year old. However, its pupils were not the common golden color of British Shorthairs but a clear emerald green.
It looked very docile, but it kept trembling as if afraid of something. After receiving the gift, Eivass had kept it on his lap, worried that the cat would shed or scratch Isabel’s wedding dress. Because of this, Eivass could clearly feel its continuous shivering.
There was no reason for the Queen of Fey to suddenly send over a cat.
Unless this cat had something special about it.
Thinking this, Eivass suddenly had an idea.
He held the cat, looked at it suspiciously for a long time, and tentatively asked, “Your Highness?”
Upon hearing this, the cat trembled violently.
It raised its head abruptly in disbelief, looking at Eivass in astonishment.
Seeing its rather human-like expression, Eivass’s guess fell into place.
The corners of his lips curled up slightly, and he chuckled affirmatively, “Long time no see… Father.”
“…Hm?”
Sitting in front of the Unicorn, eating the Golden Apple, Isabel turned her head back in confusion.
“I wasn’t calling you,” Eivass said, patting Isabel’s head exasperatedly.
Isabel shrunk her neck, swallowed the last bite of the Golden Apple, and nuzzled him with a smile, “Do you want me to call you… Daddy?”
“You can call it that,” Eivass said, pointing to the cat nestled quietly in his arms, as if it had fallen asleep.
“…Eh?”
Isabel froze. She looked down at the cat curled up in Eivass’s arms.
Her movements froze for a long time, as if a universe was being created in her mind.
“Your dad’s here.”
Eivass pulled the cat out of his embrace and lifted it up like Simba in The Lion King, presenting it to Isabel.
—No nuts.
Eivass confirmed this while lifting the cat.
Without Eivass’s aura’s strange influence, this cat wouldn’t even have been able to get on the Unicorn’s back.
Isabel felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
She quickly understood, “So… the Queen of Fey’s gift was to send… Father back?”
When Isabel actually said it, she realized how unfamiliar the word felt. Even just recalling the shape of the word’s pronunciation felt awkward and stiff.
She had already learned from Eivass that Prince Albert, the renowned clown and poet, had been captured by the Fey Kingdom during their once-in-a-century Grand Banquet. It was said that he was eager to return, but once one ate Fey food, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave until the Fey were done playing.
“…Could it be that he was turned into… a cat as punishment for escaping the Fairy Kingdom?” Isabel murmured.
However, she had to admit that she wasn’t mentally prepared to actually meet Prince Albert. So, when she learned that Prince Albert had been captured by the Fairy Kingdom, although she felt some regret, she was also relieved.
Her father, who had abandoned her for ten years, never returned home, and hadn’t even contacted her once. More than longing or hatred, she felt a sense of unfamiliarity and distance.
Albert and Isabel used to have a good relationship. Before Albert ran away from home, he was Isabel’s sun. Isabel’s mother died very early, and Albert was the only one who brought her joy. Prince Albert was indeed good at making people happy, which was why he later disguised himself as a clown.
If their relationship hadn’t been good, there would have been no hesitation. But precisely because Isabel had yearned for his return for so many years, she was now at a loss.
She no longer needed to cherish the sunlight she bathed in during her childhood.
She already had a sun that shone upon her at all times.
Now that her father had returned in the form of a cat, Isabel’s resistance wasn’t as strong.
“…If I’m guessing correctly, probably not,” Eivass shook his head upon hearing this.
Although the Queen of Fey possessed the power of a Heavenly Envoy, she was not one herself. Thus, she wouldn’t be bound by the Ouroboros Ring ritual, and Eivass had no demands of her.
Furthermore, given her childlike innocence and simplicity, she probably wouldn’t consider such far-reaching gains—
If Eivass’s guess was correct, the situation likely was as follows:
Prince Albert didn’t know about the different time flow in the Fairy Kingdom, so when the Fey “invited” him to the banquet, he likely didn’t resist too much. It was only after he ate their food that he learned about this and realized he would definitely be late.
But he desperately wanted to leave—an act that would anger the Fey. It was akin to children having fun, and then someone insisting on going home, spoiling everyone’s mood and diminishing the overall joy of the banquet.
In the past, the Fey would have chosen to punish such a person. Although the possibility of being killed by the Fey was not high, it was not zero—this possibility stemmed from here.
But Prince Albert knew this was his last chance, so he fought desperately to return. Thus, whether out of persistence, the Fey’s kindness, or sheer coincidence… he was fortunate enough to meet the Queen of Fey.
Fortunately, the Queen of Fey knew Eivass and had a good impression of him… so when she learned that Eivass was getting married, she sent fairies to deliver a gift.
Eivass’s face was still valuable even in the Fairy Kingdom—and for this reason, Prince Albert had a chance to return.
“And if I’m not mistaken… Father must have told the Queen of Fey his entire past.”
Eivass cradled the cat back into his arms, not handing it to Isabel. “But he must not have realized… that his story would anger the Fey again.”
Upon hearing this, the cat’s face showed a very human-like expression of annoyance. It curled into a ball, its ears disappearing.
“Because the Fey have a disposition like children and many child friends. Therefore, ‘parents abandoning their children’ is a grave offense in the eyes of the Fey—a child might tolerate the betrayal of friends, or perhaps loneliness, but they cannot tolerate the deception and abandonment of their parents. What terror and despair would that bring?
“And parents are perfectly fine, yet never return to visit… not even with a letter, a home letter. According to the laws of the Fairy Kingdom, this is an unforgivable grave offense. You being able to return alive must be because the Queen suppressed the Fey’s dissatisfaction.
“Undoubtedly, this is a harsh punishment. A flawless eternal transformation of malice… This must be the result of the Queen of Fey’s personal spell. Like a curse that turns a prince into a frog… If there’s no curse removal method, it’s difficult to turn back into a human.”
Eivass delivered his verdict.
“…It’s my fault,” the kitten suddenly opened its mouth and spoke with a tender childlike voice, like that of a seven or eight-year-old. “Her Majesty’s punishment is right.”
Isabel’s eyes widened instantly.
She realized that this was about the age she was when her father left her…
“Her Majesty declared that I must experience the terror you went through, and know what loneliness and the fear of survival are. Therefore, she turned me into a frail kitten… Only by experiencing the time I left you can I turn back into a human.
“…Furthermore, Her Majesty has forbidden me from returning home. She said that since I like to wander, I should wander outside in the form of a cat. Let me know what true wandering is—what the strong call wandering is merely unhurried travel; and the absconding of the rich is merely a momentary rebellion that can return to a wealthy life at any time.”
The kitten curled up fearfully and said softly, “This is retribution for the actions I once committed—I initially couldn’t control my own desires, so I became a cat that controlled my desires even less; I abandoned Isha… leaving her alone to endure the loneliness and fear of imminent death, and now I have become a cat that could die at any moment; I chose to leave home as an Extraordinary, to wander through various cities… and now I am to become a true wanderer.
“…And a genuine stray cat. She wants me to understand desire, fear, and wandering…”
Having said this, the kitten looked up at Isabel.
Its pupils were the same emerald green as Isabel’s.
“But even so, I am grateful that I can return here again,” the kitten said softly. “Congratulations on your wedding, Isabel. And happy birthday… I hope I haven’t ruined your mood. I will leave on my own soon…
“—I’m sorry, Isabel. Nothing I say now matters… If I can pass this trial and turn back into a human alive, then I can truly understand you. At that time, I will return again. And bring my most sincere apology.”
Upon hearing this, Isabel covered her mouth.
Her pupils glistened with tears, but she remained silent.
“I didn’t expect Her Majesty to be quite philosophical,” Eivass said softly. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth… In this way, you can understand Isabel’s pain; it can also help Isabel resolve her inner conflict, and allow you to relieve your internal suffering through this self-judgment.
“Compared to her outward childlike nature, she is surprisingly wise and just.”
But as he spoke, Eivass grabbed Albert.
“—However, there’s no need to wander. It’ll be hard to find you then, maybe you’ll be under some carriage wheel. If that happens, what if it leaves Isabel with regrets?”
Eivass said calmly, “Since I have arrived, how can I stand by and watch others suffer misfortune? Since you intend to repent, why not do it according to Isabel’s wishes?
“An apology, in the end, should be made in a way that satisfies the person involved, shouldn’t it? Not self-感动… self-punishment.”
“…You are right, Eivass,” Albert lowered his head and replied.
“How about this… Father,” Isabel said softly, her voice a little husky.
She didn’t use the more intimate “Daddy,” but the “Father” that she rarely used herself.
But at this moment, her eyes were bright.
Although somewhat complex and sad, there was also nostalgia and emotion. There was no trace of hatred or anger… because she was indeed a kind girl that would make Eivass ache for her.
“After the wedding… you will go back and stay in the Silver and Tin Hall.”
As she said this, the corners of Isabel’s lips curled up slightly.
Tears reflected the iridescent glow of the Unicorn, but a beautiful smile graced her face.
“—And I will soon be leaving Avalon to go on an adventure.
“You left me back then, and now I… am leaving you behind. It’s fair, isn’t it…
“…Daddy.”
(End of this chapter)
