"Very well."

The 'female fairy' Morgan gave Leah a slight nod, appearing quite interested in her suggestion.

Hearing this, Leah's face brightened with joy.

I've succeeded in my plan.

Next, she would use the 'hospitality' of our Wind Clan fairies to make these two understand they ought to stay in our village.

Mm.

Plan successful.

So Leah thought to herself.

Meanwhile, on the other side

Morgan and Lot exchanged a glance, their eyes likewise revealing a sense of triumph.

As expected, working together ensured none of the fairies could uncover their true identities.

As for the Rain Clan's chieftain, Morgan had already dispatched her to the frontlines of the war.

She and the her husband had instead infiltrated the heart of fairy territory to gather intelligence.

This time, Morgan had prepared two layers of disguise for herself.

The first was that of an ordinary wandering fairy, Tonelico.

And if anyone grew suspicious of that identity, further investigation would reveal that Morgan was actually a fairy from the Inner Sea of the Planet

This was the second layer of deception.

As for the final step

Morgan was confident she could accomplish everything she needed before anyone ever saw through her.

Thus, she and Lot made their way to the northern lands of England, where both fairies and humans still coexisted.

By chance, they encountered a fairy under attack by a magical beast.

They saved her, and in return, she would serve as their guide.

...

Both sides believed they had achieved their goals, so the journey proceeded harmoniously.

At one point, Leah took the opportunity to ask Morgan:

"By the way, are the two of you fairies unaffiliated with the Six Clans? I've never heard of you before."

"Yes, we don't belong to any of the Six Clans," Morgan replied with a nod.

Then, Leah turned her curious gaze toward Lot and asked, "And why is he always clad in that iron armor?"

"My face isn't something that should be exposed. If you were to see it, you'd surely scream."

[Of course, it'd be because I'm so handsome they wouldn't be able to handle it.]

Lot silently added in his mind.

Morgan couldn't even be bothered to retort.

Leah, however, didn't interpret his words the way he intended. To her, this armored fairy's response could only mean one thing his face must be truly unsightly, hence the need to hide it.

She didn't press further.

Instead, she maintained her signature artificial smile and led Morgan and Lot deeper into fairy territory.

As they progressed, more and more figures appeared around them. Most had wings like Leah members of the Wind Clan.

When they saw Leah returning with two unfamiliar 'fairies,' their faces lit up with curiosity.

Their eyes turned toward Morgan.

A few fairies approached, eagerly asking Leah:

"Leah, Leah! Who are these two?"

"I owe them my life today. If not for them, I would've been killed by that magical beast."

Leah recounted everything that had happened in detail.

The other fairies quickly understood her meaning.

These two are capable bodyguards.

We must secure them quickly.

Thus, the fairies swarmed around Lot and Morgan, chattering incessantly as they expressed their 'hospitality.'

Even Lot who, in their eyes, might as well have been disfigured found himself surrounded by several beautiful fairy maidens engaging him in conversation.

Beside them, Morgan's smiling face hid gritted teeth.

Beneath his helmet, Lot was sweating bullets.

[Good grief, Morgan, they're the ones approaching me! My hands are still inside my armor I haven't moved a finger! I'm completely innocent!]

Hmph. Of course I know that.

But these fairies… not a single one of them is any good.

I knew it sooner or later, I'll have to wipe them all out.

In her heart, Morgan added another crime to the fairies' growing list.

Before long, Morgan and Lot arrived at a village that closely resembled a human settlement.

Many fairies were tending to the fields.

No not just fairies. With their keen vision, Lot and Morgan could see vast stretches of land being worked by humans.

[Paths crisscrossed the fields, the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing between them. The people coming and going, men and women dressed no differently from outsiders, all working the land. The elderly and children alike were cheerful and carefree. Later generations would interpret the Peach Blossom Spring as a horror story an exaggeration. But this scene before us, so reminiscent of that idyllic tale, is the real horror.]

Morgan heard Lot mutter something in his mind that she couldn't quite grasp.

But she could clearly sense his fury.

Why is Lot so angry?

The reason for Lot's rage was simple.

The humans before them had been reduced to livestock.

Sometimes, a surface-level display of prosperity meant nothing.

Would these fairies ever genuinely help humans attain freedom and happiness?

Obviously not.

They had to have an ulterior motive.

In other words, the fact that these people lived happily now only proved that the fairies had adopted a gentler method of exploitation.

The truth was, they still relied on these humans to generate value for them.

Of course, such dynamics existed even among humans.

In fact, they could be far worse.

They peddled cheap happiness in exchange for exorbitant profits.

"How did they end up here?" Lot quietly asked Leah.

"We brought them here, of course. The Fang Clan has been attacking England, and we of the Wind Clan couldn't bear to see them suffer, so we took them in."

[Hmph. The only difference is whether you kill them immediately or later.]

Morgan wholeheartedly agreed with Lot's silent remark.

But outwardly, she was still playing the role of a fairy. Thus, she looked upon the villagers and nodded approvingly at Leah's explanation.

"Indeed, your Wind Clan is truly commendable."

Pleased by Morgan's praise, the fairies beamed. Then, Leah pressed further:

"Since you two have nowhere else to go, why not stay with us for a while? We Wind Clan fairies are very hospitable."

Lot and Morgan exchanged another glance, reaching a silent understanding.

But for appearances' sake, Morgan turned to Lot and asked:

"What do you think? Should we stay here for now?"

"Mm. Let's remain here for the time being," Lot replied.