39 – Fairy (3)

-Beeping… beep… piyaa… … .

exactly 2 hours.

The fairy trapped in the glass bottle began to weep, shedding beads of tears.

“professor… . Enough seems enough now… … .”

“I will.”

In my mind, I wanted to wait until I collapsed from complete exhaustion, but I think I should stop taking her out at this point because I’m worried about Claire who keeps restless next to me.

Coincidentally, the glass bottle also rolled away and even cried with its back to us, so even if it showed itself like this, you wouldn’t notice it right away.

“Follow me.”

“… … Yes.”

Holding her hand, I approached the warehouse door. I didn’t close it tight from the time I came in, I made a little gap, and I opened the gap so that it wasn’t awkward.

After getting ready to appear, I stood with my back to the door with Claire and pushed the door open with one hand while drawing back my mana.

Kiki-Ik-

The joint that had not been maintained for a long time was pushed back with an unpleasant sound, and the fairy’s body, which had been sobbing while sitting in the glass bottle, jumped up.

-Beep… … ?

Then, it turns its head this way while making a characteristic chick-like sound.

Green eyes that matched the emerald hair that fell to his shoulders.

However, perhaps because she was so lucky, her eyelids were slightly swollen, giving her a cute impression rather than a beautiful one.

– Beep, beep!!

Seeing me and Claire, the guy widened his eyes in amazement and vigorously moved his small wings.

-Pun?!

“ah… … .”

Claire gave a small sigh as she looked at the fairy who fell with her head in the bottle. I’ve always liked small and cute things, so it’s a natural reaction.

“faint… … I think I did.”

“Looks like it.”

The sprite fell to the floor and stopped moving completely after that.

Judging by the slight convexity of the top of the head, it seems that the wing flapping was stronger than expected.

‘Good.’

While you’re stunned, you’ll be free to look around, which will save you time in many ways.

There was no reason to hold onto Claire’s hand anymore, so she let go of Claire’s hand, which was overheated, and moved to where the glass bottle was. Claire hesitates for a moment, then quickly follows and stands next to her.

“cure… … . Can you please?”

Claire asked me for permission as soon as she arrived in front of the glass bottle, as if the bump on the top of her head was bothering her.

“Please wait a bit.”

“… … Yes.”

Upon hearing my answer, she nodded. At the same time, the corners of his eyes, which looked cold, curled slightly downward.

When she goes outside during lectures or otherwise, she stares at students or faculty members who are approaching with cold eyes, but she has a downcast face like a puppy scolded by its owner.

“… … professor?”

The girl who was looking down at the fairy turned her head and called me slowly, blinking her eyes. Maybe it’s because we’ve been together for a long time, but now I think I can feel my gaze to some extent.

“Why?”

“… Nope. no… … .”

After looking at me for a moment, she shook her head and turned her gaze back to the fairy. These cumbersome glasses sometimes helped like this.

‘I must be careful.’

Is it because we have known each other for a long time?

Just as she became conscious of my gaze, there were times when I also lost my gaze to her. Most of it is by actions that remind me of Baek Hana as a child… … .

He rolled his eyes and lowered his stance.

The stunned fairy put her hand on the prone position. Unlike sleeping, now that I passed out, I didn’t have to consider the situation of suddenly waking up, so I was able to examine this little guy without hesitation.

I moved my magical energy and covered this little guy’s body. The mana that covered the guy’s body slowly permeated inside.

I closed my eyes and concentrated.

To measure the time left for this guy who will be the cornerstone of my plan.

**

Inside the warehouse, where only the sound of breathing can be heard.

Baek Woo-jin is concentrating on one knee in front of a glass bottle.

Claire is watching Baek Woo-jin while sitting next to him.

‘What are you trying to do?’

Magic around the glass bottle moving very delicately.

I could see the flow and movement of magical power through my natural eyes, so I knew that I was doing something.

It’s just that, unlike other awakened people of the supernatural realm, they don’t need any techniques or mediums and immediately manifest magic, so they just don’t know what kind of magic it is.

“Claire.”

Baek Woo-jin, who had been looking at the fairy for a while without moving, opened his eyes and said quietly.

“Treatment should be given after he wakes up.”

“… … Is it to make friends?”

Baek Woo-jin nodded once, got up from his seat, moved to a place a little away from the glass bottle, and sat down. Then, with a single movement of his hand, he brings the basket that was far away.

Claire looked at Baek Woo-jin, who was looking this way with the basket in front of him, for a moment, then turned his head and looked down at the fainting fairy.

-beep… … .

how much time has passed

The fairy, who had been lying dead, squirmed and raised her head with a chirping noise.

-beep… … ?

“… … .”

Claire exchanged glances with the diminutive fairy who was looking up at her with sleepy eyes.

-Beep, beep… … !!

The blurry eyes widened, and the fairy quickly moved and crawled to the only remaining necklace in the bottle, hiding her face.

“… … .”

It was so small and lovely that Claire had to hold tight to the corner of her mouth that was trying to go up without her knowledge.

-Beep, beep… … .

A small fairy hiding only her face and trembling.

Claire lightly put her hand on the spot where Baek Woo-jin had just placed her hand. Soon, a soft light rose from her palms.

-Beep… … ?

The fairy who hid her face slowly raised her head. Then I looked up at the warm light streaming over my head.

– Pia.

The fairy stretched out her small hand toward the light with curious eyes. At that, the corner of Claire’s mouth went up slightly.

“Open it when you’re done.”

“… … Yes.”

Upon hearing Baek Woo-jin’s voice from behind, Claire regained her divine power.

-beep?

Then, the fairy who had been stretching her hand upward widened her eyes, looked at Claire once, and tilted her head. If it had not been for Baek Woo-jin, an inhibitor, he would have played with the fairy for hours, spewing divine power.

Claire straightened her expression again and carefully opened the lid of the glass bottle Baek Woo-jin had closed.

-… … .

The fairy looked at the open entrance for a moment, then came out cautiously, holding the necklace she had been hiding a moment ago in her hand. Then, moving its small wings, it flew up to the attic in an instant.

When Claire felt a bit disappointed, Baek Woo-jin called her.

“Claire.”

“… … Yes?”

A small barrel flew slowly toward her as she turned her head, and she was able to catch it without difficulty.

“Open it and wait and it will come down on its own.”

“… … .”

When I opened my palm, something with a design resembling a barrel containing the essence of the slime was placed in my palm. Claire glanced up.

– Beep.

The fairy was staring at Claire with only her small face sticking out.

‘Open this… … .’

Claire followed Baek Woo-jin’s words and opened the stopper of the small barrel. The bright yellow liquid caught my eyes first, followed by a sweet smell that stimulated my nose.

‘honey… … ?’

It didn’t seem like ordinary honey, but it looked and smelled close to the honey he was familiar with. She placed the sweet smelling barrel on her palm and waited patiently for the fairy to approach.

– Beep.

A little chick sounded from the attic, and soon after, the fairy came out cautiously and landed on Claire’s palm.

-Beep… … ?

The fairy looked at her for a moment with the barrel placed on her hand, then slowly approached the barrel, and at last her little arm was hooked! and put it in the barrel.

-Beep!! Pia!!

After tasting something that resembled honey on her hand, the fairy smiled brightly and began to eat it happily. Unlike her small body, the fairy was a huge glutton, and the barrel quickly became empty.

-Pia~

Licking her lips with her tongue, the fairy put on a satisfied expression, then stared at Claire’s face with bright eyes.

– Pia!!

Pak! Pak!

Then, suddenly, he started slapping Claire’s palms.

Claire was taken aback by the fairy’s sudden behavior. Baek Woo-jin said to her.

“It seems that you like the divine power.”

“ah… … !!”

After receiving the answer through Baek Woo-jin’s interpretation, she immediately released her divine power carefully.

– Beep.

The rampaging fairy instantly calmed down. The fairy’s green eyes twinkled as she touched Claire’s palm, from which the soft light flowed, with her small hand.

– Beep.

A bright light suddenly emanated from the body of the fairy who had been fiddling with Claire’s hand for a long time.

– Pia.

The light instantly turned into a small sphere and was held in the fairy’s small hands.

The fairy turned around and held out the orb she held in both hands to Claire.

– Pia!!

Then, with a big smile, he held it out.

It was a sign that anyone would accept it. But Claire couldn’t move.

This is because the moment the light flowing from the fairy’s body turned into a sphere, the fairy’s sense of existence faded.

“Fortunately, you seem to like it. It’s a gift to be friends, so accept it.”

“But, this… … .”

Claire hesitated even after hearing Baek Woo-jin’s words for the first time.

He seemed to have a vague idea of what the orb in the fairy’s hand was made of. So I had no choice but to hesitate.

“From the moment you take it out, there is no way to get it back. So take it. Otherwise he will be sad.”

-Beep… … .

The fairy, who was smiling brightly as Baek Woo-jin finished his words, looked up at Claire with eyes that looked like they would cry at any moment.

In the end, the options were narrowed down to one, and Claire had no choice but to receive the orb in the fairy’s hand.

– Pia!!

Upon receiving her gift, the fairy smiled brightly again and was delighted.

But Claire couldn’t help but smile.

“The purest, the most curious, the most cowardly, and the most lonely… That is a fairy.”

– Beep?

The delighted fairy blinked and climbed onto Claire’s shoulder using her small wings. Then, using her hair as a wall, he stuck out his head and looked at Baek Woo-jin.

Baek Woo-jin looked at the fairy staring at him and continued.

“I must have been alone from the moment I was born, and that is why I must have been lonely.”

-Beep… … .

The fairy glared at Baek Woo-jin’s glasses and her eyes twinkled.

“The only thing a guy who didn’t learn anything and had nothing could give. He gave it to his first friend, and whoever received it must have been delighted. And the guy who saw it… It’s something you can understand without having to say it.”

– Beep.

The fairy could not stand it and flew to Baek Woo-jin. Then he grabbed the large glasses and pulled them back.

– Beep?!

The weight was much heavier than expected, and the fairy fell down with the glasses.

-Pain!!

The fairy that fell on Baek Woo-jin’s calf struggles, being crushed by the heavy and wide glasses.

– Beep!!

Baek Woo-jin, who was looking at the fairy screaming for help, reached out and lifted his glasses.

-Piyaaa… … .

The fairy clings to the glasses holder and climbs back up. Baek Woo-jin corrected the glasses on which the fairy hung, and placed his palm under the dangling fairy’s feet.

– Beep.

As if the fairy was tired, she sat down on Baek Woo-jin’s palm. Even so, his eyes were still on Baek Woo-jin’s large glasses.

Baek Woo-jin faced the fairy’s curious eyes.

“So, if this guy comes to visit, give him as much time as possible.”

– Pia!!

The fairy stretched out her arms and tried to grab Baek Woo-jin’s glasses, but Baek Woo-jin put his head back. Baek Woo-jin looked at Claire, who was sitting with her back still showing her back from the fairy crying like a chick in her palm, and said.

“Claire. You’ll be the first friend this guy made this year.”

“… … .”

Claire nodded once.

Her gaze was tied to the sphere in her hand for a long time and could not escape.