4: Hawaltria's Secret (Part 3)

Just so we're clear, I totally didn't show up here because your ice pop lured me in!

Still, I can't deny that I appreciate your generous gift. Don't mind if I do!

？！

Hey, there's not a better way to beat the heat than an ice pop. And I need to beat it if I'm going to stay alive.

That's why I always try to stay stocked up on them at all times. But do you know what a clerk in a Hawaiian shirt told me at the last store I visited?

"I don't care if you're a king, I can't sell you anything on a tab. For that matter, if you're REALLY a king, you wouldn't need to make a tab in the first place, right?"

I swear, the nerve of some people. How could you look at me and NOT see royalty? It's not like a fat wallet is the only thing that defines a king!

Of course, that's not to say my pockets are pretty deep. I just like to use words instead of money where I can.

Anyway, what can I do for you today? I don't think anything's changed since the last time weGurk!

Ooobeeerooon!

What do you think you're wearing!? That's the hoodie I was originally going to wear with my swimsuit!

Do you have any idea how hard it was to choose a replacement after it suddenly went missing!?

I see. Sorry about that.

I found it lying in the cafeteria and thought it was a Chaldean uniform.

The cafeteria!? An unlikely stoAh.

W-w-well even if you DID find it there, you do know the right thing to do would have been to put it in the lost and found, don't you!?

Sorry, I'm the Faerie King. It would be weirder for me to do the right thing by human standards.

Still, I'd say all's well that ends well. Wouldn't you, Fujimaru?

Don't you think this outfit's much more summery?

？！

...(Sigh) I swear, you two agree on the weirdest things sometimes.

Anyway, now that I've been fully exonerated, let's get down to business.

What's got you stumped? I can at least be a sounding board, if nothing else.

I see. So that's why you haven't been around here lately. You were off visiting the western forest.

Hawaltria's woods were already dangerous enough, what with all the fires constantly breaking out.

But now there are two more dangerous figures known as the Destroyer of Worlds and the Dark Faerie King there, huh.

I wonder who came up with those names.

Wait, are you sure these people even exist? This just seems like way, way too many enemies for one Singularity.

No, that much seems pretty certain. Barghest said they do, and she's been protecting the woods for a while now.

Gotcha. Well, they're probably the Enshrined Deity Priestess's underlings or something.

Anyway, you said you're looking for a way into the Night Woods? I'm surprised Morgan put a Bounded Field up around it.

I thought she only did it for that one hotel. Hmm, maybe she added this other one on later.

You're right. This IS a toughie.

I'd bet the more skilledno, the more normal the mage, the harder time they'd have with it.

？！

Oh, don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud here.

Besides, even if I'm right, it wouldn't help solve the problem at all!

There, you see, Fujimaru? I knew there was no point in asking Oberon for help.

Let's go back to the hotel. I bet Mash and the others will have some much better ideas for

Yeah, if you're just trying to break or disable the Bounded Field, I don't think you're going to have much luck.

But what if you befriended someone who could let it through without having to break it?

？！

Well, not so much actually become a faerie as make them think you're faeries, but yes.

Try sprinkling this pixie dust on yourselves when you enter the woods.

It should confuse the Bounded Field into thinking you're friends long enough to let you cross it.

Though you know, you should be able to make this stuff too, Altria. It's pretty elementary Merlin magecraft, after all.

Unless you forgot the recipe?

Y-you don't say! I guess I was just too busy to think of it myself!

Then why don't you make the next batch? You're a mage, so you should be able to do at least that much.

After that, the rest'll be up to you guys. Let's see... Burnunnos, was it?

If you can defeat that thing, you should, if only to stop it from setting the whole city on fire again.

Anyway, I wish I could come along, but as you can see, I'm a busy guy.

So instead, I'll just wish you good luck! I know I sure wouldn't want to set foot in Morgan's domain!

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