The Fairies' Repayment

Higashino Makoto was stopped on his way out of the royal city.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, casting dappled shadows on the muddy path.

He walked ahead, with Akeno following behind him, both dressed in impeccable red and white shrine maiden attire, their purple eyes half-closed.

Then two small figures jumped down from the branches of the trees by the roadside, one after the other, like two leaves blown down by the wind.

Yuko landed on his shoulder, her purple hair gleaming softly in the sunlight, her gothic skirt swaying gently in the wind, and the small crown on her head tilted to one side.

Mebi landed on his other shoulder, her blue hair falling to her side, her wings fluttering gently behind her, and her blue eyes looking at him.

"Higashino Makoto! I've made up my mind!"

"Decid what?"

"I'm going to follow you!"

Higashino Makoto glanced at her, then at Mebi.

"And you?"

"I... I'll go too."

"Why?"

Yuko stood with her hands on her hips, staring at him with her purple eyes.

"To repay a debt of gratitude! You saved this world, you saved me, you saved Mebi, so I must repay your kindness!"

Higashino Makoto curled his lip in disdain.

These two little guys talk about fighting power, but they don't have any.

It looks okay, but it's too small and unusable.

At most, it will be kept as a personal collection.

But more than the collectibles, he longed for the world of the fairies and the so-called gods.

"Unnecessary."

"Need!"

"Unnecessary."

"Need--!"

Higashino Makoto reached out, pinched her little crown with two fingers, and gently lifted it.

Yuko's body was lifted up along with the crown, suspended in mid-air, and she frantically grabbed his fingers.

"What are you doing?!"

"You're too noisy."

"I won't make a fuss!"

"You're making noise right now."

Yuko's face flushed red. Mebi, perched on his shoulder, watched the scene with her blue eyes and a slight smile on her lips.

"Mr. Higashino Makoto, um... we... really want to repay your kindness."

Her voice was very soft.

"Although we are weak and useless, we want to repay your kindness. Not because you saved us, but because you saved the world."

Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds, then put Yuko back on his shoulder.

"OK."

Yuko was stunned.

"You... you agreed? Why did you agree as soon as Mebi mentioned it?"

"Because Mebi speaks better than you."

Yuko's lips twitched slightly.

"You—you—!"

"And you guys are actually quite useful."

What's the use?

"You can play with it when you're bored."

Yuko's face turned even redder.

"You—what do you take me for—!"

"Collectibles."

"I'm not a collectible!"

"That's right now."

Since he couldn't play a greater role, Higashino Makoto didn't care too much.

Ultimately, with their own small world and doors, they have no shortage of New World to explore.

Since they've come to us of their own accord, there's no reason to refuse them any further.

She took a deep breath, then another, and turned her head away, no longer looking at him.

Mebi perched on his shoulder, her blue eyes looking at him.

"Mr. Higashino Makoto, where shall we stay?"

"My home is on the fourth floor of Novas Etier, in the Silent Great Library. There are empty rooms there; you can stay with the witches."

Mebi's eyes lit up.

"The witches, are they the ones you mentioned Echidna and the others?"

"Um."

Yuko hesitated, after all, according to Higashino Makoto's previous statement, those witches were all people whose mental state was not quite right.

"They won't eat us, will they?"

"No. They generally don't eat people; they'll just tease you at most."

Mebi's lips twitched slightly.

"... All right."

Higashino Makoto continued walking forward.

Yuko perched on his shoulder, arms crossed, her purple eyes gazing ahead, the small crown on her head sparkling in the sunlight.

"Yuko."

"What?"

Your crown is crooked again.

She paused for a moment, then hurriedly straightened herself.

"Mind your own business!"

"Hmm. You're one of my most prized possessions, so naturally I have to take care of you."

She bit her lip and remained silent.

Higashino Makoto reached out and picked up the two palm-sized fairies, placing them in his palm.

"Let's go, it's time to head back."

Higashino Makoto put the two of them into his pocket, peeking out their little heads.

"Akeno is gone."

"Yes."

Higashino Makoto stretched out his hand and made a light sweeping motion in the air.

A dark spatial rift silently appeared before the three of them. Through the other end of the rift, they could see the sunlight on Novas Etier Square, the outline of the floating island, and the faintly visible spire of the Seventh Floor in the distance.

Higashino Makoto stepped into the rift, with Akeno following behind him.

Novas Etier, Fourth Level, Silent Great Library.

When Higashino Makoto pushed open the door to the library, Echidna was sitting on the sofa reading a book.

Beatrice sat beside her, her cream-colored twin ponytails cascading down her shoulders, her butterfly-shaped pupils also fixed on the book in her hands.

Typhon lay sprawled on the table, her short, grass-green hair scattered across it.

Sekhmet lay on the bench, her long, reddish-purple hair cascading over the cushions, her eyes closed.

After becoming immortal, I really don't even need to breathe anymore.

Minerva sat beside the bookshelf, her blue eyes fixed on a book on magic theory, her golden ponytail swaying gently behind her.

Carmilla sat in the corner, her long, light red hair falling down and obscuring her face.

Daphne was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, and the sound of water could be heard from afar.

Echidna.

"Um."

She didn't look up.

"I intend to resurrect Satella."

Echidna's finger paused for a moment, then continued turning the page.

I object.

"I know, but the other witches all agreed."

Echidna put down her book, looked up, and stared at him with her dark eyes.

"Who agreed?"

Typhon lifted his head from the table, his crimson eyes fixed on Echidna.

I agree.

Sekhmet lay on the bench, his crimson-purple eyes half-open and half-closed.

"I agree."

Minerva closed the book in her hand, her blue eyes looking at Echidna.

I agree.

Carmilla peeked out from the corner, a hint of timidity in her light red eyes.

"I... I agree too."

Daphne peeked out from the kitchen doorway, her deep gray eyes "looking" in Echidna's direction.

I agree.