[73.2] The Great Fairy Accepts Her Position

When we entered the courtyard, all of the children were already there impatiently waiting to find out what happened.

They all circled me when they noticed I was holding babies.

Lovi: "Whoa! Twin fox demons!"

Rose: "So cute!

Lene: "Are they? I can't see."

Atta furiously scribbling: 'so small you can snap in half!'

Lovi: "Don't write that!!!!"

Lene: "What'd she write?!?"

I forced on a smile, "Can someone bring me a basket and some blankets?"

The children did as I asked quickly and I placed them inside, making sure to use the blankets properly.

All five of them, myself included, leaned over to stare at the babies who were happily cooing.

Lovi asked curiously, "What are their names?"

I scratched my head, "I'm… I'm not sure. I don't know if they were ever named by their mother."

"So should we give them names?"

I laughed awkwardly, "I don't think I'm very good at naming. Do any of you have ideas?"

Lene tilted her head, "Brother fox and sister fox?"

Lovi snarkily retorted, "What kind of name is that!? Those are horrible!"

Lene pursed her lips, "You're bad at naming too! You called your bird Bird!"

The bird nesting on Lovi's head chirped at the sound of its name.

Lovi's face turned red, "Hey! Don't insult Bird!"

*Chirp!*

Atta wrote down: 'Hero!'

I let out a sigh, "That's only one name…"

She wrote again: 'Hero 1 and Hero 2'

"Rejected." I looked at Rose who was staring at them while hiding behind Asmonious, "Do you have any ideas?"

She hummed softly, "Um… I've met a lot of people through the Madame. Maybe we can use one of their names?"

I forced on a smile, "M-Maybe someone else has an idea? What about you?"

I turned my attention to Asmonious who was staring intently at the babies with affectionate eyes. He thought about it, "It's hard to give them names without knowing their personality."

I let out a sigh, "I didn't think it would be this hard to name a living creature."

I reached out to the babies and the boy fox grabbed my finger, giggling happily. The fox girl stuck out her bottom lip and then started slapping her brother until he finally let go and started crying. Once the finger was free, she then grabbed it with a triumphant look.

I didn't know what else to do but laugh.

Asmonious chuckled lightly, "It seems the boy is very friendly but gets bullied by his sister."

The girl fox stared up at me cooing with red jeweled eyes that looked like stars twinkling. It was as if she was trying to say: "Who is bullying? I'm not bullying."

I chuckled, "She really knows how to play innocent."

I stuck out my other finger so the boy could hold it. As soon as he grabbed it, he stopped wailing and started giggling again.

His smile brought one to my own face, "At least he is quick to get over things and be happy."

Asmonious suddenly smiled, "I think I know what to name them."

I looked up at him in expectation, "Oh?"

He nodded, "Yes. For their family names they can only give to lovers, the boy can be called Zephyrus and the girl Astraeus."

I gulped, "A-And the name they give to others?"

"Zephyr and Astra."

"..."

My heart stopped in my chest and I could no longer feel myself breathing.

It seemed as if time itself had stopped.

I heard a saddened voice breaking apart that silence, "Is it… Is it not good? Do you hate it?"

My head snapped up to look at Asmonious who wore a dark expression. His eyes were lifeless and he no longer had a smile.

I forced myself to snap out of my stupor, "No! No… I don't hate it at all… It's just-"

"Just what?"

I pondered my next words before letting out a large sigh, "It seems I am the Great Fairy of the mountain."

He tilted his head, "Yeah? Isn't that known?"

I can't deny it any longer….

I became the Great Fairy of the past.

Or at least…

I stole whosoever place it originally belonged to.