The Long-lost Warmth

Kenneth's worries had reached their limit. He had been wandering around for hours and fighting several golems that occasionally blocked his path. But he still couldn't find Fay or get a clue about where she was.

Kenneth could feel that his mana had run out while his body was at its limit. Kenneth felt like he couldn't even walk anymore. But as long as Kenneth couldn't find a clue about what happened to him and Fay, the prince felt that was not the right time to stop and rest.

"Ugh."

But Kenneth should have known that nothing good would come from pushing himself too hard. Kenneth had only taken a few steps when his legs suddenly lost all their energy. Kenneth fell hard to the ground. The prince groaned, then tried to get up one more time.

"Kenneth!"

Kenneth immediately turned to the source of the voice when he heard Fay's voice getting closer to him. When Kenneth could finally see Fay, the wind fairy had already come to hug him. Kenneth unconsciously let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Fay was fine. For Kenneth, the naive and careless Fay could have been seriously injured while she was in that dangerous labyrinth.

"I'm sorry, Kenneth! Really. Please forgive me!"

Kenneth didn't understand why Fay apologized to him while crying. However, once he was sure Fay was okay, Kenneth no longer cared about anything else. The prince patted Fay's head with his index finger. "I'm glad you're okay, Fay," he said hoarsely.

After hearing Kenneth's answer, Fay felt even more guilty. The wind fairy's eyes looked so red. Fay's pitiful expression made her look so adorable. In her little fairy form, Kenneth tried hard to hold back his urge to pinch Fay's little cheeks when the wind fairy showed that expression.

"Hic! I'm really sorry!"

"Eh?"

Kenneth was confused when Fay cried even harder after hearing what he said. Fortunately, before Kenneth was even more confused because of Fay's strange behavior, the other fairies appeared and explained the situation to Kenneth.

"Just leave her alone, Kenneth. It seems like Fay feels guilty after making you this battered."

"What does that mean?"

"I swear I only agreed to their plan because they promised to train you and make you happy again. If... Sob, if I knew you would get hurt so badly because of it... I would have told you all their plan before you worried about me."

"Plan?"

Kenneth was getting more confused as he listened to Fay's explanation in between the fairy's cries. Kenneth looked at the other fairies to ask for their explanation. Gaia was willing to help make Kenneth understand everything.

"Yes, you heard it right. Congratulations, Kenneth. From now on, you will get special training from great fairies like us."

"Explain it properly, you idiot!"

Kegan, who couldn't stand the half-hearted explanation from his friends anymore, finally spoke after he saw Kenneth still having trouble digesting what Gaia meant. Kegan coughed a little when he saw Kenneth's attention finally shift to him. Although Kegan had heard a lot about Kenneth from his friends and Lelitia, this would probably be their first official meeting.

"What you just went through was a test that Gaia prepared to assess your abilities. The magic circle that brought you here, Fay that suddenly disappeared, and the labyrinth with the golems that attacked you were all part of Gaia's plan."

"By knowing your abilities, I can tell whether you are worthy to be taught or not. Be happy, Human. I, Kegan the fire fairy, deem you worthy enough to be my disciple."

"And that's it! Congratulations, Kenneth! You are the first human who can get this lazy Kegan to be willing to teach you something."

After Kegan finished speaking, Gaia continued the fairy's words with her own words. Gaia smiled happily without the slightest guilt. But in the next moment, Gaia's ear was pulled by Kegan who looked annoyed.

"I'm not lazy, you crazy fairy!"

"Ouch! I'm just telling the truth! Everyone who lives in the Audoran Forest also knows that you are the laziest fairy who lives in this forest."

"You!"

Kenneth unconsciously laughed out loud when he saw the two fairies in front of him fighting like children. His laughter managed to stop Kegan and Gaia's fight, as well as making Aqua and Fay smile a little. Kenneth, who had just realized that he had become the center of attention, finally stopped laughing. The prince's cheeks unconsciously turned red. It seemed that Kenneth had lost his cool more and more since he lived in the Audoran Forest.