Golden Snake Fruit

 The music had long ended on a beautiful note just as Peony finished her dance by returning the tree into its seed form as per her choreography. Seeing this mesmerized everyone as they cheered successfully ending the performance. She reached out and grabbed a hold of the seed only to find the disheartened faces of the fairies. Confused, Lilia spoke up in confusion, "Oh? What's wrong?"

 "Well..." A fairy turned to the princess, "If possible... We'd like to dance a little more under the tree!"

 "That's all?" Peony nodded, "Then, I'll have to request the child to stay a while longer."

 With that, she placed the seed on the ground and it immediately sprang into a towering flower tree once again. As the fairies cheered, they rushed to continue their dancing as Peony returned to get changed. Upon coming back to the gala, she noticed Malleus and Lilia walking over and saw Robin approaching her as well.

"Your highness." He responded calmly before whispering the results into her ears.

She nodded her head, "I see. Well done."

 "Will you not be joining the festivities tonight?" Malleus looked to her curiously. 

 "It is not a major news that requires my presence. The others can handle it in my place. What about you? I am more surprised that you joined the dance just now." Peony questioned curiously before shaking her head, "Nevermind. It is not important, I assume. Your addition pleasantly surprised my people. As expected, they accepted you much more easily with the addition to the fact that you've become on friendly terms with the announcer just now. Did you have fun?"

 "Quite so." Malleus smiled, "It was entertaining."

 Peony raised a brow in confusion. Though they were in a formal place, it was strange for him to suddenly drop in formal speech. So why was he doing it now? She thought for a bit before noticing Lilia glancing back at the seats. She looked over and was surprised to find her parents having a pleasant chat with a noble fairy she has never seen before. Peony thought carefully when she noticed a familiar mana coming from the fairy. She was stunned! 

 "Why...!" She stopped herself and looked away before turning to Malleus, "Would you like to try the spirit fruits? They consist of more mana than regular fruits and are rather sweeter too."

 "Spirit fruits, you say?" He looked to her in surprise before nodding his head, "Very well."

 She led the prince and the retainer to the tables, "Go ahead and pick whichever one you want. The fruits here are provided on the last day of the gala. They are not native to the kingdom. However, the people have taken a liking to them ever since they tried it and there has been high demands for it. Yet, we've banned trading for it."

 "Oh? Why is that?" Lilia glanced through the fruits curiously, "Just from touch, I can feel the mana overflowing from it. It would be a shame that it was not given to the masses..." 

 "Because the fruits are cultivated and grown personally by her highness Princess Peony." Robin responded with a smirk. 

 "You grew this?" Malleus looked to her in surprise. 

 "Yes. It's cultivated in that place accessible by me. Hence, it would be difficult to acquire enough for trade and mass production. If it did work, I wonder how much thaumarks I can gather..." She muttered in regret as she shook her head. 

 Seeing this, Malleus grumbled in dismay, "It would seem you would work smoothly with dormleader Ashengrotto..."

 "Ah, you mean the dorm leader from Octavinelle?" Peony clarified with a smirk. 

 Realizing his mistake, Malleus was left confused on what to say when Lilia chimed in, "You know of their dorm leader?"

 "Naturally." Peony smirked, "I have to know the person who runs the very dorm of the student that tried to use my people to repair their equipment as bait. Although, it would be wonderful if they could maintain an adequate distance of using such methods to lure out the crafting fairies. The last time that happened, I could not ensure their safety while dragging the culprits to the royal knights." 

 "You mean we could ensure their lives remains intact by having them stay in the dungeons..." Malleus muttered in disdain. 

 "Huh?!" Lilia looked at her in disbelief. 

 Amused, she smiled and laughed, "Please, you make me sound like a child without any morals."

 "Is that not how it is?" Malleus huffed. 

 "Oh please... You sound like the old man..." She huffed disapprovingly. 

 "I can see that happen should they be in the same position." Malleus shook his head before taking a golden fruit and inspecting it, "What is this?"

 Peony pouted as he redirected the conversation and replied, "Hmph... Golden Snake fruit... As expected out of every other fruit, this one attracted your attention the most."

 "What do you mean by that?" Malleus questioned curiously. 

 "I've heard it from the butler... But, dragon faes have a tendency to be obsessive over items, correct? Thus, I noticed that the queen has a keen eye for details that tells apart regular items and unique ones. However, because it is ingrained, the dragon faes would not realize it as being a special trait because this instinct is ingrained in them since a long time ago. It's probably a feeling of chance discovery for you." She replied bluntly, "That fruit lives for seven hundred years. It matures within the year. However, it only produces seven fruits per century. Yet, this 'requirement' is due to the lack of mana in the environment they grow in. The tree it grows from is very picky when it comes to the environment it grows from. If it does not meet its requirements, it will perish. That said, not many knew, as long as it is maintained in an environment with constant flow of mana, high nutrient soil, high altitudes, and absorbs only moonlight, it can constantly produce fruits every decade."

 "A plant that requires only moon light?" Malleus looked to her in confusion. 

 Peony nodded, "Do you want to try it? It is full of mana."

 "Full of mana?"

 "Princess, you should just open it up and let them try it." Puck suggested with an open hand, "If I may..."

 "Your idea is sound... Very well." She nodded and Malleus handed Puck the fruit. 

 With a swift motion, he cut up the fruit with a razor leaf and served it on a platter for them. The inside of the fruit was a beautiful pristine white flesh. Malleus picked up a piece and ate it. He was surprised as the fragrant flavor bursted into his mouth. It was foreign fragrance, yet sweet but not crunchy as the flesh easily slid down his throat. Upon consumption, he could feel the fatigue from his excitement and dancing wash away! Just what was this thing?! 

 "Well?" She questioned them before plopping a piece into her mouth casually. 

 "It's amazing..." Malleus muttered unconsciously in surprise. 

 "Try not to get addicted to its taste." She replied as she also took a piece as well, "As you know, these fruits are said to be non-existent in public. However, it's just that their requirement for growth can hardly be found suitable for them. These children are quite spoiled, really. However, I had the chance to find them. If made with traditional alchemy from the east, I can pull off a mana boost pill. That said it has not been tested what a mana boost pill could do to magicians. So, I have not made a proper one for magicians to try out." 

 "Your interest in alchemy and plants are rather interesting. You also once mentioned the empress of plant faes before... What is plant faes and spirits really?"

 Peony smiled, "Plant faes... It is just a term I translated for magicians and residents of this society to understand better. The name is used for both genders in our language. The direct translation of plant faes from their language is spirit or fairies. However, in the past, there were many tales of flowers turning into beautiful woman after falling in love with a human man. Thus, the term fairy have often been used to describe beautiful young ladies' otherworldly attractiveness. The term plant faes was simply the best way to differentiate between the terminology of this society. Because there are no other faes in that culture aside from plants. Dragons, bats, Crocodile and others are considered to be beastmen in their categories. It did not matter how closely tied they were to mana and faes. If a dragon cannot take on human form despite maturing, they will be considered a beast until they can take on a humanoid form. Quite heartless, really. Only the magically stronger of their subcategories have any abilities to use the power of nature on their side, and only upon achieving a certain level of strength and awakening can gain the abilities to take on a humanoid form, similarly to a video game concept. That said, it is due to these traits that conflicts rose and discrimination became common place in their society. Strangely, I wouldn't find it unusual if these two orderly societies deemed one another barbaric and chaotic. Though, I sometimes wonder if they would prove me wrong one day... Hmph, who knows..."

 Hearing the princess said these surprising words had caught the two rather in confusion. They felt the logic of this new world has been flipped around. Yet for Lilia, it sounded familiar to him. Yes, her behaviour and use of tone reminded him of someone he knew very well. Perhaps the reason she has the backing of Briar Valley was...