Erald Court, main palace.
Host Orseya pushed open the gilded double doors for two distinguished guests, the heavy sound quite evocative of years past. What t their eyes were spiraling staircases, resplendent gold and jade, crystal chandeliers, various magnificent landscape paintings even moving by themselves.
Fairies flew by in the air from ti to ti with smiling greetings, appearing hospitable.
Even Hibiscus in Regalia form couldn't help adjusting her clothes—better to be proper for cross-world communication.
At the sa ti she felt magic power rapidly becoming active.
"Do you sense it? This place is very close to the World Tree's main trunk. As its blessed ones, you can receive more energy enhancent. Incidentally, top-tier powerhouses among fairies generally possess similar traits."
"Great honor."
Manjusaka pointed curiously: "Those portraits with veils over their faces dressed luxuriously... still in human form, couldn't they be Magical Girls?"
"You guessed right. This is the rubbing gallery leading to the cold palace where redith is imprisoned. Let's go."
At the sa ti Julius and Edwina also followed.
The portraits in corridors on both sides clearly had veils yet gave a sense of being watched, containing massive magical information—no, should be traces left by magic once, making people wonder how they were created.
"Here stores records of all magic types." Orseya's words were startling.
Really possible?
"But as users, you know best this is a joke. It can't record everything, because the sa person's sa magic at different periods may have vastly different manifestations. Moreover, the more Magical Girls there are, the more magic becos formulaic, not following a single chanism. Therefore we at most record general types, making generalized descriptions."
As words fell, several surrounding paintings flickered frequently, as if resonating with the two Magical Girls' magic power, quite active.
"How much information can a single painting contain?" Manjusaka asked.
"Precisely because we dare not describe too detailed—many of them historically reached Withering Stage magical mysteries, difficult to glimpse. These aren't paintings, but prophetic divination's imagery expression."
The pink-haired girl nodded as if understanding.
Hibiscus remained silent while carefully observing each portrait, trying to rember most of them...
Strange.
Fruition Stage Magical Girls having photographic mory was simple, yet whenever she looked at one then recalled it later, it was quite blurry, even with mory confusion.
Relatively mild Knowledge Poison, probably thanks to fairy filtering.
Hoping to record magic based on this was indeed dangerous. Besides, who knew what imagery expression ant? They already said only recording types, not detailed information. Really impressive, but felt inferior to netizens.
"By the way, the gallery ahead records magics that historically claid the strongest throne. Beware of toxicity."
Pain flashed through her head.
Because they witnessed a familiar scene:
A girl in dragon-patterned robes sitting in a luxurious chair, a halo behind her back. Upon careful examination, it was a ouroboros continuously devouring its own body yet growing constantly. Magic effects kept the image dynamic, the snake continuously growing as if to devour the field of vision...
Everyone quickly looked away, having answers in their hearts but not daring to speak for fear of triggering exclamation. On the tip of their tongues: World Serpent.
Manjusaka couldn't help complaining: "What use is this imagery expression that only makes sense after seeing it?"
"Then why not look at this painting?"
Orseya suddenly stopped. Before them was a gothic dress girl sitting bedside, joints showing inhuman doll-like spherical shapes. Not only that, arm after arm extended behind her, even the hazy pretty face under the veil continuously rotated like doors rolling...
"The never-wavering strongest summoning magic: Puppet Show. The holder's regalia na is Anemone, thousand-handed hundred-faced form, the world's first control-type magic miracle."
Such high praise from the dignified Knight Commander made Julius and Edwina slightly stunned. So Planet Gaia still had such powerhouses? Could she have been active in every era?
Hibiscus nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, we'll rember."
"Hey, you look, this is ."
Manjusaka stood before a portrait of a girl in cherry blossom-colored regalia, pointing at her cheeks cutely with big blinking eyes.
When they witnessed this painting, an information stream flowed into their minds, vaguely hinting at Fortune and Misfortune.
I see. When a magic chanism was complex and images insufficient for expression, it would infect viewers as mild Knowledge Poison, information flashing by. A clever approach, this design was exquisitely ingenious.
Unfortunately quite vague.
If not for everyone understanding Fortune and Misfortune's general operating principles, this bit of information would be hard to use as reliable reference.
"The next few are interesting—let's take a look." Orseya rarely showed great interest. "Only 3 ti-types, all historically beca strongest—"
First painting: Black military-style regalia, standing in silver wasteland holding an hourglass.
Second painting: Court rainbow dress, background a huge clock face constantly flickering and reversing.
Those who'd seen could recognize Sands of Ti and Save Points at a glance. Based on vague information, they could also judge. The problem was why there was still no news of the last one?
Third painting: White rmaid dress woman, beside her a huge golden harp, she was playing it causing countless mirror images to split...
Everyone quickly looked away to avoid contamination.
Hibiscus murmured: "Logically, the fewer types of magic would awaken together earlier, even attracting each other. The last ti-type should have appeared long ago. Why no movent? There aren't even traces of activation? Otherwise I'd sense it."
"I suddenly thought of a ghost story: could we actually be under the third ti-type's influence all along?"
Everyone looked at Manjusaka with complex expressions, who quickly coughed.
Anyone could say it.
Just not you.
"Indeed strange. So far we don't know what the third ti-type is called or what regalia it corresponds to? Even the most brilliant prophet, Her Majesty Lilith, cannot do it, never observed traces of its activation." Orseya said.
"So you only know she exists, everything else unknown?"
The fairies nodded in acknowledgnt. Everyone looked at each other with added eerie atmosphere. Combined with the prophecy blurted by the strongest causal magic holder, it felt even more wrong.
"Forget it, let's move past this topic. The other end of the gallery is the interrogation room, quickly."
Hibiscus finally glanced at another portrait—a barefoot chiffon dress girl standing before broken doors. Strongest space-type, Door-Key, with quite active magic reactions.
She most likely existed in the current era. In other words, she really had a chance to gather all strongest magics from all 8 types.
❀⋆｡°✿☆❀✿°｡⋆❀
Fairies indeed hadn't established real prisons.
The so-called place imprisoning Dark Fairies, rather than calling it a cell, was more like a palace room filled with sealing barriers.
redith sat in a chair with shackles on hands and feet, two soldiers close behind, surrounded by Guardian Knights ready to launch coordinated strikes. Under such interlocking asures, even Catastrophic Disaster Beasts would et their doom.
Seeing Orseya leading 4 familiar faces arriving, her eyes imdiately brightened.
"How surprising, did I see wrong? Actually inviting alien races to step on sacred World Tree soil. Orseya, do you know how many compatriots are dissatisfied because of this?"
"We never invited you either, redith, yet you ca uninvited and got beaten up."
The retort from Hibiscus made her snort coldly.
When enemies t, eyes blazed with hatred—neither side had good expressions. Though the Salvation Church seed to have won big in everyone's eyes, magic power was actually still out of control and dissipating—strategic failure.
What to do?
Only by prying intelligence from this Dark Fairy operation leader's mouth could they compensate, at least dig out information about the Disaster Beast world.
Orseya sat closest to redith, separating the mortal enemies. Actually, seeing the two young Magical Girls still keeping composure, the proud fairy Guardian Knights had already clenched fists. Traitors were undoubtedly shaful to all of Erald Court, especially before distinguished guests.
She knocked the air, countless spell runes surrounding the captive.
Even Manjusaka and Hibiscus, lacking understanding of fairy magic, knew that was probably truth serum-like effects—humanitarian yet efficient, perfectly matching World Tree's consistent ideals.
"First, you must tell us how to cultivate Intelligent Subspecies? Can they be reproduced?"
redith cooperatively wrote down the formula.
"Actually you underestimate the environnt's role. Originally it existed to adapt to the human world. Without functionality, there's no need for further cultivation, right?"
Talking about research results, she was very proud, expressing insights freely. Even without truth magic, she'd spill everything like beans from a bamboo tube. She especially promoted adaptation theory—since Intelligent Subspecies adapted to the human world, fairies could also adapt to Disaster Beasts.
"Nonsense." Orseya interrupted: "I want to hear not this garbage."
"Then please continue asking."
"Next, we need that thod for directly summoning Catastrophic Disaster Beasts, or counterasures. Can't let them rampage anymore."
Had to admit the Knight Commander asked very skillfully. Basically no need for Hibiscus and Manjusaka to speak—hitting the nail on the head.
However, redith shook her head this ti.
"The answer is I don't know. That was given to by Lady Leticia—the core is a wisp of her magic power, unreplicable. I only half-understand the specific principles. Telling you would be useless. Give up. Our New Erald Court's Disaster Beast research far exceeds the past."
So Catastrophic Disaster Beast summoning could be repeated multiple tis? This was undoubtedly bad news—no one expected Dark Fairies' technology to be so formidable unknowingly.
Seeing this, redith smiled smugly: "Actually you won't get anything valuable from questioning..."
Even the well-composed Orseya frowned.
Such a pity.
Clearly wanting to extract more intelligence for Salvation Church allies, but the other party was a dead pig not fearing boiling water. Without breakthrough progress, the scene showed signs of stalemate. What should be asked next?
"Guardian Knights have been trying to track their travel route traces." Suddenly Hibiscus spoke: "But there have been no clues, right?"
"Indeed, very sophisticated thods. You reminded to pay attention."
"I an that's most likely so powerful magic—could it be space-related?"
At these words both Orseya and redith were slightly stunned—unexpectedly the previously silent Hyacinth thought of a breakthrough. Looking at the Dark Fairy's reaction, probably right on target.
"How did you think of that?"
"Secret."
Hibiscus was happy to maintain so mystique before the Knight Commander. Actually it was largely guesswork combined with netizens' earlier ntioned deductions. Fortunately she bet correctly.
She stared directly at the gnashing redith and asked: "Answer , is it this era's strongest space magic, Door-Key?"
The questioned target originally wanted to object but nodded under truth spell suppression.
The Guardian Knights who were still pondering were also stunned. How did thinking jump to strongest space magic? Hyacinth must possess vast information, though not necessarily ahead of Erald Court, but in so areas even exceeded prophecy.
Strange. Actually several space magics had probability of becoming strongest, yet she definitively insisted on Door-Key.
Orseya pondered: "Should be correct. If Magical Girl Peony is talented enough to deduce abilities to strongest level, the question is how did she get mixed up with Dark Fairies?"
"Because so magic went out of control, making her leave her ho world, then Dark Fairies caught her weakness and forced cooperation."
Hibiscus preemptively struck.
This was also speculation based on Light scholar discussions. In any case, she had to first put an innocent victim image on the never-t Door-Key user. Whether you're innocent or not isn't important—important is not letting fairies see her as absolute enemy, since the Church hoped to recruit talent.
"I calculated and know you definitely deceived Peony." Manjusaka supplented.
Whether calculated or not, at least guaranteed by the strongest causal type.
Everyone's sharp gazes focused on redith, who tried struggling against truth spells but could only give up.
"Where did you get that intelligence? Whatever, you're right. During a certain spaceti turbulence voyage, we encountered a Magical Girl settlent calling themselves Zodiac Palace, unified under Magical Girl Peony..."
Since resistance was useless, she simply told everything, describing how Dark Fairies t them by chance. After all, both sides often wandered in turbulence—inevitable encounters.
That was simple.
They promised to help Zodiac Palace find ways to return to Planet Gaia, exchanging Door-Key's escort protection.
Without Hibiscus pointing it out, this matter might have continued indefinitely.
Everyone felt a chill after hearing—letting the strongest space-type of this era keep communicating with Dark Fairies would have serious consequences. Now they understood too—summoning Catastrophic Disaster Beasts partly credited to Door-Key user's guidance.
Just that everyone tacitly didn't ntion it.
The Salvation Church rightfully possessed protection rights over all Magical Girls. Erald Court also recognized and highly encouraged this—perfectly aligned.
"Where exactly is Zodiac Palace located?" Hibiscus continued pressing.
"Unclear. Actually Peony always maintained vigilance toward Dark Fairies, consistently using irregular movent to avoid positioning. We mostly had remote contact..."
User Comments
0 comments from readers