The queen gently caressed the Crown Prince’s cheek with her slender, delicate hand. The beautiful scene was like something out of a fairy tale, and I instinctively held my breath.

The queen began to sing.

Forget the days gone by.
This place is a paradise that knows no sorrow.
Stay with me. Dream forever.

The fairies who had been dancing also joined in the song. The fairies’ song was as sweet as a dream, yet somehow melancholic and haunting.

Pinion, unaware of what was happening, had his eyes tightly shut and was completely entranced by the queen.

The queen slowly lowered her head. Her lips touched the Crown Prince’s forehead and gradually slid downward. I instinctively knew that if their lips met, something terrible would happen.

‘Please wake up, you fool!’

Unfortunately, my wish did not reach him. I ran frantically through the fairies, looking for a way to cross the lake, but there were no boats or bridges in sight.

All I managed to do was alert the fairies to my presence. The queen lifted her head from Pinion and looked up. The fairies stopped dancing and singing and took to the air in unison. The knights who had been dancing with the fairies also looked around in a daze, clearly searching for me.

Although the rosary’s magic was still keeping my location hidden for now, if this continued, not only would I fail to rescue Pinion, but I couldn’t guarantee my own safety either.

‘What should I do?’

Even if Shahar helped me reach the queen, I would surely be discovered. But I had no other choice. I could feel the rosary’s magic waning.

“Sha—”

Just as I was about to call Shahar, the fairies suddenly began flying outward. It seemed Gined had succeeded in diverting their attention. As the fairies moved away, the knights, who had been wandering like zombies, collapsed like marionettes with their strings cut.

With the obstacles gone, I crossed the lake with Shahar’s help. The queen seemed somewhat surprised by the sudden appearance of a bridge but soon looked at me calmly. As if on cue, the rosary’s magic completely dissipated as I reached the island, revealing my presence.

I hesitated, then bowed politely. A queen was still a queen, regardless of species.

“Hello, Your Majesty. I am Lou Dronay, the owner of this mountain. I have no quarrel with you, but the person you took is quite important. If you return him and leave the mountain, I will withdraw peacefully.”

The queen looked down at Pinion again and then asked me.

“Is this man precious to you?”

“No, not really. But he is quite important.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t return him or the mountain. The future of our race depends on it.”

“I also must take him back. Many people’s futures depend on Pinion.”

“Pinion. So that’s his name.”

She replied without taking her eyes off Pinion. Seeing the affectionate look in her eyes, I realized the queen was just as much of a fool for him as I was.

‘This is crazy!’

“Listen, he’s all looks and nothing else. He’s not worth the trouble. I may be young, but I was his fiancée for ten years, so please believe me.”

“But I have no other choice. Our nest was destroyed, and our tribe is on the brink of extinction. Finding this mountain and such a strong man is a miracle. I’m sorry.”

With those words, the queen began to split in two. From the gap emerged the head of a giant bee.

“What the…!”

If I hadn’t seen Enril transform back from an old woman to his true form, I would have thrown Shahar and the rosary aside and run away screaming.

In the blink of an eye, the queen shed her human guise and revealed her true form. My remaining courage melted away like a bubble.

Unlike the other fairies who resembled honeybees, the queen was a giant hornet. At this moment, I regretted not having a can of insecticide instead of Shahar.

I couldn’t get any closer to her and took a few hesitant steps back. But the small island quickly brought me to the edge of the lake. The queen advanced toward me swiftly.

“Don’t come any closer! I warned you!”

But the queen ignored my warning completely.

‘You said she wasn’t aggressive!’

Despite trembling, I gripped Shahar tightly. I couldn’t back down either. As the queen got close, I lunged at her without hesitation.

Surprisingly, Shahar easily pierced through the insect’s hard exoskeleton. Meanwhile, the queen’s attacks with her mandibles and stinger were blocked by Shahar’s shield.

Realizing that continuing the fight would only result in more injuries, the queen rubbed her wings together to signal the other fairies. The fairies began returning to the lake, but Gined was quicker in cutting them down.

Seeing defeat imminent, the queen decided to abandon her tribe. It was a cold but rational decision for the preservation of her species. The queen picked up Pinion and spread her massive wings to fly.

“Shahar, don’t let her escape!”

Hearing my shout, Shahar transformed into a spear. I threw him at the queen, and he flew like a harpoon, tearing through her wing and piercing her chest.

“Eeeeeek!”

With a terrible screech, the queen began to fall. The fairies, sensing the queen’s demise, wailed in sorrow. The screams and cries from all directions made my ears ring.

Shahar safely caught Pinion as he fell with the queen.

“Your Highness!”

I hurried over and shook him awake.

“Wake up, Pin!”

Even calling him by a nickname, the Crown Prince didn’t wake up.

“If you don’t wake up, I’ll leave you, you…!”

Just as I was about to start swearing at him, the queen, whom I thought was dead, suddenly opened her eyes and grabbed my arm roughly. In my defenseless state, she pulled me toward her.

The queen, now back in human form, grabbed my face and blew her breath into me. I tried to push her away, but her strength was overwhelming. A thick, dizzying fragrance filled my mouth and nose.

At that moment, Shahar, now a large crescent moon, beheaded the queen. I watched in a daze, my mouth agape. Everything felt surreal, like a dream. My vision blurred, and I collapsed to the ground.

“Mate!”

Fortunately, the wet earth was soft, so I wasn’t hurt, but I couldn’t fight off the overwhelming sleepiness.

“Sha… har… I’m so sleepy…”

“Don’t fall asleep. You must stay awake!”

But I was already half-asleep. Shahar’s desperate voice grew distant. Even as I succumbed to sleep, I was curious about what I would see in my dreams.

They say you see one of your most intense memories. I hoped to return to the time I met Lina and Enril. If not, maybe to when I got engaged to the Crown Prince.

‘I want to beat someone up, even if it’s just in a dream.’

With that thought, I drifted off to sleep.

***

— Don’t impose your unilateral decisions on me. Do you think I’ll follow such ridiculous orders?

A sharp voice snapped. It was unfamiliar yet somehow familiar. After a moment, I realized it was my voice.

In a dimly lit room with only a few oil lamps, I was angrily confronting someone. Fiercely and vehemently.

It felt strange. The anger of the ‘me’ in the dream was vivid and palpable, yet I also felt detached, like an observer.

— It’s not an order.

Eventually, someone responded. Though his voice sounded like it was underwater and unclear, I guessed it was Enril based on the conversation’s flow.

My lips moved on their own, attacking him again.

— Oh, so it’s just a notification?

— ……

— Don’t pretend to care. Do you think I’ll fall for such an excuse? You know better than anyone how absurd your proposal is!

‘Well said, Lou!’

I couldn’t help but admire my own resolute and cold demeanor, even more impressive than that reckless dragon. I looked up, curious about Enril’s reaction. But everything was hazy and blurred, as if the fairies’ mist had seeped into my dream.

— I just want to give you another chance.

— Liar!

I was almost screaming. Unable to contain my anger, I swung my fist. It felt good initially, but I also worried about Enril’s retaliation. He was a dragon, after all. I wasn’t confident I could withstand a dragon’s wrath, even in a dream.

Fortunately, since it was an illusion, Enril didn’t dodge and took all my punches. This only fueled my anger, and I hit him harder and harder until I was too exhausted to lift my arms.