Elina stiffened slightly at the fairy's words, then relaxed when she felt no malice—only blunt, childlike honesty.
Around her, the emerald-green mana thickened, pulsing in gentle waves. Leaves rustled without wind. Tiny buds along nearby vines bloomed and withered in seconds, responding instinctively to her presence.
The fairies circling Elina grew more numerous.
Soft green lights. Pale blue glimmers. A few with translucent wings like morning dew.
Then—
From the cluster hovering closest to her chest, one fairy drifted forward.
Unlike Chimmy's golden radiance, this fairy glowed in layered hues—deep emerald at its core, fading into soft aqua at the edges. Its wings resembled overlapping leaves and water petals, shifting gently as if they were flowing with a silent current.
"An elder fairy…"From its presence alone, Mike understood. This was another elder fairy.
