105: The Fairy Who Ran Away

Melissa flew above Alistair's head, holding a small staff in her hand, her mouth constantly chanting incantations unique to the Fairy Clan.

A wave of green energy emanated from Melissa, rippling out in all directions.

Afterward, Melissa stopped in mid-air to observe the changes in the surroundings.

The mountain breeze blew, and the dense leaves rustled.

Alistair also carefully observed his surroundings, but apart from the thick, ancient trees, he saw nothing else.

“Still not coming out? Do you want Auntie Melissa to spank your bottom?”

Melissa waved her staff, and her aura grew considerably stronger. Despite her small size of only a few dozen centimeters, the surging magical fluctuations from her body demonstrated her extraordinary strength.

Her long green hair drifted in the air, and the pair of wings behind her scattered even more green fluorescence that drifted with the wind, looking extremely magnificent.

Amidst Melissa's questioning, a streak of light flew over from the distant mountain forest.

“Who are you?”

“Why doesn't Ariya know you?”

Only when the streak of light drew closer did Alistair see clearly that it was a fairy even smaller and more delicate than Melissa.

The little fairy had short red hair, and the pair of wings behind her were also red. Her features were small and exquisite, making her look very cute.

“You really are a little one. Speak, how did you sneak out of the Holy Land? If the Great Elder found out, he'd definitely lock you up in solitary confinement.”

Seeing the little fairy who had appeared, Melissa put on a stern face and scolded the little thing fiercely.

“I didn't sneak out! It was an accident, an accident!”

Ariya tried her best to loudly deny her actions.

“Grandpa Great Elder is a very good person; he wouldn't lock Ariya in solitary confinement. Don't talk nonsense.”

“Who are you? Why hasn't Ariya seen you before?”

Ariya looked at Melissa curiously. She had never seen this older fairy sister before, but logically, any fairy who knew about the Holy Land should be living within it.

Earlier, when Ariya felt Melissa's presence, she thought her senses were mistaken. Fearing danger, she had hurriedly hidden herself.

To her surprise, upon closer inspection, Ariya discovered that the one looking for her was actually a strange fairy. This immediately piqued Ariya's interest, prompting her to risk revealing herself.

“Ariya, right?”

“Call me Sister Melissa from now on.”

Melissa flew to Ariya's side and patted Ariya's small head with a feigned air of maturity.

“Melissa?”

Ariya felt the name was very familiar and began to search her memories.

“Oh!”

Suddenly, Ariya cried out as if she had thought of something.

“I remember now.”

“Melissa, I know that name. You're that troublemaking Melissa!”

“The rule-breaking Melissa! The troublemaker Melissa!”

Hearing the words constantly popping out of Ariya's mouth, Melissa's expression froze. She then clenched her fist, turning the pat into a punch, and struck Ariya's small head.

“Ouch! It hurts!”

Ariya clutched her small head, looking at Melissa with teary eyes.

“This is to teach you how to respect your seniors. Don't be so impudent!”

After speaking, Melissa glanced sideways at Alistair, the warning in her eyes self-evident.

Alistair, who had originally wanted to laugh, quickly returned his expression to normal.

“Tell me, how did you get out? The Holy Land's barrier isn't something you can just cross.”

Melissa questioned Ariya solemnly.

“I don't know either. I was just wandering around when I suddenly felt a special natural aura. I was drawn to the edge of the barrier, and then I somehow ended up outside of it.”

Ariya spoke softly, her eyes darting around uncertainly.

“Nonsense! How can wandering lead you to the barrier? The Great Elder has always forbidden all clansmen from approaching the edge. How did you end up there?”

“Tell the truth!”

Melissa gave Ariya another punch on the head, and the little one clutched her head in pain.

“Fine, Ariya wanted to sneak out to play, so I was looking for a chance to get out at the edge of the barrier.”

“While I was studying the barrier there, I really did feel the attraction of a natural aura. After that, I don't know why, but a gap suddenly appeared in the barrier, and I came out.”

“Then that gap disappeared, and Ariya couldn't go back!”

Ariya tearfully confessed everything. She looked at Melissa's fist with some fear; this sister actually beat her, unlike Grandpa Great Elder who only coaxed her.

“A sudden gap? And it disappeared after you came out? That's the Holy Land's barrier; even an Extreme Realm King can't break it. How could a gap suddenly appear?”

Seeing Melissa raise her fist again, Ariya hurriedly covered her head and flew to the side.

“Ariya really doesn't know, I really don't! After coming out, I wanted to go back, but as soon as the barrier recovered, it was immediately activated, and I couldn't find the way back.”

Ariya began to wail as she spoke.

Melissa listened and lowered her fist.

Once the Holy Land's barrier was actively activated, only those in the Legendary Realm could find its location. Those below the Legendary Realm couldn't even sense its existence. Ariya was only Silver Rank, so naturally, she couldn't sense the Holy Land after coming out.

“What about that natural aura that attracted you?”

Seeing Melissa lower her fist, Ariya felt relieved and answered:

“After I couldn't find the way home, I followed that natural aura all the way. But I couldn't catch up to it, and I don't know what that aura was.”

“A few days ago, I lost it nearby and could no longer feel its presence.”

Ariya wanted to cry again. Before leaving home, she thought about coming out to play and seeing the outside world every day. Now that she had her wish, she felt the outside world was just so-so, not nearly as good as the Holy Land or home. She only wanted to go home now.

“Sister Melissa, can you take me back?”

“I miss Mom and Dad, I want to go home!”

Ariya cried, wanting Melissa to take her back.

“Alright, stop crying!”

“The Holy Land's barrier is actively activated. Without the strength of the Legendary Realm, how can we even find it to go back?”

“Follow me for now. I'll take you home once I break through to the Legendary Realm.”

Ariya was disappointed to hear she couldn't go home, but now that she had an older sister from her clan looking after her, she wasn't as panicked as she had been the past few days.

“Oh, alright, Sister Melissa.”

Finding a fellow clansman made Melissa breathe a sigh of relief as well. She brought Ariya over to Alistair's side.

“This is my friend's son. From now on, the two of us will stay in his territory. It won't be long before I can break through to the Legendary Realm, and then we can go home.”

“Okay!”

Ariya nodded obediently and gave Alistair a bright smile.

“Let's go, Alistair. If we're late getting back, your subordinates will worry about you.”

“Alright!”

Alistair rode the magic wolf and set off on the return journey.

Melissa took one last look deep into the mountain range, a bad premonition in her heart.

“Actively activating the barrier... the Holy Land hasn't done that in a long time. Has something major happened again this time?”

Then, thinking of the Great Elder's powerful strength, Melissa's worries vanished.

“With the Great Elder there, nothing will happen. Instead, little Ariya and I need to think of a way to return home safely.”

Flapping her wings, the fairy disappeared into the dense forest.