The Baby Fairy Is A Villain [EN]: Chapter 90

Hylone didn’t react, not even to Kiern’s sarcastic remarks.

It felt like he couldn’t be bothered to respond to such trivialities.

Chesha discreetly examined the Holy Knights accompanying them.

‘Daren, the adjutant, is here too. And the other three appear to be knights from the 1st Order of Holy Knights,’ she noted mentally.

Having identified the Holy Knights, Chesha turned her attention to the Vasillian family members.

‘A black magician, two swordsmen, and a mage.’

And then there was the ‘bear cub’ from the Nemea Marquis family, renowned for their swordsmanship.

‘That bear cub seems quite skilled as well.’

Hata, nestled quietly in Chesha’s arms, pretending to be a harmless puppy, was by no means weak.

As a beastman, he was more than capable of holding his own in a fight.

It was an excessively lavish escort for a single baby.

Perhaps no one attending the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting would have such an entourage.

No, they definitely wouldn’t.

The fact that an Inquisitor was among the escort knights was already pushing the boundaries.

However, Chesha wasn’t at all thrilled with the extravagant escort.

Frankly, she wanted to ditch at least the Holy Knights.

The Vasillian family and the Holy Knights together?

It felt like trouble was brewing with every breath they took.

In reality, Kiern hated even the sight of Hylone breathing.

‘Could this also be some kind of test at the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting?’ she wondered.

To observe how they treat the Holy Knights, perhaps.

It was a plausible theory.

The Minor Saint Prayer Meeting was a ten-day event.

Originally, typical prayer meetings lasted about a month.

However, the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting was specifically for young babies, so the duration was significantly shortened.

For ten days, the children would offer prayers to God in the Holy Empire’s Grand Temple.

During that time, they would undergo various evaluations.

Of course, since it was a prayer meeting for babies, the tests were said to be relatively easy.

However, while babies under the age of five gathered and prayed peacefully for ten days, the adults accompanying them were expected to endure a hellish time.

The winner of the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting would be decided through discussions among the Holy King, cardinals, Inquisitors, and bishop-level Holy Priests and Holy Knight Commanders.

There were thirteen cardinals and thirteen Inquisitors each.

There were thirty-six bishop-level Holy Priests and thirty-six Holy Knight Commanders each.

Adding the Holy King, there was a total of ninety-nine high-ranking individuals.

The Fairy Queen’s Crown, a revered holy relic, was offered as the prize.

The Holy Empire deemed it important enough to gather such a large number of high-ranking officials in one place for discussions.

Since the winner was determined through this discussion, fierce behind-the-scenes battles to curry favor with each high-ranking official were already raging even before the prayer meeting began.

That was why Kiern, who had never engaged in such activities before, was now attending social events and banquets to network with various influential figures.

The Inquisitors were not a concern.

They were the kind of people who would die if Hylone told them to.

They prioritized Hylone’s orders over the Holy King’s, so they would say and do whatever Hylone wanted.

The Holy Knights would likely be the same.

‘The problem lies with the Holy King, and the cardinals and Holy Priests,’ she mused.

Most of the cardinals and Holy Priests were favorably inclined towards Hylone.

Hylone’s support was crucial for the selection of the future Holy King.

However, choosing the winner of the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting was a slightly different matter.

They wouldn’t necessarily blindly follow Hylone’s wishes in such decisions.

Many would have already attempted to gain their favor through various means.

If things went awry, the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting could devolve into a power struggle between the Holy Priests and Holy Knights.

They would try to prevent that from happening, but…

‘It would be strange if there wasn’t a fight when a holy relic is at stake.’

Still, Chesha desperately wanted to win.

If only to spare Kiern from further disappointment, she wanted to obtain the Fairy Queen’s Crown if possible.

She pondered these things as she boarded the carriage with Ishuel.

Except for Ishuel, who hated the sunlight damaging her skin, everyone else rode on horseback.

The distance from the Palen Empire to the Holy Empire of Hildred was a full day’s ride on horseback.

However, they couldn’t maintain a gallop while pulling a carriage with a baby inside.

They would take it easy, stay overnight at an inn, and arrive at their destination sometime the next afternoon.

‘I hope nothing happens during that time.’

With an uneasy feeling, she gazed out the carriage window.

Kiern and Hylone were riding side by side, exchanging words.

Hylone slightly frowned at Kiern’s sarcastic remark.

The atmosphere was already tense.

“…Hiyu.”

Chesha resolved to mentally prepare herself for the journey ahead.

***

The forest path connecting the Palen Empire to the Holy Empire was not frequently used by travelers.

The reason for choosing a secluded path instead of the main road was that their procession was too conspicuous.

Everyone was strikingly beautiful, and the presence of Holy Knights in full uniform was sure to attract attention.

As an Inquisitor, Hylone had no desire to draw unwanted attention.

He suggested taking the quietest route possible, and Kiern readily agreed to that much.

The secluded forest path was tranquil.

It was a pleasant place for a leisurely ride.

They might have even enjoyed the quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

If only the person next to him wasn’t there.

“Did you break up with the witch?”

He had anticipated hearing nonsense if he was stuck with this guy.

He tried to ignore whatever he said, but the Count of Vasillian was exceptionally skilled at getting under his skin.

“The witch hasn’t been seen lately. Is it because of you, Knight? Did you break up and then start chasing after her?”

Hylone frowned.

He glanced towards the carriage.

They were far enough away, and the windows were closed, so they probably couldn’t hear their conversation.

Hylone coldly retorted.

“If you want cooperation, you need to learn how to keep your mouth shut.”

“Wow, does a Holy Knight swear too?”

Kiern smirked mischievously.

There was a reason he was acting so brazenly.

The perceptive snake had already realized that Hylone’s desires aligned with his own.

Even if Kiern committed blasphemy right here and now, Hylone couldn’t throw him into the Inquisitorial chamber.

Because he wanted the child to win the Minor Saint Prayer Meeting.

Just once.

He had seen the Fairy Queen’s Crown once before.

The wreath woven with flowers that never withered was breathtaking.

The moment he stared blankly at the wreath and inhaled the fresh scent of the flowers, Hylone thought of Richessia.

He had desperately wanted to give her the wreath.

Knowing that it was impossible because he couldn’t steal the holy relic.

But now, the opportunity had presented itself.

Even if it wasn’t Richessia, he wanted to see the child who looked just like her wearing the wreath.

As Richessia’s daughter, the child would eventually manifest the power of a fairy.

Since it belonged to a fairy, it was only right to return it to one.

Imagining the child wearing the wreath, he finally spoke.

“The opinions of the Holy Priests are converging. There is a child they are favoring, so it would be wise not to let your guard down.”

“Can’t the Holy King just order them to give the crown to Chesha? You must be close to the Holy King, right?”

“…….”

It was as Hylone was glaring at the smirking Kiern that both men simultaneously turned their gaze forward.

They sensed approaching figures.

Not just one or two, but dozens of them.

Kiern clicked his tongue briefly and said.

“Slave hunters.”

Slave hunters would risk their souls for anything that could make them money, but there was no reason to mess with a carriage procession that was clearly well-guarded, even including Holy Knights.

Their prey must have fled this way.

What kind of prey would they chase even when they clearly saw the presence of Holy Knights?

Moreover, they couldn’t even sense the prey yet.

Without exchanging words, Hylone and Kiern expanded their senses to locate the fleeing individual.

That’s when it happened.

Black petals and butterflies scattered wildly in the air.

A gaunt woman materialized amidst the swirling petals and butterflies.

The two men’s eyes widened in unison.

Kiern muttered in bewilderment.

“A fairy…?”

At that moment, they heard the sound of the carriage window being forced open.

The pink eyes of the child who leaned out of the window were wide with fear.

Chesha shouted, her voice filled with panic.

“Everyone, run away!”

However, before they could react to Chesha’s warning, their vision was suddenly reversed.

The fairy’s illusionary domain had enveloped them.