Rimuru the sin of love

The Fairy Kings Forrest

Rimuru POV:

I used a return spell to travel to the other side of the forest. In human form, the distance between locations is much more limited than in my goddess form, so this would have to suffice. "Ciel, do you think the demons can still find me?"

{It's unlikely they would detect you here. However, if you leave the forest, they will sense your presence immediately. The only reason you're not detected now is because of the forest's protection.}

"This forest is really amazing," I said to myself as I strolled further in. The deeper I went, the more beautiful it became. Eventually, I began to sense fairy magic in the trees, manifested as a faint, rainbow-colored aura. Then Ciel spoke up.

{Notice: Rimuru is approaching a barrier. You can only pass through it with permission from a fairy or the Sacred Tree.}

I stopped just before the barrier, marveling at the intricate magic woven into it. "Wow, you can see the magic of the barrier up close. It's really well done." (Do you think I'm qualified enough to enter without permission?)

{Since you haven't gained your fairy form yet, it's less likely to work. However, I think you can try it without them being hostile.}

"Well, let's hope it works out then." (For some reason, I feel a strong urge to be here. Strange.) I cautiously stepped forward, and to my pleasant surprise, the barrier allowed me entry. Inside, the forest was a vibrant display of colors, with fairies flitting happily all around me. Surprisingly, they didn't notice me at first. But once they did, their expressions darkened. Murmurs began about how a human shouldn't be there and that I needed to leave. (So much for the pleasant atmosphere.)

At that moment, a fairy approached me. I quickly gathered she was someone of importance by the way others deferred to her.

"Gerheare, what are you doing here?" a male fairy asked, his tone tinged with respect. (So her name is Gerheare.) She landed gracefully before me and spoke in a straightforward manner. "Gloxinia wishes to meet you. Please follow me."

(That name sounds familiar. Ciel, who is this Gloxinia?)

{Gloxinia is the current Fairy King.}

(Wait, so the king wants to see me? He must be the one who granted me entry.) {That is most likely the case.}

"It would be an honor to meet him," I replied politely, trying to avoid further upsetting the fairies. I followed Gerheare toward the Sacred Tree, where the most impressive fairy I'd seen so far awaited us.

{Notice: This fairy is most likely the Fairy King.}

(Figured as much. He looks very strong.)

"Welcome to my forest, Miss Tempest. Gerheare, my darling sister, could you please ensure we're alone? I wish to have a private conversation with our guest. Or is my little sister not up for the task?" Gloxinia said playfully. Gerheare huffed and replied, "You don't have to say it like that, brother." She then flew away.

Not knowing what to make of this, I decided to introduce myself. "Hello, King Gloxinia. My name is Rimuru Tempest. It's an honor to meet you."

He started laughing. "Why the sudden change in manner of speech? You didn't speak like that to the demon royalty. Why now?"

His comment surprised me. (He knew about that, but he wasn't present during that encounter. What a sneaky way to bring it up as if it were a joke.)

{It's likely that Gloxinia can access information within his domain. However, it's unclear how much he knows.}

"So, how much did you see, or rather, did the forest reveal to you?" I asked directly.

He looked disappointed before becoming serious. "Princess Tempest, I am aware of everything that happens in my forest. How could I protect it otherwise? It was difficult to believe that the most powerful demon had such a soft side." (That confirms it. But that last part was odd; he didn't seem malevolent.)

"Shiftling, I have a question for you. Have you managed to gain your fairy form yet?"

(How did he know about that? I haven't told anyone.)

"I haven't figured it out. I can shift into my demon and goddess forms, but every time I try to assume my fairy form, all I get is pain. A shifter is supposed to have all three forms, but I don't." I admitted.

"As I suspected, you haven't yet received the blessing of the Sacred Tree." (So that's why he looked disappointed.) {That is correct.}

"I see. What should I do to resolve this issue? I don't fully understand."

"Since the shifters and fairies are allies, I can help you. However, it will take time for the effect to manifest, and when you gain your fairy form, it will be extremely painful. I can't control when it will happen, and you might lose consciousness because of it. Do you still wish to proceed?"

This posed a significant dilemma. (If I go through with this, I could suddenly fall unconscious in critical situations, which could be dangerous. However, if I refuse, the fairy race might reject me, and I'd be failing as a representative of my entire race. Additionally, if other shifters exist, I'd be denying them the same choice.)

{Notice that the necklace you possess can nullify any damage. I can protect you if you are unable to defend yourself.}

(So, I only need to endure the pain, with the rest being manageable?) {Yes, that would be correct.}

(Ciel, you're the best.) {Thank you.}

With a confident smile, I responded, "No problem. A little pain is not an issue. I gladly accept your offer."

Gloxinia relaxed into his friendly demeanor and started some small talk. We even played a fairy game, which earned me more positive vibes from the others than before. I decided to stay the night, marking the end of this eventful day.