86 Part 2
Perhaps it was connected to this palace. While contemplating and starting to scan the room, Tiararose was struck with a sudden burst of enormous force, pouring into her.
Due to the sudden impact, Tiararose lost her footing and fell to her knees on the spot. The seawater wetted her knees, but she couldn’t manage to worry about that.
“Argh, aargh …!”
— It’s painful.
She was wondering if this was the enormous power Crail mentioned earlier. Feeling confused, in pain, and about to lose consciousness, a big drop of tear spilled and fell from Tiararose’s eye.
What to do, what should I do?
“— ….”
— In case you can’t stand the enormous power, try pouring it in.
“Pour this power into …?”
What?
Of course, it’s only natural.
— Let it flow into Pearl, who had been in constant slumber due to the loss of her magical power.
“That’s why Lord Crail said it was a hint, right?”
Even though it was a punishment for Pearl, would she be saved by having this power poured into her? However, that advice was given in anticipation that Tiararose could be suffering.
Because Tiararose was blessed by the Queen of the Sea fairies, Pearl, transferring that magical power would be easy. If it wasn’t for Tiararose, Crail wouldn’t have said anything about pouring in the magic, would he?
Tiararose crawled on all fours and approached Pearl’s bed. She then poured the endlessly overflowing magical power into Pearl.
“Huff, huff … Lady Pearl.”
As if it wasn’t enough, she kept pouring the magical power into Pearl.
“… Uh.”
“Lady Pearl!”
She moaned and coughed as she woke up.
Immediately after, a voice clear as a bell said “Tiararose.”
“What are you doing … is this my palace?”
“Huff, huff .…”
“You look extremely exhausted.”
— The overflowing power had calmed down somehow.
Seeing Pearl awake in front of her, Tiararose began to feel relief. After all, Pearl had been in constant slumber because she lost all her magical power after giving Tiararose her blessing. Tiararose reckoned that perhaps it would be confusing for Pearl to grasp the current situation, so she provided a simple description of everything that had been happening up until then.
“It seems that the situation had become more complicated while I was sleeping. … Honestly, men have always been foolish regardless of the time.”
Pearl rose, took the folding fan that had been placed on her bedside, and flipped it open. Standing up gracefully in one swift movement, her nightwear had transformed into a bright kimono dress.
Layers upon layers of deep scarlet color fabric remarkably accentuated Pearl’s silvery-white hair. Her hair was arranged beautifully by the hair accessory that was decorated with braids and flowers.
“I never would’ve thought that the magical power of Starry Sky would be stored in my body.”
“Starry Sky’s …?”
“Oh, you didn’t understand. The huge power that flows into your body was probably Aquasteed’s overflowing power. For the most part, I think that power increased due to the smooth process of acquiring the encampments.”
Pearl was saying that it could be difficult for Aquasteed to control that power himself, so the overflowing power channeled through the ring of the Starry Sky and flowed into Tiararose.
“Good grief. I thought the next time I woke up, all of you wouldn’t be here anymore.”
“It seems like I woke up too soon.” Pearl said to herself.
“So you took my ring while I was asleep without permission. And then you’re trying to recreate it.”
“Y-Yes. I deeply apologize for taking the ring while Lady Pearl was asleep.”
Both Keith and Crail had entrusted the ring to Tiararose and Aquasteed on their own accord. But Tiararose didn’t acquire Pearl’s permission to bring it through the hidden passage.
Looking at the flustered Tiararose bowing her head, Pearl covered her mouth with her folding fan and said, “Fine.”
“Tiararose, I shall cooperate with you!”
“Eh? Is that okay?”
“No problem. I want to do something for Marineforest as well.”
Although Pearl had planned to keep sleeping for a long time due to her loss of magical power, it didn’t imply that her blessing power had not been restored yet. Now at the very least, she could sufficiently take care of the sea of Marineforest.
“Besides, I’m the third generation Queen of the Sea fairies. Unlike Crail and Keith, I have only a superficial relationship with this country.”
“No. I know that Lady Pearl has been protecting the sea. Please don’t say such lonely words.”
“… Hmph. It’s okay, I will do my best to help this country in my own way.”
Finding the Prayer Room was the next thing that needed to be done.
However, similar to Crail, Pearl did not know of its existence.
“The Prayer Room is a mystical space. During the oath of taking the fairy king’s encampments, it is connected to the kings’ territories. For anyone other than the kings to access it, the king’s ring is needed.”
“Is that so …?”
“Did something else change while I was asleep?”
“Um ….”
“?”
Tiararose hung her head down upon hearing Pearl’s inquiry.
That would be the bedridden king due to illness. Tiararose filled Pearl in, explaining that the king had the same illness Liliarge had a while ago and hadn’t recovered from it yet.
The citizens had not been notified about the illness of the king either.
Hearing Tiararose’s words, Pearl nodded in understanding.
“Oh, is that why you woke me up …?”
“Eh?”
“Why, have you not heard? Speaking of which, I have never witnessed it with my own eyes, but … they say there’s a flower that blooms during the coronation of the king of the Starry Sky. That is –-?!”
A sudden rumbling noise from the earth interrupted Pearl’s explanation mid-sentence.
“Huh, what is happening?!”
“Looks like it’s finally time for the endgame of taking the encampments.”
“Already?! That’s right, I have to find the Prayer Room as soon as possible!”
Two and a half hours had elapsed since all the running along the crystal passage and conversation with Pearl.
Tiararose frantically left the palace and returned to the crystal corridor. Pearl came along, but not knowing which way to go, they had no other choice but to continue running along the corridor.