HMC 01

~Chapter 1~

Under a piercingly blue sky, within a snow-white pavilion dusted by fluttering fairy wings and glittering stardust—

A tiny child sat on Eros’s lap, sucking her fingers.

“Rosedale, look at this.”

Eros gently stroked her cotton-candy-soft pink hair.

“This sparkling golden arrow makes people fall in love. And this one…”

“Lead!”

Before Eros could finish, Rosedale shouted loudly.

Her ruby-like red eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to be praised.

Eros chuckled fondly at her enthusiasm, stroking her hair again.

“Yes, that’s right—lead. When struck by this, a person feels hatred. And they start to desire things they can never have.”

“Scawy…”

Rosedale hugged her tiny body with both arms and shivered. Though her speech was still clumsy, Eros just smiled warmly.

He placed the arrows back and gently lifted Rosedale in his arms.

“One day, when you’ve grown up, you’ll shoot these arrows into the hearts of humans as my messenger.”

“Hmm?”

Rosedale only tilted her head and played with Eros’s short hair.

Though she looked like a five-year-old, her cluelessness gave away the truth—she was a newborn fairy.

Eros smiled faintly and continued in a soft voice:

“My child. You are the daughter of me, Eros, the god of love. I bless you—may you grow up and become the love of humankind.”

A faint light glowed on her forehead where Eros had kissed her.

She was a child born to become the divine messenger of love.

The most precious little fairy, blessed by the god Eros.

Rosedale let out a small yawn with her tiny lips and fell asleep in the warm embrace of Eros.

Time passed.

On another sunny day, the fairy realm was peaceful as always—filled with birdsong, the sound of flowing water, and a warm breeze.

“Ugh, I’m so bored.”

Rosedale lay sprawled across a desk, using a book thick enough to be a weapon as a pillow.

Her wavy baby-pink hair swayed lazily across the pages. Tiny fairies the size of fingers fluttered nervously around her.

“No, no! If you slack off, the King will scold you!”

“Lady Rosedale, wake up! Before the King comes!”

Annoyed by their high-pitched nagging, Rosedale covered both ears.

What’s the point of being locked up and forced to study all day if no one ever acknowledges me?

“Pathetic. Can someone like this even be called the heir to the Fairy King?”

The cold voice of Elphis sent a chill down her spine.

Elphis—the father of nature, the guardian of the World Tree, and king of all fairies and spirits.

Rosedale was his daughter, born from his mana, and the designated heir to the throne.

Perhaps that’s why he was especially harsh with her. Strict by nature, Elphis drove her to exhaustion with relentless study and mana training, never once expressing satisfaction.

Even after she finished entire books in a day or mastered magic stronger than all other fairies—except Elphis—he never gave her a single word of praise.

“Is this truly all you can manage? A child born of my mana?”

“At this rate, you won’t even be able to protect yourself. Do you want to see the other fairies die too?”

“Don’t shame me any further, Rosedale.”

“…”

Thinking of Elphis made a lump rise in her throat.

Rosedale turned her head toward the window to stop herself from crying. The drifting clouds outside moved on, unaware of her turmoil.

“Oh? Lady Rosedale isn’t asleep! Hurry, get up!”

Despite the fairies’ persistent scolding, she just turned her head and ignored them.

As if I have anywhere else to go anyway.

All she ever saw in this realm was sky, water, and grass. There was nowhere to escape to. The fairy realm was suffocating in its monotony.

“Ugh, I’m so bored I could die.”

“Get up, please!”

The little fairies began tugging at her clothes with all their might, but it made no difference—Rosedale, with the body of a grown human woman, didn’t budge.

If anything, she just curled up tighter, burying her face into her fluffy pink hair.

“Can you all just go away for a bit? I want to be alone.”

“No! The King is scary! You have to study!”

“Get up!”

“You have to prepare for your coming-of-age ceremony tomorrow!”

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Rosedale’s eyes snapped open and she shot up.

The gust from her sudden movement sent the little fairies tumbling away with surprised squeals.

But amidst the crowd, her ruby-red eyes gleamed.

“Tomorrow I’ll be an adult, right?”

“Yes, that’s right! Our Lady Rosedale is becoming an adult!”

“The King is gathering everyone for your coming-of-age ceremony! It’ll be a big celebration!”

The fairies forgot their nagging and started tossing flower dust in joy.

Even Rosedale, who had been sulking, smiled faintly.

Once the ceremony is over, I can finally leave this place.

She had been chosen as Eros’s messenger just one week after birth.

No one knew why Elphis—who hated any non-fairy races—allowed her to be given to the gods. Perhaps he had no choice. Perhaps he was forced. Either way, he’d kept her from ever meeting Eros again since.

She never received proper training as a messenger, but one thing had been promised:

Once she came of age, she would be granted time in the human world to fulfill her duties.

Tomorrow, I’ll go to the human world. I’ll finally escape this stifling realm and that man… and live freely.

With that thought, everything around her suddenly seemed a little more lovable—even the annoying fairies.

“Everyone out. I’m going to study now.”

Rosedale sat up straight and grabbed her pen.

“No! You always say that and slack off!”

“We’ll block the King if he comes! He can’t see you slacking!”

“Don’t worry. I won’t slack off today.”

She smiled innocently. Her pale skin glowed, and her cherry-pink lips stood out.

Because tomorrow, I won’t be here anymore.

She looked like a sweet little pink bunny—harmless and utterly lovable—though her thoughts were anything but innocent.

But the next day…

Instead of celebrating, Rosedale stood before a swamp in the forbidden forest.

“I really didn’t want it to come to this…”

The murky swamp bubbled with foul smells like a rotting beast.

This disgusting mire—said to have devoured humans in the past—was the only gateway to the human world.

Humans once invaded through this path and were slaughtered by Elphis, becoming fertilizer. Since then, the forest had been off-limits.

So why was Rosedale here, sneaking in?

This is all because of him…

Tears welled in her large eyes.

Just hours earlier—

“Your Majesty—Father! You can’t do this!”

Fresh from her ceremony, Rosedale had chased after Elphis with a pale face.

“What are you talking about?”

Elphis didn’t even glance at his panting daughter, continuing to walk.

“I’m Eros’s messenger! I was promised the right to go to the human world when I became an adult! How could you stop me now?!”

“Such nonsense.”

Elphis finally stopped and looked down at her with cold eyes.

The pressure of his mana weighed on her shoulders like a mountain. But even so, Rosedale met his gaze without flinching.

“Just to plant foolish emotions in the hearts of humans?”

He turned fully to her, and the ground trembled.

“The only daughter of the Fairy King?”

The grass around them bowed low in fear of his anger.

“You would abandon your people and flee to the human world?”

“Father…”

“Is that really what you’re saying, Rosedale?”

She trembled. But Elphis’s expression didn’t change.

He had always hated the gods—meddling in every world, looking down on fairies.

Especially that Eros…

Elphis’s expression twisted in fury.

A god who peddled in the most trivial matters—how dare he take the Fairy King’s daughter as his own?

“You are a fairy, Rosedale. My daughter, and the future ruler of this realm.”

He stepped closer, voice like a blade.

“You will not go to the human world. When the time comes, I’ll strip you of that worthless title.”

“Father!”

“There will be no discussion.”

Though his body hadn’t changed, he now seemed tall enough to reach the sky.

His overwhelming presence made Rosedale feel like she couldn’t breathe.

He turned away, cloak fluttering.

“Go back to your room. Use that time to become stronger.”

“…”

As he walked away, Rosedale could only tremble in helplessness.

Is this really it? After waiting so long? After everything…

She had waited her whole life for this—her chance to serve, to grow, to live freely.

But now she would remain here, suffocating under the title of heir, forever under Elphis’s disappointed gaze.

…No. I can’t live like this.

Her eyes sparked.

“I’ll run away.”

The grass had just begun to rise again, but froze once more at her wicked grin.

Without hesitation, Rosedale remembered the swamp and slipped away into the forbidden forest.

“Ugh.”

Each breath filled her lungs with rotten air.

Even breathing was unpleasant here. And yet, she had no choice.

Anything was better than staying here—better than being ruled, watched, controlled.

“Alright… Let’s go.”

She pinched her nose, squeezed her eyes shut, and leapt into the swamp.

With a splash, she disappeared into the depths.

The swamp gurgled, as if digesting her, and then fell quiet again.

Peace returned to the forest.

Somewhere far off, a god’s playful laughter echoed.