Chapter 182: The Faeries!
Chapter 182: The Faeries!
The sun had already begun its slow descent toward the horizon when Jax returned to the outer terrace of the royal palace.
From this height, the entirety of Aeternum Noctis stretched out before him like a living tapestry of shadow and light. Towers of black stone pierced the sky, glowing softly with arcane wards. Mana lanterns had begun to flicker to life along the streets as the evening crowd gathered.
Demons of every race moved through the city below.
Orcs hauling cargo. Succubi drifting across balconies. Goblin engineers arguing beside humming mana rails, and somewhere within that sprawling city, countless lives were unknowingly shaped by the quiet decisions made inside the palace above.
Jax leaned lightly against the terrace railing, golden eyes thoughtful as he pondered the invitation he received from the Faeries.
Even now the idea felt surreal.
According to the History lesson he was given by the Goddesses, the Fae had remained distant from the political struggles of Terra pretty much forever.
They rarely appeared in the mortal realm, and when they did it was fleeting, more like glimpses of natural spirits than a true civilization.
Yet they had reached out to him, and not merely reached out, but they had also invited him into their realm.
That meant one of two things. Either the Fae had finally decided to intervene in the world’s affairs...or they wanted something from him, something important enough to break their usual traditions.
As he was lost in thought, footsteps approached from behind, wielding two distinct auras.
Jax didn’t need to turn to know who they belonged to. Still, when he did, his lips curved slightly.
Sabrina stood to the left and Serika stood to the right. Both had clearly taken his earlier instructions seriously.
Sabrina wore a long, elegant gown of midnight silk trimmed with crimson lace. The fabric hugged her tall, voluptuous frame in a way that left very little to the imagination while still maintaining the regal aura befitting the Succubus Saintess.
Her long dark hair cascaded down her back like liquid shadow, and her crimson eyes gleamed with playful intelligence.
Serika, meanwhile, looked far more nervous.
The fox-kin maid had changed into a formal kimono-style dress crafted from deep violet fabric embroidered with silver runes. It accentuated her slender waist and soft curves while allowing room for the three fox tails that swayed gently behind her.
Three tails. Jax’s gaze lingered on them for a moment.
That alone spoke volumes about her growth over the past few months.
Her fur had also changed. Originally a soft golden color, it now carried a faint purplish hue, especially near the tips of her ears and tails. The shift was subtle, but unmistakable.
Serika shifted slightly under his gaze.
"M-Master...?"
Jax stepped forward.
Then he smiled.
"You both look excellent."
Sabrina smirked instantly.
"Well of course we do," she said smoothly. "We’re representing the Demon Kingdom in front of the most mysterious race in existence."
Her crimson eyes flicked toward Serika.
"Though someone here might faint before we even arrive."
Serika’s ears twitched.
"I—I will not faint!"
Jax chuckled softly.
His gaze returned to Serika.
Then he reached out and gently lifted one of her new tails.
The fox-kin froze.
"Your mana has grown," he said calmly.
Serika’s face immediately turned bright red.
"Y-yes..."
Jax studied the tail for a moment before releasing it.
"The third tail suits you."
Fox-kin evolved through magical growth. Every additional tail represented a massive increase in power and spiritual maturity.
For Serika to gain a third tail already meant her being under Jax’s influence was accelerating her natural evolution dramatically.
The faint purple coloration confirmed it.
She was adapting to demonic mana.
Sabrina crossed her arms with a grin.
"You should have seen her training this morning. She’s been trying to grow stronger and help you quite abit,"
Serika squeaked softly.
"S-Sabrina!"
"She shattered three enchanted practice dummies," Sabrina continued casually.
Serika tried desperately to hide behind her sleeves.
Jax nodded approvingly.
"Well done."
That single sentence nearly made Serika combust.
Her tails puffed up as her ears flattened in embarrassment.
"T-thank you... Master..."
Sabrina snorted quietly.
Jax turned toward the open sky.
"Ready?"
Both women nodded.
Jax lifted his hand and space folded. The world blurred, and in the next instant, they vanished, teleporting to the Edge of the Faerie Realm.
The air changed the moment they arrived.
The three of them appeared on a quiet cliffside far away from any civilization.
Below them stretched a vast forest unlike any found in the mortal world. The trees shimmered with faint colors, their leaves reflecting hues of emerald, sapphire, and violet even though the sun had already dipped low.
The coordinates had brought them to a very specific location.
Jax immediately felt it.
Reality here was... thinner. The boundary between dimensions shimmered like glass beneath water.
Sabrina stepped beside him, observing the forest carefully.
"I can feel it," she said softly.
Serika nodded nervously.
"The air feels... alive..."
Jax stepped forward. The coordinates hovered faintly in his mind like a guiding thread.
Then, a ripple passed through the air. It started as a faint glow. Then the glow expanded, spreading across the forest like a rising curtain of light.
The world parted and before them appeared a floating gateway of swirling green and gold energy.
And from within it someone emerged.
She was tall. Nearly as tall as Jax himself. Her beauty was breathtaking in a way that felt almost otherworldly.
Long hair the color of flowing silver cascaded down her back, shimmering faintly with prismatic highlights. Her skin held a gentle glow, like moonlight resting upon water.
And behind her, two magnificent wings unfurled.
They resembled butterfly wings, but far larger and infinitely more intricate. Each translucent panel shimmered with shifting colors of emerald, gold, and violet.
Her eyes were bright green. She stepped forward gracefully until she stood just outside the dimensional gateway.
Then she bowed slightly.
Her voice was soft and melodic.
"Demon King Jax."
Jax inclined his head in return.
"Faerie."
She smiled gently.
"I am Aelthira, Keeper of the Outer Garden."
Her gaze shifted briefly to Sabrina and Serika.
Then back to Jax.
"You honored our invitation quickly."
Jax shrugged lightly.
"You made it difficult to ignore."
Aelthira laughed softly.
A musical sound.
"We hoped you would come."
She stepped aside and gestured toward the glowing gateway behind her.
"Please."
"Enter with peace."
Behind her lay another world.
A realm overflowing with glowing forests, floating islands, crystal rivers, and towering trees that seemed to reach the heavens themselves.
Jax studied the realm for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"After you."
Aelthira smiled again.
"Very well."
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