As a fairy, Chloe had encountered more in the past few years than in the entirety of her nearly century-long life.

True to the legends, fairies were solitary beings, preferring peace and isolation in remote, untouched sanctuaries. But in recent years, something had shifted in the outside world. Humans—an invasive species—were relentlessly trespassing into fairy territories.

Forests, plains, mountains—it didn’t matter where they lived. Almost every fairy faced human attacks. To the humans, fairies were treasures, something to be captured at all costs.

In their panic, the naïve fairies gradually pieced together the situation. Humanity was rising, aggressively hunting demi-humans as slaves, with fairies being one of the most sought-after prizes.

Chloe herself had been forced to flee her familiar forest in search of survival.

To live freely, Chloe had to overcome her inherent fairy instincts. Over the years, she had engaged in numerous battles of wits with humans and learned to interact with other races. Through sheer necessity, the "Silent Beauties" of the fairy race became more eloquent.

For a fairy, Chloe's newfound communication skills were exceptional—what others might call "diplomatic."

(A rare fairy diplomat in the making!)

After gathering information about the outside world, Chloe concluded that her best chance at survival was in a city called Grantham.

Grantham, the Dwarven City, was renowned for its diverse population. As a hub welcoming all races for trade, it had strict rules prohibiting violence and boasting a heavily guarded perimeter.

Most importantly, Grantham’s king, Solgor, had outlawed slavery within the city. Enraged by the surge in human-led slave trading, Solgor had executed all slave merchants in Grantham and declared the city a haven free from such practices.

Since then, many oppressed demi-humans had sought refuge in Grantham, applying for permanent residence. However, the fairy race’s isolation left Chloe to uncover this information on her own.

The journey to Grantham, however, was fraught with dangers.

On one such occasion, Chloe had been discovered by a group of human adventurers. Despite her best efforts to escape, the four well-coordinated hunters gradually cornered her.

Just as she thought all hope was lost, she was saved by a being that, at first glance, resembled a young human girl.

Long black hair, a delicate face, and the appearance of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old human child. But those crimson eyes told a different story, radiating a violent and terrifying aura that starkly contrasted her youthful appearance.

This wasn’t human. Chloe, with her innate sensitivity to magical elements, quickly noticed something was amiss.

The stranger’s disguise seemed flawless, but faint magical ripples betrayed her true nature.

Perhaps this is an opportunity, Chloe thought. Initially planning to flee, she instead decided to approach the mysterious savior.

Traveling to Grantham alone was perilous, with survival odds slim. The stranger, who had saved her without hesitation and released her without harm, seemed trustworthy.

Time to negotiate.

Chloe recalled a lesson from a masterful fox she had once met in the forest.

“When approaching someone for help, don’t start with your request. First, engage in casual conversation,” the fox had advised.

“What is casual conversation?” Chloe had asked, clueless.

“Chatting! You start with light, ordinary topics to seem less purposeful. Here, practice with me.”

“Um... Hello. The sky is very blue today.”

“Idiot! That’s way too random! Fine, let me teach you—always begin by complimenting the other person. Got it?”

Chloe had taken the fox’s advice to heart. It had proven useful time and again.

“Miss Aino, you’re so powerful and beautiful,” Chloe said, trying her best to sound sincere.

The stoic look on Aino’s face unnerved Chloe. However, after a moment of apparent confusion, Aino smiled faintly.

Chloe exhaled in relief. It seemed her conversational skills weren’t lacking after all.

You’ve got this, Chloe! Years of effort have paid off—you can hold a conversation now!

As their chat deepened, Chloe discovered that Aino was headed to the Peruvian Great Forest, which was conveniently adjacent to Grantham.

Overjoyed, Chloe saw her chances improve. Traveling together would be mutually beneficial.

True to form, she began pitching her value enthusiastically.

“Aino, you’re so kind and generous!” Chloe said, grateful beyond words when Aino agreed to take her along.

Chloe knew her compliments weren’t what swayed Aino. Aino had no need for Chloe’s offered skills.

It wasn’t until Aino had conjured her fireball that Chloe fully realized the depth of her power. In nearly a century of life, Chloe had never encountered such an overwhelming force.

Their journey began, and Chloe, buoyed by her earlier success, kept up her strategy of frequent compliments.

“Aino, that magic was incredible! I bet even a forest serpent couldn’t withstand it!”

Aino, seemingly amused, suddenly reached out her hand toward Chloe.

What was she doing? Chloe felt a wave of panic.

The fox’s lessons hadn’t covered this.

Still, Chloe trusted Aino’s intentions and recognized the vast gap in their strength. She decided to stay put, allowing Aino to act as she wished.

Aino’s fingertip gently pressed against Chloe’s face, covering nearly half of it due to her small size.

The sensation wasn’t entirely pleasant, but Chloe endured it.

As Aino’s finger withdrew, Chloe remembered another of the fox’s tips.

“You’re so cute—you should try being a bit more endearing,” the fox had said, its yellowed fur shaking as it laughed.

“Use a softer voice, adopt a friendlier tone, and get a little closer physically…”

Though Chloe hadn’t fully grasped the advice at the time, she had memorized it.

Now, summoning her courage, she nuzzled her cheek against Aino’s finger.

Aino’s hand paused momentarily before withdrawing. A soft laugh escaped her lips.

Chloe wasn’t sure what Aino found amusing, but at least she hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Just follow my advice, and even if you don’t win them over, you’ll be fine. Humans have an old saying: ‘You don’t hit someone who’s smiling at you,’” the fox had concluded, smugly grooming its whiskers.

The two continued their journey in silence, facing no obstacles along the way.

Chloe was awestruck.

This was the benefit of overwhelming strength. All the magical detection and terrain analysis she relied on were unnecessary for Aino.

Aino traveled boldly, her magical presence blazing like a beacon, as if announcing: I’m passing through—stay away.

In just a few days, they had covered a distance that would have taken Chloe over a month of flying.

At this rate, reaching Grantham was only a matter of time.

It’s finally going to happen, Chloe thought, filled with hope.