Vivian, who had prepared honey-coated fruits to reconcile with her people, had them thrown away.
When the fruit basket she worked so hard on was ruined, she didn’t feel anger or hatred.
Only sadness that her efforts weren’t acknowledged and despair that she might never reconcile with her people.
She had mustered all her courage to approach the people first, but the shock of being coldly rejected hit her as hard as the courage she had shown.
Vivian was more disheartened than ever before.
“Your Majesty…”
“…Are you still here? You may leave now.”
“Don’t say that!”
“No. I am no longer a great fairy worthy of your concern. If I am no longer loved by the people, how can I continue to call myself their queen?”
“Your Majesty…!”
The three could only watch Vivian, completely disheartened, with pity.
At that moment, Kurt approached them.
He had come to check on Vivian and deliver a message after finishing the preparation of the jelly and leaving it to cool.
“Ah, Mr. Kurt…!”
“How is everything?”
“You’re late!”
“Sorry, the discussion took longer than expected.”
“So, how did things go with the fairies?”
Kurt had stayed behind to clean up the chaotic situation and create another opportunity for Vivian and the people to reconcile, rather than comforting her first.
Thus, they eagerly asked Kurt, who had been absent almost all day.
“Things have been settled, more or less.”
Kurt’s answer was, of course, positive.
“So, Vivian… I want you to appear in the square in front of the palace again tomorrow.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. The people have something to say to you.”
At Kurt’s words, Vivian closed her eyes tightly, as if what she had been dreading had finally come.
Once negative thoughts start rolling, they are like a snowball falling down a slope; no matter how many positive signs there are, only the negative reasons are sought.
Vivian, having seemingly given up hope, listened to Kurt and Mari’s conversation with a dark expression, unable to envision anything but a negative future.
“…I understand. In my current state, I have no right to refuse the people’s demands.”
Vivian, as if giving up on everything, nodded lifelessly and soon dismissed Kurt and his companions.
“I am quite tired. It’s late, so you all should go and rest. Although the outcome wasn’t good… your efforts were still a great help.”
“Your Majesty…!”
Clack.
Mari tried to correct Vivian’s misconception, but the window closed faster.
It was a sign that she no longer wished to talk.
“Is… is this okay? If this continues, we won’t be able to clear up Queen Vivian’s misunderstanding…”
“It’ll be fine. Everything will be over by tomorrow.”
Seeing this, Mari cautiously asked Kurt, but he only smiled confidently and made bold promises.
And the next day came.
.
.
.
The sun rose past noon, signaling the 2 PM tea time, and the promised hour approached.
Vivian prepared to leave the palace as the appointed time arrived.
Gulp.
But she hesitated at the palace gate, unable to move forward.
Even though Vivian had given up hope for the fairies, facing the worst situation without hope wasn’t easy.
She felt like turning back to her room right now.
There had been many burdensome and tense moments as a queen, but none as frightening and trembling as this.
‘If I turn back now, at least I won’t have to hear the people’s hateful voices…’
Vivian’s mind was filled with such weak thoughts.
Then, Kurt called her from outside the gate.
“Vivian. The people are waiting.”
“B-but… I’m scared. What expressions will the people have? How can I face them at a time like this…?”
“Vivian.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I like happy endings. Stories where everyone can laugh at the end, right? So this story will definitely end with smiles. I’ll make sure of it.”
“…You.”
At those words, Vivian’s eyes widened with emotion, her body trembling, and a bit of life returned to her previously dark eyes.
“…But if you don’t want to come out, I won’t force you. When you’re ready, we can try again…”
Clack.
Creak.
As Kurt worried about Vivian and considered postponing the appointed time, the palace gate slowly opened.
“No. I am the Queen of Arciel, the representative of the fairies, the descendant of the seven-colored wings. Vivian. And as long as I am still the queen of the fairies, running away is not allowed.”
“Vivian…”
“Your Majesty…”
With that, Vivian took a step out of the palace with great determination.
“Even if the people blame me, I will endure it. And someday, I will correct all my mistakes and strive to create a happy ending where we can all laugh together, as you said. Even if it takes a hundred or a thousand days…!”
With that, Vivian opened the palace gate and stepped out from the palace’s shadow into the dazzling sunlight.
And what she faced was…
.
.
.
“Queen Vivian! Please accept our apology!”
“Your Majesty! We’re sorry!”
“As a guard, I swear we were all wrong!”
“We want to reconcile!”
“We want to go back to the good old days!”
What greeted her was the sight of fairies gathered in the square, chanting her name.
The sight of the fairies was nothing like the hateful people Vivian had feared, making her feel as if she were dreaming.
“T-this is…”
“Told you? I’d make it a happy ending.”
“You…”
At Kurt’s words, Vivian’s eyes welled up with tears, moved.
But Kurt’s words didn’t end there.
If he had intended to resolve all conflicts with mere words, he wouldn’t have needed to delay for a night.
What he had prepared was a perfect resolution to ensure such conflicts would never happen again, a foundation to build an even stronger bond, like the ground hardening after rain.
“It’s too early to be surprised.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Problems caused by food should be resolved with food.”
At the same time, Kurt signaled, and several fairies brought out a large tray using magic, the same tray he had used to make the fruit tart before.
“It’s a dessert made by the fairies to express their apology to you.”
“Your Majesty! It’s a dessert filled with our hearts! If you’re still angry, you can blow it away with magic like we did last time!”
“Nonsense. How could I be angry after receiving such a gift?”
At the fairy’s words, Vivian wiped her tears and smiled brightly.
.
.
.
Thus, the conflict that had divided Arciel was amicably resolved.
Or rather, it was on the verge of being resolved.
Of course…
“Today, I want to express my gratitude to all the people gathered here for me! I gladly accept your hearts.”
“Your Majesty!”
“But there is still one big problem left in Arciel!”
“Gasp! I can’t believe it!”
“What is it!”
“There’s still a problem left! That’s a huge deal!”
“I can’t eat all this dessert you’ve given me alone. So, I want you to help me eat it! Will you help?”
“O-of course!”
“Just leave it to us!”
“We’ve been waiting for this!”
“Then I declare the queen’s tea party reopened! Everyone, prepare your chairs and utensils!”
With that, Vivian smiled, looking as confident, radiant, kind, and wise as the queen Kurt and his companions had seen on the first day.