Life 2. Ham & Mint

Part 1

"So, let me get this straight. That time you got into the bathroom, it was thanks to your [Sacred Gear]?"

"Yes, I shrank myself and went under the door, didn't I explain that?"

I just ignore his question and continue walking.

We are in some kind of forest, since apparently, Mint's house is close.

"Being here in England brings me so many memories."

Ram says that with a nostalgic tone. So we're in England, huh.

"It's here."

Mint stops the group just before something that looks a like a wall made of leaves.

"And where is your kingdom, prince?"

"On the other side of this wall, but don't try to walk through it. This thing is filled with magic traps so humans cannot get inside. You'll die before getting to the other side."

"And how are we meant to get to your house?"

"Like all Fairies do, going through the hole."

Mint points out a little hole on the bottom of the wall. I try to fit my index on it, and there's only some space left.

"How are we going to go through it?"

Just as I turn around and ask, I'm unable to see the rest of the group. I start looking up, and I'm able to see them again, with them being like extremely huge skyscrapers compared to me.

Ham then goes onto using his [Sacred Gear] on the rest, and looking at the hole, we should be able to get in.

"Now that Mint is on his natural size, we must go on."

Ham says that and leads the group through the hole.

Once we're on the other side, I can see a huge castle with many buildings around it. Now that's a kingdom!

Suddenly, a big group of people start to surround us. They must be eager to see their prince.

"Prince Mint Borrow, by orders of the King Lavender Borrow, you and company are under arrest."

What?!

Part 2

Soon after that group of people found us, we were put into some kind of jail. Along with us, there is a blue haired girl who hugs Mint.

"It has been a really long time, Mint-ni-chan."

"Yeah, I missed you, nee-san."

Mint soon turns around and introduce us the girl.

"She is my older sister, Ginger Borrow."

"Long time no see, Ginger-san."

"It's nice to see you again, Ham-kun."

Those two seriously appear to share a deeper relationship than I thought.

"So, Ham, how did you meet Mint?"

"That's a really interesting and long story."

"Don't worry, Ham-kun, we have time."

And thus, Ham starts telling us his story.

When Ham was a human, a human kid, he lived with his parents in a village close here. He always dreamed of meeting the Fairies, beings who appeared in the stories told all over the village.

One day, Ham got one leaflet from a woman from outside the village. She said that, if he wished hard enough, it would make his dreams come true.

Ham held that leaflet the entire day, wishing to be able to see the magical creatures some people from his village said.

During the night, Ham was finally able to summon a Devil with that leaflet. That Devil was no other than Ram.

Ham asked to be able to meet the supernatural creatures that the people around him talked about. Ram made his dream come true at the exchange of giving 10 years of his life.

"Funnily enough, now that I'm a Devil, those 10 years I lost are nothing."

The next day, however, Ham's life didn't become the dream he expected.

His village was attacked, by no other than a Giant, which indeed was one of the creatures that were talked about.

The Giant destroyed his village, killing everyone in the process. However, he survived.

As it turns out, when the Giant was about to attack his house, he awakened his [Sacred Gear], and used [Dimension Change] on himself to be of the size of a bug.

He could see how the Giant killed his parents, but couldn't move himself since he was filled with fear. After the attack ended, he just lied on his mother's body, crying the entire day.

That night, the Fairy Prince, Mint Borrow, was flying close to his location, and after sawing him, Mint tried to get close to him.

"Hey you, why are you so close to that human?"

"She is my m-mom."

"Wait, how is that human your mom? Is that even possible?"

"I-I'm human."

"Then how are you of my size?"

"I wished t-to become small so h-he couldn't see me."

"And you know how to go back to your normal size?"

"N-No."

"Well, if wishing to be small made you small, then what if you wish to be big?"

After hearing that, Ham returned to his normal size, and became super exited when he understood what Mint was.

"A Fairy! I'm finally able to see one!"

Ham held Mint between his hands, but Mint soon asked him to stop since he was crushing his body.

"So, what's your name?"

"I'm Mint Borrow. What about you?"

"Abraham Hawkthorn."

"Those names are too long. I'll call you Ham."

Soon after introducing one to another, Mint noticed the weird pattern on Ham's eye. And after showing it to him with a mirror, Ham panicked.

After that, Mint helped him to make an eye patch so he could cover his eye.

Mint would take Ham to his kingdom and take care of him for around a month, in which Mint would spent more time with Ham than with his actual younger brother.

Ham parted away from Mint after asking him to guide him where the Giants were, so Mint teleported him and returned to his kingdom.

Ham, who kept the leaflet, used it again to summon Ram. He asked her to be strong, to be able to fight, so Ram offered him to become a Devil. Ham accepted and became Ram's Knight.

"After that, I spent many years learning to fight with the Giants."

"But, why did you wanted to fight?"

"I-I… wanted to move. When my mom was killed by that Giant, I was u-unable to move. I d-dint want to stay that way t-the next time."

Ham trained day and night for many years, and one day, when he finally met that Giant who killed his mother, he was able to fight back and take his revenge.

"After killing that bastard, I wanted to thanks those who helped me."

He summoned Ram one last time, this time only say thanks and to ask where the Fairies were. After Ram showed him the way to the Fairy Kingdom, Ham would alter his size to enter the place.

Mint and Ham would have an emotive reunion, since they were able to see each other after so many years.

"However, not everything was sugar and spices."

Lavender, Mint's younger brother, showed his envy and hate towards Ham. Ginger tried to calm him down, but Mint was given the ultimatum that if he didn't take that human away from their kingdom, he would tell his father about it.

"My father, Gloxinia, hated humans and other non-fairy beings. If he knew Ham isn't a Fairy, he would have done all kinds of horrible things."

To avoid that, Mint decided to leave the place with Ham. Ram eventually met with them again, and turned Mint into a Devil using 2 Bishop Pieces.

"And that's my story."

Ham says that before sitting down on the floor. It probably was harder to answer than it seems.

"But, I heard Lavender is the king now, what happened to my father?"

"He was killed by the Mayan gods when he refused to help on their "reveal the supernatural to humans" plan."

Yeah, the Mayan gods were the ones who started all this mess. I heard from Penemue-sama that the Cadres, Seraphs and Great Satans submitted to them without protest. Even after the God and the Devil King protested, a little reminder of their power was enough to convince them.

"So those crazy Mayans killed my father… well, it's not like I was close to him."

Mint seems less affected than I thought.

Then, the guard who arrested us appears with a kid who is only wearing really short shorts.

"Well, well, my brother the traitor decided to come back."

"What do you want Lavender?"

So this kid is Lavender? He's less intimidating than I imagined.

"Since you, Ham, Ginger and the orange haired boy have committed crimes against the Fairies, you are going to be punished."

"Wait, what did I do?"

"A dirty human like you put your finger on the entrance of our kingdom, good luck if you survive."

Why is that a crime even?!

"Lavender Borrow, I, Mint Borrow, as someone who bears the Royal Crest of the Borrow Family, have the right to challenge you to a fight for the title of king."

"Our father did it that way, and I want to proof I'm the only of his sons who have the right to bear his title. I accept your challenge; we'll fight at midnight like the tradition says."

After that, Lavender and the guard leave the place.

"I don't get the laws of the Fairies…"

"Not even I do, Rito. Mint, how are you planning to defeat your brother?"

"Ham is right Mint, he has the spear, what are you going to do?"

"I… don't know."

And with that, Mint laid on the ground.

Mint doesn't know what to do, and I don't understand the laws here, but I have to ask an important question.

"Mint, I have a question."

"What is it, Rito?"

"Why you didn't give me a pair of boxers when I asked you for one?"

After saying that, everybody falls to the ground by my comment.

"Mint, what is a boxer?"

"Underwear, you know Ginger, human things."

"What do you mean by "human things"?"

"Fairies don't wear underwear."

After hearing that from Ham, I'm totally shocked.

"So the reason you didn't give a boxer is because you don't have one?"

"No, I do, but I didn't want my underwear to touch that little stick between your legs."

"Hey, I'm Japanese, it's average!"

"Excuses…"

After saying that, Mint goes to sleep. Well, I think we all should go to sleep.

Fairy King

"Everything is going just as planned, Envy."

"So glad to hear that. Now then Lavender, show your brother that you're the real Fairy King."

"Sure my lady, Mint has no idea what I have under my sleeve."

"And if everything else fails…"

"You will get in action. I'm so honored of working with the Seven Sins."

"And we're happy that the Fairy King is supporting our cause."