I rapidly blinked in confusion as I looked at the bracelet on my wrist. I vaguely remembered mister giving it to me, but that was all. I didn't remember it being a magic item that could talk.
The bracelet didn't vibrate or anything, I simply had a feeling that it was the source of the deep and mysterious voice echoing in my head.
"Am I hallucinating?"
"This is not a hallucination, little girl. Hmph, others would be jumping in joy at the thought of interacting with one such as I. Be quick, else I change my mind."
"Uh, no no no fairy, please don't leave."
"Fairy?"
"You grant wishes, don't you? So you're a fairy."
"...Whatever. Come now, tell me your wish."
I still didn't trust this voice, after all, he didn't even know that he was a fairy, but if this wasn't just all in my head, I had to take a chance.
"Then, can you get me out of here?"
"...Is that your one true wish?"
I shouldn't have even needed to think, what other wish could I possibly have? But I hesitated as I seriously started to believe in this weird fairy. If it could really grant me any wish, then I had to think harder.
"Can I wish for more wishes?"
"Do you think I'll allow that?"
"Guess not."
'Was worth a shot though.'
Once I tried out my ideal wish, I started to consider what single wish could solve all of my problems. However, only the thought of wanting to escape dominated my mind. I knew there had to be a better wish, but I couldn't think of anything else.
While I wondered if this wish was my one true wish, I found an answer not while stuck in my thoughts, but from my environment.
The sniffles and quiet murmers that I had ignored, came back and stole my attention. As I looked at the boys and girls who should all be with their families, or at least not here, I thought of another wish.
"Can my wish be used for their sakes as well?"
"If that is your desire."
"Then I want you to get us all-"
'Wait, aren't I forgetting something pretty important? Even if we all escape, what about after that?'
I was late to realize, but luckily not too late. I had also tried to escape, but I was still caught and thrown in here. Even if we could get out of here, that wouldn't stop them from coming after us. It wouldn't guarantee our freedom.
'Then what should I wish for?'
Running wouldn't be enough, I had to make sure that they wouldn't chase us either.
Once I realized that these people stopped us from being free, the anger, frustration, betrayal, anxiety, everything transformed into a hate directed at them. I no longer hated mister or my Dad for selling me, it was all their fault.
'If it wasn't for them, Dad wouldn't have changed. If it wasn't for them, my family wouldn't have ended up in this state. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have to feel like this. If only, if only they didn't exist...'
I didn't know if some of the children here felt the same way I did, but in this moment this feeling was mine and mine alone.
"My one true wish is to be able to crush this place. Completely."
"Kukuku, very well. I shall grant it."
At the same time as I heard a sudden snap right next to my ears, the door locking us in here opened wide. It was so unexpected and unbelievable, that even I didn't know how to react, much less the other kids.
They seemed relieved that there were no adults coming in, but they couldn't understand why the door opened.
"You should probably start leaving, if you still want to rescue everyone. I'm granting you the power to destroy, not to protect. So if you waste too much time you'll have to accept a few causalities during the escape."
I felt uncomfortable hearing it speak of 'casaulities' so calmly, but I nodded in agreement. I stepped up to the door and,
"Fairy,"
ripped it straight off its hinges.
"Everyone, listen. I'm going to go around and destroy this place and then escape. You can either stay behind, or follow me."
As I spoke to the other children while trying to seem as confident as possible, I impatiently waited for them to make a decision. They were all uncertain. Of course they wanted to leave, but I couldn't make them trust me so easily.
'Should I just go beat up the bad guys and then come back?'
But, eventually, one girl raised her hand and stood up.
"M-me. I'll go."
After she got up and came to me, several others also followed. I stayed back to stare at those who remained, but fairy scolded me.
"Don't bother. You can't force them to believe in you or to take a risk. It's something they have to decide for themselves."
I was still reluctant to leave them, but as long as I could defeat the bad guys I could just come back for them.
"Let's go."
***
Wow, look at her go. Even if my presence made it easier on her, she's the one who made the wish. If she had stuck with her first wish then I would have still saved her, but after that we would just be strangers. After all, she's the only one who could choose how to live her life.
Still, I was glad to see her choose to fight back rather than run or accept her fate. However, we weren't at the climax yet.
'He should be here too.'
What she chose to do then would be the real trial.
But until then, I better focus on staying invisible and acting like a fairy. This would be over quickly if I just teleported us all out of here, but that wouldn't fit well with my plan. Furthermore, the ones here weren't incompetent enough to let me get away so easily.
'I'll stick to following her intentions for now. At least until Queen makes it here.'
***
Soon after we escaped the room, the alarms started going off. After making it through the corridor in front of the room that we were captured in, our path was already blocked by adults and golems. I felt my heart being squeezed by fear, but as I glanced at my bracelet, I gained enough courage to confront them.
"Get out of the way!"
I merely shouted what I wanted to happen without considering how it would happen, but it went just fine.
The adults were forced to the walls as if they were under intense pressure, while the golems shattered.
I thanked the fairy in my mind as I led the other kids. Every time we faced a similar situation, I would just wave my hand and the same thing would happen to them. This happened several times until we ended up in a wide open space with multiple routes to choose from.
We stopped in this room as I struggled to figure out which path to take.
"Fairy?"
"This wasn't part of the wish."
Once the fairy rejected my plea for help, all I could do was try not to seem too stressed while screaming in my head.
"Um, what about that one?"
I immediately turned to the source of the soft voice I heard, and found the same girl who had stopped me from screaming. She pointed at one of the routes with a hesitant yet confident expression.
"Mhmm, sounds good. Let's go."
'Not like I have a better idea.'
No one had any problems with taking her suggestion so we rushed down the specified route.
"Oi! Stop right-"
At the end of this path, there was an intimidating high ogre, but when I swung my hand he was instantly knocked through the door he was guarding.
From beyond that door, I could hear a myriad of voices. At this time I didn't have an ominous premonition, but regardless I would have still chosen to continue.