Do you think the boys know the difference between “Fairy” and “Faerie” or would reader have to explain the difference?
Now see, this one I had to think on because part of me was like," I don't even know the difference- wait, yes I do. Do they? Of course they do- wait." So I completely understand why this would be a question to begin with. XD
Ok! SO! This can go many different ways.
Obviously, they all know what a fairy is. But I don't think Hyrule necessarily has FAE. Ergo, this might be one of those moments where they assume they are the same thing and don't question anything. However, some of these boys have more magic knowledge than others and experience that would negate that as a debate point and would therefore know the difference, even if they would likely use a different word.
So let me put it like this.
Assumes they are the same thing:
Wind (actual child, he can still learn),
Wild (literally lost his memories and likely doesn't care to know the difference),
Knows they're different but can't explain it:
Twilight (country boy, he knows but doomed if talked about),
Four (the picori were cool but not what he'd call fairies),
Time (Blame the Kokiri, they didn't explain much because they were also children),
Warrior (Cia and Lana vs. the fairies, but homeboy never asked questions. He was busy fighting a war)
Knows they're different and can explain it:
Legend (it was burned into his skull, this poor guy has been through so much, he's so tired),
Hyrule (isn't it fanon that he's part fae? He'd know),
Sky (His girlfriend is literally a goddess, I refuse to believe he doesn't know)