World Teacher 2-02 (09)

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Volume 2 — Encounters

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Reservations

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“Okay, dash!”
“Hey, you’ll get caught if you’re carrying something like me. Don’t mind me, leave me behind and go!”
“Being told that is all the more reason why I can’t leave you behind. Besides, onee-san is light, so it’s a-okay.”

I am currently strengthened by [Boost], but seriously, this person is light.
Her body is soft; there are benefits to it, but does she properly have the muscles that one normally does? But she did have the strength to repel a knife, so perhaps this is also because of the difference in race?
I keep on escaping while having my fill of Elf-san’s softness, but naturally the men are chasing after us.

“Stop right there!”
“He’s just a brat, let’s catch him before we’re paralyzed!”
“Heh, don’t go thinking you can escape us with that burden on your back!”

They yell at me while running towards us, but I was deliberately maintaining a reasonable distance between us.
It would be possible to outrun them by a mile if I get serious, but I wanted to make sure these sleazebags were dealt with. I could easily settle the problem with the gun spells that fire out invisible magic bullets, but Elf-san is watching, so… Among other things, explaining it would be bothersome, so I decided to finish it up without dirtying my hands this time.
The pursuers seem to be following us closely, but perhaps the poison had begun to circulate: their movements had been, and still are, slightly awkward. While confirming my location, I think ‘it’s about time isn’t it?’ and stop.

“Haa……Haa……he’s finally exhausted?”
“*wheeze*……w-…….we also don’t have much time, so let’s get rid of him quickly.”
“No matter how much you scream……Haa……we won’t forgive you.”

No matter how you look at it, they’re the ones who are exhausted.
However, all of you, that’s not good; stamina is above everything else, so you should’ve trained more. Ah, since they’re also poisoned, I guess it can’t be helped this time.

“Oh, I get it, running away was to buy time for the poison to circulate their bodies, right?”
“You’re half-right, I guess? Leaving that aside onee-san, we’re going to fly so don’t bite your tongue, okay?”
“Fly? What might you mean by that?”
“Here it is, ready and-!”

When I activated [Air Step] and jumped into the sky, a gigantic object came jumping out, mowing down trees as it did so.
It’s a gigantic bear that’s likely to be two meters, has four arms, and it’s close to a ‘bear’ because its nose is strangely large. I had used [Search] beforehand and sensed that this guy was lurking around in this area, so I ran away as if guiding the men here. There’s probably no problem with leaving the rest to that pseudo-bear. Besides…

“Hii! It’s a Gi-, Gigubear!”
“R-, ru–……my body!?”
“Oi, there’s also one over here!”
“Help me please! I can’t move!”
“It was those guys’ territory? Damn it!”

Well yeah, there wasn’t just one, but several [Search] responses. It’s also probably about time for the paralysis to kick in, so it’s truly a desperate situation for them.
It was ‘showing the way to hell for five~’. If you’re born again, be respectable people next time, you hear.
Putting the resounding death cries behind me, I withdrew from the area while still carrying elf-san in my arms.

 

Having safely rescued elf-san, I looked for a watering hole with her still in my arms.
It’s because I have to give her the antidote, and if I don’t also treat her wounds properly, it’ll leave a scar. It’d be much too wasteful for there to be a scar left on her smooth, spotless and pure white skin.
But that girl is……strangely quiet.
Still, I think that normally a person wouldn’t be able to remain calm after being saved by a child and flying in the sky.

“…….hey. We’re flying right now, right?”
“That’s right. But if you’re scared, I’ll descend.”
“No, that’s not it. It’s amazing, amazing! That flying in the air would feel this good…!”

I was wrong, and she was actually trembling with excitement? But boy, this elf-san is tough. Even though she went through such an experience, she’s in high spirits like a child over how good it feels to be in the sky. A part of me finds it hard to talk to her because of her beautiful looks, but when I’m shown this side of her I feel an affinity with her.

“Yeah……that’s right, I’m okay. Leaving that aside, you guys always get to relish this feeling, don’t you? I’m envious. ”

Just when I thought she was going to hug me, she suddenly turned towards empty air and started talking. Does she happen to be an elf that’s receiving radio waves or something?
Hn……radio waves?
When I realized it… there’s that unusual sensation again. This invisible sensation is like the activation of magic without an aria.
Could it be that she is……

“Ah, I’m sorry, it seems that I forgot myself in excitement. By the way, how far might we be going?”
“We’ll descend soon.”

She’s embarrassed, and when I get questioned by her—with that timing—I located a flowing river that seemed to traverse the forest. As I couldn’t find any foreign enemies with visual check and with [Search], I promptly descend. The river enveloped with white pebbles and rocks commands a good view, so I would probably immediately discover any enemies if they came. I make elf-san sit on a rock and took out the antidote that I had put into the bag that I carried on my back.

“This is the antidote. Can you drink it by yourself?”
“The numbness hasn’t disappeared yet. I’m sorry but I’ll leave it to you.”

She entrusted it to me as though she didn’t care. Meeting her expectations, I held the antidote to elf-san’s lips. Unlike the time with Erina, it’s unusually seductive in her case. I somehow feel like I’m doing something that I shouldn’t. Perhaps not feeling a shred of sexual desire because of my age is the saving grace.

“Hn……fuu. My body has gotten hot.”
“It’s proof that your sensation has returned. I’ll also treat that wound of yours before the paralysis completely disappears.”

When I untie the hand towel wrapped around her wound and check the opening of the wound, the blood has stopped, but the opening of the wound is gaping. I wash the hand towel in the river and wipe away the hardened blood around the opening of the wound. It would usually be painful, but I’m doing this while the numbness remains because she wouldn’t feel any pain this way.

“My hand will be touching your wound for a little while, but bear with it.”
“You’ve also learned recovery spells?”
“Hmm, it’s a bit different but it is a healing method, I guess?”

In this world there are spells that heals wounds. Their attribute is of the water-attribute and they are spells that heal by covering the wound in water containing a healing effect. I had tried to learn it, but apparently my compatability with it was bad, so I gave up on it. However, I can do something similar to it.
I touch the opening of the wound with my hand, concentrate magical energy and pour it into elf-san’s body. We were both silent for a while, but she realizes something and her face contorted into an uncomfortable expression.

“Ah~……that is… Considering how much you’ve helped me this far, it might be a bit late, but I haven’t said one word of thanks yet.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true. But it was just something I did arbitrarily.”
“There’s no way that’ll do. You’re the person who saved my life, so thanking you is a matter of course. Before I do that, can you please tell me your name?”
“It’s Sirius. Isn’t it normal for the person asking to first name themselves?”
“Sorry, this also seems to be one of the customs of the elves. My name is Shemifia Aramis.
Sirius-kun, I was saved because of you. Thank you.”

She expressed her thanks with a big, gentle smile. It makes me happy being told that by a beauty. Thanks for the treat.

“Aah, I’m glad that we’re both safe. Shemifia-san……can I call you that?”
“Call me ‘Fia’, since I’ll also be calling you ‘Sirius’. By the way Sirius, what are you?”

She’s quite an aggressive ojou-san.
No, it seems that elves are a race with long lives, and she might be much older than I was in my previous life, so she’s not an ‘ojou-san’ is she?

“‘What am I?’, you can’t tell by looking?”
“Yeah, I know you’re a child of the human race. However, you even look normal to me, you lead five adults around by the nose, and you use magic that I haven’t seen before. I’ve travelled to various places, but I’ve never seen a human like you.”

Just as Fia says, I’m probably irregular from others’ points of view. Among other things, my appearance is that of a five-year-old child.
However, even if I’m asked: ‘what are you?’, I can only say that I’m of the human race. I was only reincarnated with the memories of my previous life; it doesn’t mean that I was endowed with things like unique abilities. This strength is the crystallization of the effort put into my habitual training. Even the spells are no more than something developed using particular principles.

“Even if I’m told something like that… I’m genuinely of the human race. I’m a child: so far, it’s been five years since I was born. ”
“‘Five years since you were born’, you do look like that, but I really can’t believe that your movements are those of a five year old.”
“Well, it’s because many things happened… It’s difficult to explain, how should I put it…”

Actually……I wonder why I reincarnated with my memories still intact?
While I have a slightly faraway look, Fia misunderstands and started to panic.

“S-, sorry. Making you remember something unpleasant…”
“Aah, that’s not it, so don’t worry. Anyway, I’m a normal person of the human race, and this strength is the fruit of my habitual training. It’s like ‘people’s possibilities are infinite’.”
“I’m thinking ‘what’s with that?’, but I get the feeling that I understand when I look at you. Even your thought process puts adults to shame, doesn’t it?”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Do take it that way. But why did a person like you, capable of such thinking, help me? Those guys weren’t amateurs. Even though you might have been killed if you were careless…”
“My chances of success were excellent, however?”
“Even so, elves are a rare race to those of the human race. That’s why people like those guys before would use any cold-hearted means possible in order to get their hands on me. I know that you’re not such a person, however.”

Why I saved her, huh?
At that time, I made the decision to save her after observing all the people involved. It wasn’t for humanitarian reasons. I probably wouldn’t have helped Fia if she was some sort of a match for those five people.
A world where the fittest survive. Those guys were clearly capturing Fia for the sake of money and their libido: it was to satisfy their own desires. Thinking about it like that, I also helped her for the sake of my own desires.

“I wanted to get to know you precisely because of the rarity of your race……I guess? And, you are a beauty…”

Being a beauty was considerably important in the matter.
Even though I said it seriously, just as I was judging whether she was dumbfounded, she loudly burst out laughing.

“Ha, ahahahaha! You wanted to get to know me and because I’m a beauty, is it? You’re the first person who has told me their ulterior motives with such comfort.”
“It’s because I’m male. What’s wrong with answering honestly?”
“Hehe, even if I do say so myself, I’m glad that I’m a beauty. And that I was able to meet you.”
“Oh, in other words…?”
“That’s right, let’s be friends. No, I ask that you be my friend.”

I firmly shook her hand with my free hand. At last, I was able to make an acquaintance outside of Erina and the others.
Moreover, it’s an elf and a beauty; yep, it’s an auspicious start.

“Yeah, I think the numbness has mostly disappeared. Hey, Sirius. Trying to heal my wound is good of you, but this was my mistake, so you don’t have to worry about treating it.”
“Now, now… that should do it, I guess?”

When I remove the hand that had been in contact with her wound, the wound that was there up until a while ago had disappeared as if nothing had happened. While admiring the section where the wound had been, Fia touched it.

“Even though there’s almost no magical energy response, it’s amazing. It’s the first time I’ve seen recovery magic that’s this soundless.”
“It’s not recovery magic. Besides, I’m a no-attribute so I have a bad affinity with the water-attribute.”
“Eh? That you’re a no-attribute, you’re joking right?”

What I did was just pour my own magical energy into the other person, forcefully stimulating their magical energy, and causing their own self-regeneration to activate. The truth is that I created it to heal my own injuries, but it also worked on other people. It’s inexpensive and simple, and I call it ‘regeneration activation’.
Unlike water recovery magic spells, it takes time, and it requires precision control of magical energy because it stimulates the other person’s magical energy. However, this is the only recovery magic that I could use. There’s nothing wrong with it being natural.
And, just as I expected, she’s startled when she hears that I’m a no-attribute. Even the elves have the same opinion of them, huh?

“You flew in the sky didn’t you? I thought that you were of the wind-attribute and were flying with a spell that utilised the wind.”
“That was utilising magical energy and just running, it wasn’t flying. Besides, wasn’t Fia the one who used wind-attribute spirit magic?”
“……How did you know that I used spirit magic?”

Your face has sort of become like a Noh mask, you know. Did I make things awkward?
No, I get the feeling that it’s better to speak with her honestly. Let’s go ahead and say it without concern.

“At first, it was because the wind you used on those men was relatively strong compared to the amount of magical energy that was used, I guess? Also, it was because I experienced a sense of discomfort in Fia’s vicinity.”

The wind that she used on those thugs was a misfire, but my senses told me that she only used mere handful of magical energy. If the magical energy wasn’t obstructed by the poison, then they surely would’ve been sent flying, exactly like she said they would.
And then, I was convinced when I touched her: that the sense of discomfort that I had been repeatedly feeling wasn’t from her, but is whirling around her with her as the center. I’m thinking that this uncomfortable feeling is the spirits, and most likely wind spirits.
Fia responded while keeping a stiff expression, as if thinking about something complicated.

“Is Sirius able to see spirits?”
“I can’t see them. But I feel a sense of discomfort around Fia, so I’m thinking that feeling is the spirits.”
“That’s right. Is it the first time you’re seeing spirit magic?”
“It’s my first time. However, that’s……”

That’s right, like my gun spells, spirit magic is too powerful. It was written on the documents that it was powerful, but after seeing the real thing, I think it’s beyond that. After all, there’s that resulting windstorm from using a small amount of magical energy to call upon the spirits. I get the feeling that if she got serious, she’d be able to cause things like a tornado at the level of a natural disaster.

“Although I failed, it was amazing wasn’t it? That’s why there are so many people who would try to confine me, so I’m hiding it.”

Certainly, if it’s that might, it’d be ideal for things like using it as a weapon.
Even though elves are easy targets as it is, if her spirit magic becomes known, then those ‘targets’ would probably become unimaginably magnified.

“I can invoke them by just transferring some magical energy to them, but the spirits go overboard when I entrust myself to my emotions. It’s quite nerve-racking.”

She’s talking to me while smiling, but it was an artificial smile: one with a bit of darkness within it. Because of that power, she has probably been burdened with various hardships. A suffering that only those who possess powers that are too strong have……huh.

“Aww……it’s my problem, so you don’t have to go making that sort of face, Sirius.”
“No, I don’t understand things related to spirits, but I do understand matters related to hiding one’s power.”

That’s right, this is probably some kind of fate. I’ll make this girl, who’s suffering alone, realise that she has a comrade.
Fia’s head is tilted at my words and the moment I try to show her my spells, I noticed that some gigantic object was approaching.

“……Something is approaching.”
“Eh……ah! You’re right, the spirits are certainly agitated. Wait, that’s!? ”

I turned my eyes up high into the sky, and a large object flying towards us was visible. That’s a living creature with wings sprouting out from the lizard body, and according to books, it’s also said to be a monster that is a subspecies of dragons.

“A wyvern, huh. By all appearances, only one is visible, but did it stray from its flock?”
“Don’t be calmly observing it and let’s hide. It’ll be troublesome if we’re targeted.”
“It’s a bit late for that. It looks like it has already detected us.”

While launching a high-pitched roar, the wyvern was coming straight towards us. I think it’s size is probably close to three times my own, but according to books, there are also bigger ones out there.

“A young dragon? Even so, it’s pretty big…”
“For crying out loud! I guess it can’t be helped, if I do it now, there’s a little……”

Fia tried to fire a spell while still sitting on the ground, but perhaps because the poison is not yet completely gone, it seems like she’s unable to smoothly concentrate her magical energy. Sweat rises from her forehead and I, who had put my hand on her shoulder as if to assure her, stepped out in front of her as if shielding her.

“Step back, Sirius. I can’t defeat it, but I can at least drive it away.”
“It’s okay. Please leave it to me.”

The wyvern has already drawn close enough to be right before our very eyes. I aim at the wyvern—who having found it’s prey, was trying to attack us by swooping towards us—and pointed my index finger at it.

“Are you ready, Fia? You’re spirit magic isn’t the only thing that’s powerful. I’ll show you that.”
“Wait, what are you sayi—……”
“[Magnum]”

A magical energy bullet was fired from my fingertip; it was one that I had continued to fire many times over these past few years, resulting in greater precision.
Given that I visualised the bullet initiating an [Impact] simultaneously with the projectile’s impact, the bullet goes through the wyvern’s eye in an instant, and the shock wave emitted inside its brain made its head explode.
Naturally, it shouldn’t be alive after that happens; the wyvern continued to glide in the air from the momentum of its swoop, and passing beside us, it fell to the ground.
Fia was looking dumbfounded at the wyvern that had perished in an instant, but after a short time, she finally started to move again and slowly turned her face towards me.

“Just now……what was that? What in the world did you do?”
“It’s one of the original spells that I can use. It’s power is as you can see, but what do you think, Fia?”
“I’m speechless. Despite having no aria, firing off such a powerful spell……”
“As I thought, even from Fia’s point of view it’s amazing. That spell just now, don’t tell anyone about it, okay?”
“I-, I don’t particularly intend to tell anybody, but why? If you’re able to use this sort of spell, then there would be a mountain of invitations from nobles and royalty—……ah!?”
“It’s depressing that there seems to be many groups of people that would exploit a child, isn’t it? See, Fia and I are together in this.”

It means that Fia isn’t the only one who is hiding her mighty powers. In other words, it’ll be fine as long as we have shared our secrets with one another.

“I see……yeah. Then, I’ll keep quiet about what just happened, so keep quiet about my thing as well, okay?”
“Understood.”

That’s right……Fia and I are comrades that have the same secret.
Having realized my intentions, this time she gave me a natural smile.

While I waited for Fia’s recovery, I examined the wyvern’s corpse. As the head had exploded and blood is scattered about, I had to finish handling it before monsters gather.
And as I’m scrutinizing the parts that could be sold, Fia is finally able to walk and looked up at the wyvern while oohing and aahing in admiration.

“Still……it really is amazing. Defeating a wyvern by just pointing your finger at it…”
“It’s not that anywhere would’ve sufficed, I just aimed at a soft part. I did so because, just as one would expect, the eyes aren’t covered by scales.”
“Just being able to aim at such a small part is sufficiently amazing in itself. Leaving that aside, what are you doing?”

Although it wasn’t that big of a specimen, you could perhaps still say that the size is one of the dragon species. I’m trying to tear off raw materials, but my blade won’t even go through the patagium spread out on the wings, let alone the scales…

“I want this patagium, but it’s no use with this knife. The patagium is durable and flexible, so I wanted to get a hold of it somehow…but…”
“Aah, it certainly is impossible with that small knife. Okay, here, I’ll lend you this.”

What Fia threw over to me was a completely green shining knife. I had seen various knives in my previous life, but it’s the first time I’ve seen such a beautiful knife that seemed to excel in practicability.
I do feel like it would be a waste to use this knife that’s like a work of art, but Fia was smiling as if saying ‘go ahead’, so I graciously and unreservedly put it to use.

“Ooh……this is amazing.”
“That’s because it’s light, durable, and is a knife made from mithril metal: a metal where one can easily pass magical energy through it.”

Just from lightly touching the unscratched surface of the patagium, I’m able to easily cut through it. I continue stripping from the wyvern while being astonished at that sharpness, and having finished its procurement, I stepped away from the wyvern in a satisfied mood.

“Well, thanks for lending me an amazing knife. I finished with ease because of it.”
“This much is nothing major, but are you already done with it? Aren’t there other parts that you can tear off? Like the scales, etc.?”
“My bag is full from just the patagium. Any further greed on my part will hinder sky travel.”

Seeing that the durable patagium is this flexible, it seems like there are various uses for it; that’s why. As I’m folding the patagium and putting it on my back, Fia stared at me with a strange look on her face.

“You don’t have any greed, huh. The adventurers that I’ve seen would’ve stripped it to the bone for parts that would sell. Especially because a wyvern is a variety of dragon, it can sell for a high price… and yet…”

It seems like it would be lucrative if one were to sell it, but getting Dee to sell it for me would arouse suspicion on the origins of the materials, and that would be troublesome. That’s why I only secured several sheets of scales in advance: it seemed like it would be possible to pass that amount off as ‘something I picked up’.

“There are various difficulties with my situation, you see, and I can’t simply go and sell the raw materials. Fia, seeing as you’re the one who said that, don’t you need any?”
“It’s because I’m in the middle of returning to my hometown. Among other things, it’s not like I can sell it even if I bring it back with me, so there’s no need.”
“Well then, let’s leave the rest as is. More importantly, how are you feeling?”

After Fia opens and closes her hands, and jumps up and down, she smiles, places her hand on my head and patted me. Hrm……being patted by a beautiful woman isn’t too bad.

“There’s a bit of numbness remaining, but it seems that there aren’t any problems with just moving around. It’s all thanks to you.”
“Then let’s get moving soon, shall we? It looks like the wyvern’s corpse will attract monsters.”
“Yeah. Well then, I’m in your care.”

While still smiling, Fia came towards me with both of her hands pointed at me. I had intended to do that from the start, but I certainly didn’t think that it would be requested by the other person.

“I guess it can’t be helped. Alright then, I’ll carry you.”
“Hehe, thanks. Ah, but I don’t want you to misunderstand, it’s because it’s Sirius that I’m entrusting my body to you. It’s not that any man will do, okay?”
“Even being trusted to that extent is an honour. Well then, ojou-sama, shall we go?”
“Yeah, go!”

Once again holding Fia in a princess carry, I kicked the air and ran in the sky. The direction we were heading was Fia’s hometown, and as it’s apparently not far from here, I thought I would transport her there.
And then, a cheerful Fia and I made light conversation while I continued to run through the sky.

“In our elven villages, there’s a custom of travelling to the outside world when one reaches a certain age. That time also came for me several years ago, and up until now, I’ve continuously been going around the world.”
“What a coincidence, I also plan to travel the world once I’ve grown up.”
“Heeh, that sounds okay. Although there are various difficulties and tough situations, travelling is really enjoyable. ”

I had heard that the elves were an insular race and seldom left the forest, but I didn’t feel even a speck of that sort of atmosphere from Fia; her smile looked as if she was wholeheartedly having fun.

“Fia seems a little bit different from the elves I’ve seen in books.”
“Well, even if I do say so myself, I’m an eccentric among the elves. Ordinary elves seclude themselves in the forest and don’t even try to exit it, and they curiously have a great deal of pride, but I’m the opposite. I wanted to know the outside world, and once I reached the age for the custom, I joyfully rushed out to the outside.”
“Haha, I don’t dislike that sort of personality.”
“Hehe, I’m glad to hear that. So, I was enjoying my trip, but once ten years had elapsed, I had to return to my hometown. And in the course of reluctantly returning, I was attacked.”
“Since it was Fia, wouldn’t you have been able to somehow deal with guys of that caliber?”
“Yeah, it would’ve been easy if I used spirit magic, but I was a bit careless.”

It seems that she ran out of money on the way home and those guys were there at the time she accepted a job that was to be done as a group. According to Fia, because there was another novice adventurer there, it seems that she was teaching them various things as their senior, but those guys tricked that novice adventurer and got them to serve Fia the paralysis poison.

“It seems like those guys had put various ideas into that child’s head somewhere where I couldn’t see or hear them, and without knowing anything, that child treated me to a drink as an expression of their gratitude. I noticed the poison that those guys had secretly mixed in after I drank it, and before the poison had completely circulated in my body, I ran away…but……”
“They caught up to you, and you happened to meet me.”
“Yeah that’s the general idea of it. Well…those guys got exactly what they deserved, but I might be a little grateful to them right now. I mean, I was able to meet Sirius.”
“You calmly say embarrassing things, huh. Well…I feel the same way, however.”
“I make it a rule to not hide my affections. As for Sirius also feeling that way about our encounter, I’m happy.”

I merely helped her out, and yet I didn’t expect to be hit with this much honest affection. I’m getting such pleasant affections while flying in the sky, when the forest breaks off as if it was cut away, and a prairie extended outwards.
It wasn’t that wide of a prairie, but it was a mysterious prairie where the appearance of monsters is not to be found.

“The forest on the other side of that prairie is the elves’ territory, and there’s a barrier to ward off people and monsters set up. This prairie is its borderline. ”

Apparently if I was to directly go towards it via the sky, I would be perceived as an enemy and be attacked, so we land on this side of the forest with Fia’s guidance.

“Here is fine. It’s because this forest is like my own yard.”
“Heeh, as expected from the people of the forest, huh. By the way, what would happen if I were to enter this forest?”
“Trespassers other than elves would be immediately detected by the barrier, and I guess you would receive a baptism of arrows. Even if you were to somehow deal with that, your sense of direction would be thrown out of whack and I don’t think that you would be able to reach the village.”
“So it means that the security is strict, huh. If you have this then the danger of an attack by an outside invader is also low. ”
“There is certainly not much risk of that, but it’s because there is such a thing that the elves completely seclude themselves within it. I may be a little worried when I think of the future.”

Fia is smiling wryly, but she sits on a nearby rock without trying to enter the forest and she taps the spot beside her as if to say ‘sit down’. It’s still morning so there’s time to spare, and I also haven’t talked to her enough yet, so I sit beside Fia; she smiled when our eyes meet.

“At any rate, flying in the air was really enjoyable. In no time it all, it covered a distance that by all rights would have taken one or two days, and most of all, it felt good.”
“When I go too fast the wind pressure is intense, but I do agree that it feels good.”
“Hey, Sirius. We ended up completing the thing from before on the way, but I have a favor to ask of you again. Would you teach me the method to fly in the sky?”
“[Air Step], is it? That has an intense magical energy consumption, so I can’t recommend it.”
“Even so, that’s fine by me. Up until now I have tried flying many times over, but I did nothing but fall and it wasn’t fun at all. ”

Apparently she had flown in the past by directly hitting her own body with the wind of the spirit magic, but rather than ‘flying’ that was closer to ‘being sent flying’, and she was lamenting the fact that without being able to float in the air, she did nothing but fall.

“I’m somehow able to save myself if I hit myself with wind right before I fall, but no matter how many times I try, it doesn’t go well. Even so, I can’t give up on flying in the sky. So please!”

Seemingly serious, she is asking with both of her hands together before me.

“If it’s something that I can do, then I’ll do anything. I can even be your lover when you grow up, if you want.”
“Putting aside the matter of ‘lovers’, it’d be better if Fia gave up on my method of flying.”
“……As I thought, it’s impossible, isn’t it?”
“That’s not it. Fia can see the wind spirits, so you’ll be able to fly if you practice.”
“Practice? But didn’t I just tell you that—with the wind—I was just ‘sent flying’?”
“No, it’s all about the way you use the wind. You see, there’s a phenomenon called ‘lift’, but……”

The aeroplanes that existed in my previous life flew in the air because they utilised the phenomenon called ‘lift’. However, I don’t think that Fia would understand it if I were to explain it in detail to her, so with a string, I suspended a model aeroplane that I had made by whittling down some wood, had some wind applied to it, and I continued to explain while showing her the real thing.

“When you apply the wind in this direction, the rear floats. What’s important is the direction of the wind.”
“……Amazing, I sort of get the feeling that I’ll be able to fly now. But it sounds like controlling it is difficult. It doesn’t seem like I’d end up with just an injury if I made a mistake. ”
“I’m here, aren’t I? I’ll help you if it gets dangerous, so it’ll be okay if you practice without being afraid of making mistakes.”
“‘Without being afraid of making mistakes’……huh. That’s right, all I can do is to give it a challenge!”

Having mustered her motivation, Fia immediately commenced her practice. As catching the wind while standing seemed difficult, she started prone on the ground.

“As I am now, I would look uncool from an outsider’s perspective, wouldn’t I?”
“I’m the only one watching you. Besides, once you get used to it, you’ll probably be able to fly, you know. ”
“That’s true, rather than my appearance, I should first prioritize flying. By the way……why are you moving?”

I was standing beside Fia, but I had moved slightly closer to the upper half of her body.

“I didn’t really want to say it, but the insides of your skirt are visible, aren’t they?”
“If it’s Sirius, then I don’t mind even if they’re seen, you know?”
“……Never mind that, just get started.”
“But it was the truth… Well then……O’ wind, please!”

Simultaneous with Fia’s murmur, strong winds blew from the front. Her face caught the wind pressure and I was worried as to whether she was okay, but Fia is manipulating the flow of the wind and made sure it didn’t hit her eyes nor mouth.
While I was admiring her with a ‘yep, her controlling capability is quite something’, the strength of the winds continues to increase, and she finally succeeded in floating from the ground.

“I-, I did it! At last I’m flying in the sk—……ah!?”

Perhaps losing her vigilance in her delight, she lost control for a moment and the wind turned into a windstorm; in the blink of an eye, Fia was blown off high into the sky.

“Okay, I should go recover her.”

But before she falls, I fly up and rescue her. When I catch her in my arms, Fia excitedly clung to my neck.

“I flew at last! Thanks Sirius!”
“That’s great. So…… what are you going to do next?”
“Of course, I’ll challenge it again. Because I’ll fly even higher this time. I might be inconveniencing you, but please take care of me.”

As soon as Fia steps down onto the ground, she resumed her practice. She repeats it numerous times, each time going higher, and she is becoming able to fly freely, but naturally, she was falling just as often. I rescued her every one of those times, and the number of times she fell had already passed the double digits, but she continued to challenge it without giving up.
I was thinking whether it’d become traumatic for her, having fallen so much, but before Fia becomes numb towards her fear of falling……

“Oops, my mistake, my mistake. Thank you, my ouji-sama.”
“Not discouraged, you are…”

Instead, she was gleefully enjoying herself, being rescued in the air like a princess of stories. I admire her attitude of going full out and trying to enjoy herself.
Seeing as she is enjoying her practice in such a way, she’s also quickly improving, and at around noon, she had perfected maintaining her altitude.
In the middle of her practice, we had a break and decided to have lunch, but having hurriedly run away from those guys, she had no food on her. So I shared some of the sandwiches that I had, but she was deeply moved by the mayonnaise flavour that I had created and drew near me while breathing roughly through her nose, saying ‘please teach me the recipe’. I taught it to her because it’s not like it’s something that I’m hiding; however, because making it is laborious, go and make it to the best of your abilities, Fia. Although just in case, I did warn her not to eat too much.
There’s also more practicing after the break, but perhaps she had already begun to get the hang of it, the number of times that she fell decreased, and she had even become able to do somersaults in the air.
And around about the time when she had even become able to land safely without me, it was about time for the the sun to start setting.

“Yeah, it’s a perfect success.”
“I did it! It’s all thanks to you.”

In the end we did a high five and were rejoicing, but I turned my gaze towards the sun that had sunk down quite a bit.
It looks like Erina and the others would worry if I don’t return soon. When I was going to try and tell Fia that I was leaving and look at her, she had noticed that and was making a slightly sad expression on her face.

“You’re leaving……I guess?”
“That’s right. But I I have this place memorized, so I’ll come to meet you again.”
“……Sorry. I’m not allowed to come out of that forest for about ten years once I return from my trip. That’s why it’ll be impossible for a while……probably.”
“What’s with that? Me entering into the forest also……seems impossible, huh?”
“Yeah. Anything other than elves are unconditionally driven back, and it would probably be difficult for even me to cover for you if you entered.”
“A problem among the races, is it? I guess senseless problems can be found anywhere.”
“Indeed. Even though we get along so well, what’s with the ‘problems of the races’! And what’s with the ‘rite of purification‘? They say it’s to purify the impurities of the outside, etc., but you surely don’t need ten years for it!”

While muttering and complaining, she is kicking the stones at her feet. She had become sulky for a while, but remembering something she bends her knees and leans forward, and matched her line of sight to mine.

“Although I’ve already said it many times… thank you very much, Sirius. I want to show you my gratitude somehow, but I don’t really have anything that I can give you…”
“Don’t mind it. I was able to get to know Fia, and I had a lot of fun too.”
“I can’t let it go with just that. Is there something else that—……ah, this is it. You did say it was amazing, huh.”

Saying that, what she handed over to me was the mithril knife that she had in her possession. To be honest, I was thinking that I wanted it, but is it okay for her to hand something that looks this expensive to me with a *toss*? Moreover, on closer inspection, something like a carved seal is visible.

“Isn’t this the kind of thing that’s passed down from generation to generation? You can’t just give it to a stranger, right? ”
“It’s okay. I was told to take care of myself rather than the knife, and if not for Sirius, I wouldn’t have been able to make it back safely. Go ahead and take it without reservation.”
“……if you insist, I’ll gratefully accept it.”
“And there’s also one more thing that I can give you, but will you accept it?”
“Just this much is plenty, but if Fia will be satisfied if I do…”
“Well then, close your eyes for a bit, okay?”

I didn’t think that she would do anything after all that’s happened, so I obediently closed my eyes.
Several seconds later……I felt a sensation of something soft from my mouth so I reflexively opened my eyes, and when I did, Fia’s face was right in front of me. As I was thinking ‘as I expected, she is a beauty’, her eyes opened and she separated from me with what seemed like an embarrassed laugh and a slightly red face.

“Jeez……even though I told you to close your eyes…”
“……Isn’t it normally the cheek or the forehead?”
“Oh!? You’re not surprised at all. Even though it was my first time……how unfair…”
“I’m amply surprised. However suddenly doing it on the mouth…the elves’ expression of affection is extreme, isn’t it.”

It’s the first day we met, you know? I did help her out with various things, but I didn’t think that she would fall in love with a child. Different races means different customs, and I wonder if this is something like gratitude towards a close friend.

“No, I’m serious. Even I find it strange, but it seems like I’ve really fallen in love with you. That’s why this is a reservation. I told you just before noon, right? That ‘if it’s something that I could do, then I’ll do anything’.”
“I thought it was surely a joke… Besides……what reservation?”
“Once ten years have passed, Sirius will also be a splendid adult, right? I don’t mind even if it’s at that time, I want you to take me; that’s the reservation. Ah, but if it’s you, it seems like you would have about two, no, three marriage partners if you have ten years, huh. In that case, even being a mistress is fine.”
“……And you’re alright with that?”
“Of course. I’m 252 years old, so even when you become an old man, I’ll be in the prime of my womanhood; it’s a good bargain. But because it’s my one-sided argument, I’ll give up on it if it’s impossible……”

She is smiling, but she looked a bit sad when she talked about giving up. Being hit by such genuine emotions to this extent, I also have to properly respond to her.

“Even if I’m told an elf’s age, I don’t really get it. Haa……I understand. Let’s meet again in ten years, and if Fia’s feelings haven’t changed……I’ll take you.”
“Really!? They won’t change so don’t worry~.”

Smiling ear-to-ear, Fia came and hugged me. If I think about it, Fia is a beauty , her personality isn’t bad, and I think she’s a woman that’s more than I deserve. It’s not bad.

“Well then, Sirius…… let’s meet again.”
“Aah, when that time comes, let’s come back here again.”
“Yeah, I’ll be waiting, okay?”

In the end we shook hands, and while waving her hands widely, Fia vanished into the forest. I confirmed that her figure had completely disappeared, ran through the sky and set out on the return journey to the mansion.
And thus, the meeting between me and the female elf Fia ended, and a reunion was set for ten years later.
I didn’t know what would happen from here on in, but I look forward to being able to meet her once again.

———
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<Author’s Notes>

※The text was amended on the 29th of March, 2015.