CH 3

Chapter3 - Flight

The next morning…

Fran woke up as she felt the morning sun sprinkling warm rays of sunshine her way.

H-Huh?! What did I-I tell him last night?

Fran remembered…

After telling what she wanted to tell Lou, she fell asleep out of exhaustion. 

For a moment, Fran instinctively felt concerned about the mess of her clothes, but from what she could see, there was nothing out of place.

On the contrary, she had the same dirty cloak draped on her as it had been when she first woke up.　

「Oh, Fran, you’re awake.」

When she looked up, she saw Lou’s carefree smile right above her, and Fran felt relieved for some reason.

「You must be hungry. Would you like some breakfast? It’s my mobile ration, so it’s nothing fancy, or maybe it’s just not fit for a nobleman’s palate.」

Fran got up cheerfully and washed her face with the cold stream water that Lou had fetched for her.

「Ehehe…」

As she sat beside Lou and gazed at his profile, it was strange that she couldn’t help but smile naturally.

「The meal is dried rabbit meat and Arlv tea made by Arlvs…」

「I’ll eat! I’ll eat! Whoa, the tea is delicious! The meat is delicious, too!」

「I know everything about Arlvs, and my grandpa lived to tell the tale.」

As Fran crunched on the rabbit meat, Lou was also sipping on his Arlv tea and muttering to himself.

His knowledge had been drilled into him for about ten years by the old Arlv who had raised him.

Fran was somehow curious and wanted to ask.

Just out of curiosity.

「Uhm…can I ask you something just for reference?」

「What is it, Fran?」

「How old was Grandpa Arlv when he passed away, the one who took care of you?」

Fran increasingly became antsy.

She wondered if it was something unthinkable.

「Hmmm, everyone said that he was about 7,000 years old.」

「7,000 years old?」

「Hmm, they said he lived since the time of the gods on this continent.」

I knew it! How inconceivable.

A 7,000 year old Arlv who’s been alive since the Gods’ era?

…Was he perhaps a legendary man?

Fran asked with bated breath.

「U-Um, did he have…have a special title or something?」

Yeah! He’s called ‘Sowell’, the one who united all the Arlv tribes.

Sowell…Ah!

Ahh, I remember now!

Sowell means “sun” in the Arlv language.

Not only that, but he was the leader of the tribes, the one who stood at the top of the Arlv tribes!

Fran’s jaw dropped in surprise at the magnitude of the information.

「So, you know, my grandfather wanted me to take over his mantle before he died, but I’m only human and my lifespan is completely different from the Arlvs. Moreover, I’ve got other things to do.―――」

What, succeed Sowell?　

A human becoming the leader of the Arlv tribes, that’s a hell of an idea.

The average Arlv lives for several thousand years, while we, humans, live for a hundred years at most.

No matter how many times he’s asked to succeed Sowell, he’d be in trouble…

This thought suddenly popped in Fran’s mind, so she asked Lou about what happened afterwards.

After Sowell, or Grandpa, passed away, there were some Arlvs who wanted to promote Lou as the new Sowell as per his will.

However, many of the elders were very much against it.

Lou didn’t want to be a part of such a family riot, so he left the village of Arlvs.

「You’re…You’re awesome.」

Fran muttered admiringly.

Arlvs were basically exclusive and they disliked other races…

「Haha, you think I’m awesome? If I were awesome, I’d already be a great wizard.」

Fran couldn’t help but smile when she heard Lou’s words.

But…he was thoroughly trained by that great Elven Chief, Sowell, for 10 years.

Sowell must have liked him a lot to want him to succeed him even though he was human.

***

「Now, let’s go where you were attacked, shall we?」

Fran couldn’t believe her ears when Luu said it matter-of-factly.

They were attacked so suddenly that they had to fight and run like hell, and from their spot, she couldn’t even tell where the attack happened.

Besides…Even with Lou, it would be very dangerous if there were any remnants of them.

「But don’t you think we should collect the relics of those knights?　Besides, don’t you have baggage?」

「Sure, we should recover their belongings, and I’d love to recover my stuff too, but…」

「Then it’s settled! Just use Flight Magic and we’ll be there in no time.」

「Huh, w-what?!」

Fran couldn’t help but squeal strangely.

It was a voice that no maiden of her age would ever want to make again.

「Jeez! I stuttered and squawked weirdly. It’s your fault!」

「Huh, my fault?」

Fran was amused, seeing Lou scratching his head.

Truth was, it wasn’t his fault, but she was taking it out on him.

But this guy said the damnedest things.

Flight Magic wasn’t easy to use, as he put it lightly.

After all, it was impossible to mobilize the spirit of the wind at will through the mind…

Fran’s expression turned overcast.

Lou folded his arms and tilted his head.

「Well, can’t Fran fly?」

Gusah!

Lou’s words stabbed Fran’s heart resoundingly.

Don’t sound so disappointed!

Stop the stabbing!

「Then, let’s do it this way. Everyone does this in the village of Arlv.」

What was Lou saying! His arms were outstretched and signaling her to go there. 

「You’d better hold on tight to me, because I’m going to fly away.」

Whaaat?! Lou…Hug a man?

But!

「In the village of Arlv, adults who can fly hug children in order to learn Flight Magic. Not everyone can learn it, though.」

「Er…Am I the same…as a child?」

Fran glared at him peevishly, but Lou explained without regard.

According to Lou’s explanation…

If they hugged each other, it would be easier to feel the magic wave aura that the wizard emits when he activates his Flight Magic, and the Arlv children would be able to learn Flight Magic easier.

Lou said it right!

This is magic learning!

I don’t have a choice! I’m sure Mother will forgive me for wanting to experience his precious magic.

Fran forced herself to contrive a reason.

And without hesitation, she hugged Lou tightly.

「…………」

「…………」

Silence reigned for a while.

For some reason, Lou, who was holding Fran, remained motionless.

Huh?

Fran wondered what was going on, but Lou suddenly spoke up.

「Fran, you have a nice scent…and…」

「And what?」

Fran stared at Lou.

She definitely wanted to hear the rest.

「You’re cute…and…beautiful.」

Fran silently buried her face in Lou’s chest.

Her body…heated up.

Tsk! And here I’ve been wondering what he was going to say!

But is this Lou’s heart? Why is it beating so hard?

「A-Alright, here we go! Hey, Fran, don’t get stiff. Just relax, okay?」

You can’t speak for someone, can you?

Fran kept her face buried in Lou’s chest, not wanting him to see her acting like a spoiled brat.

After hugging the sniffling spoiled Fran tightly, Lou restored his serious look and began chanting his Kotodama.

「O Wind, the breath of the earth, let me understand your drifting thoughts!」

While listening to Lou’s chanting, Fran felt a strange presence watching over them.

What is it? What is this feeling?

Is there someone watching me? Beings beyond human understanding in this world.

「O dashing wind spirit Sylph! I accept thy beautiful thoughts! Thou shalt take me with the power of thy wonderful breath! I desire the power of the wind to travel as a man from Mother Earth!」

As Lou’s Kotodama chanting progressed, both of their bodies suddenly became lighter.

Whoaaa! What is this?

I-I am floating! 

「Grant me thy power! Soar Flight!」

The moment Lou finished his chanting, the power of the Wind Spirit, Sylph, the source of Flight Magic, sent him and Fran flying into the sky in a flash.