From high above, Aoi gazed down at the tall trees and drew in a deep breath, savoring the cold air. The climate of the elven country clearly differed from that around Winter Valley.
The tall mountains wore a white covering from about their mid-slopes. The crisp, clear winter air made the sky seem higher, and combined with the majestic snowy peaks, it created a sacred atmosphere that enveloped her.
She inhaled the clean air and slowly exhaled.
“Professor Aoi?”
Soone suddenly called out her na, and she turned while answering.
“Yes. What is it, Miss Shenley?”
Behind her, Shenley poked her face out of the carriage window. Her soft white hair swayed in the wind, and her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the enormous mountain towering before them.
“Miss Shenley?” Aoi asked again, thinking perhaps she had imagined her calling her na.
Shenley startled and looked at her.
“Ah, I’m sorry! That big mountain caught my eye… it’s so magnificent…”
She spoke apologetically. Aoi smiled and turned her gaze back to the mountain.
“It certainly is magnificent and has a majestic atmosphere.”
The giant mountain towered above the other peaks. Its deeply carved surface created a powerful contrast, radiating a harshness that made any living creature hesitate to set foot upon it. Yet it also possessed the undeniable beauty of a pure white snowy mountain. With such grandeur before them, anyone’s attention would be stolen.
Shenley nodded and gave a shy laugh.
“Yes. I’ve never seen a view like this before. By the way, what was the elven country like? I know it’s late to ask, but I’m curious…”
Aoi looked toward the carriage floating beside her.
“Principal Glenn. Miss Shenley says she would like to ask about the elven country.”
Glenn, seated at the driver’s seat, furrowed his brows and turned his face toward Aoi.
“Oh, oh… well, I don’t really have the spare concentration right now…”
Aoi nodded at Glenn’s troubled expression and answered calmly.
“Flying magic relies more on fine control than on mana capacity. You are already quite skilled, Principal, so you will soon be able to handle it much more easily.”
“Th-that's reassuring, but… to be honest, I still find it difficult for now?” Glenn admitted.
“You’ll be fine, Principal. Now, please give us an explanation of the elven country, even a simple one.”
She brushed aside Glenn’s protest, believing it was better for him not to focus too hard on the magic. If Glenn handled it intuitively, without overthinking, he would likely grasp the trick more easily.
This ti, to avoid awkward diplomatic issues, they were heading to the elven country with a small group. Glenn’s carriage carried only himself as he practiced flying magic, while Aoi’s carriage carried Shenley, Strass, and Eliza, who knew Solare from the days when he had been bullied.
“Y-you’re a strict one… very well, I suppose. Now then, Miss Shenley. Though we are in a place like this, consider it a little study session.”
With this preface, Glenn began to teach Shenley about the elven country.
“The elven country. Officially, it is called Aqua Vitae, the Elven Kingdom ruled by a king who strongly inherits the blood of the First Elves. Although they call it an Elven Kingdom, they only govern a part of the forest at the foot of this sacred peak. They also have only one city, located
by a lake. Well, a few small settlents exist deep in the mountain ranges and forests of other nations, but even Aqua Vitae itself does not accurately grasp their locations.”
Glenn gazed at the mountain with distant eyes.
“To begin with, elves are long-lived. So live over three hundred years. Perhaps because of this, they rarely conceive children. As a result, elves have been decreasing in number for several hundred years. However, they have a long history. They can use unique magic called ancient magic, and they excel over other races in mana capacity… ah, except for special
individuals like you, Aoi.”
He laughed lightly. Shenley nodded with a complicated expression.
“…I-I see. For so reason, Principal Glenn’s words feel a bit barbed…”
She muttered with a dry laugh. Glenn snorted with laughter and continued.
“Hoh hoh hoh… not at all! By the way, the elven country is like a land where ti has stopped. They have exclusive, gloomy personalities, so they do not welco visitors from other nations or races. Because of this, they have fallen far behind other countries in every area except magic. And yet, they blindly believe that elves are the most superior race in the world…
well, that’s the kind of country it is.”
Shenley looked uneasily at Aoi.
“…Principal Glenn scares .”
“He must have many mories associated with it. By the way, I cannot use the ancient magic that employs the elven language either,” Aoi replied.
Glenn looked surprised.
“Oh? Didn’t Owen teach you?”
Aoi nodded, recalling Owen’s expressionless face.
“Owen said elven magic has no future and refused to teach . In the end, it is no different from normal magic when you consider the chanting—just a different thod. If so, mastering magic circles is the way to reach the abyss of sorcery… that was Owen’s conclusion.”
Glenn gave a wry smile and shook his head.
“Goodness… that’s just like Owen. Once he gets an idea in his head, he charges straight ahead. Oh, that reminds . Back then too…”
Bringing up Owen seed to revive old mories, and Glenn muttered to himself about the past. Watching him from the corner of his eye, Aoi noticed Glenn unconsciously performing flying magic without realizing it.
“Ah, Principal. You’re getting better at flying magic.”
“Hm?” Glenn turned around, compared his hands with the carriage floating in the sky, and blinked.
“Oh, oh… I see. So this is the feeling. Indeed, it feels
easier to handle when I don’t consciously focus on it. Let see… if I had to liken it, it might be the sa as how walking becos difficult if you think about bending your knees, bending your ankles, shifting your center of gravity forward, and so on with every step.”
“I’m not sure I follow that analogy,” Aoi remarked.
“How cold,” Glenn replied cheerfully, returning his focus to flying magic.
“Once you get the hang of it, it seems to co quickly. Rather than thinking of blowing wind from four directions and fixing it in place, it’s better to think of enveloping the carriage, isn’t it? Oh, I finally understand what that ans.”
Muttering loudly to himself, Glenn picked up speed. The carriage soared through the sky like a bird, but its stability decreased.
“Principal. If you focus too much on speed, you will compromise lateral stability. First, try to maintain a stable state…”
“Mrm, mrmrm…!? Th-this is bad! For so reason, my trajectory is curving to the right…”
“Ah, don’t try to correct the orientation imdiately. If you don’t correct it little by little, intending to return it gradually…”
“Gwooooh!? Th-the rotation is going the opposite way…!?”
Aoi’s advice ca too late. Glenn now flew off while spinning to the left.
“Wh-what’s going on? What’s all the noise?”
“Have we arrived already?”
Strass and Eliza poked their faces out of the carriage windows at Glenn’s shouts.
“The Principal went on ahead,” Aoi explained.
The two nodded with serious faces, convinced.
“…As expected of Principal Glenn. Has he already mastered flying magic?”
“How quick.”
Observing their misunderstanding, Aoi shifted her gaze to the ground.
“…Ah, we’re almost there. I believe it was around that area…”
“Ah, Professor Aoi? Should we just leave Principal Glenn as he is…?” Shenley muttered uneasily, the only one aware of the true situation.
2 chapters today to make up for the missed release on Monday
User Comments
0 comments from readers