Chapter 234
“There’s a bird over here!”
“Where? Let me see!”
“Can you see it over there?”
“Wow! It really is. It makes me realize all over again that we’re flying in the sky.”
Yuna and Arian looked out the window and chatted happily.
Other than that, they leisurely snacked, and when they felt tired, they caught some shut-eye.
Franz, sitting in the cockpit, couldn’t join them, but just hearing their joyful voices was enough.
There was no greater joy for the creator of the Magic Airship than seeing them enjoy it.
'I guess it’s actually a good thing I made it small…'
At first, he had considered a fairly massive airship, like the giant airplanes commonly seen in the 21st century.
But in the end, he decided to reduce the size. Adding various functions meant the magic stone’s output was cutting it close.
Of course, there was the option of using the pilot’s magic power as a power source, but…
He didn’t really want to go that far. If he were going to do that, he might as well have just floated the airship with magic alone, without any power source at all.
Anyway, thanks to the airship’s smaller size, they were able to converse at a slightly closer distance. It was an unintended benefit.
Meanwhile, the airship had arrived in the skies above Raham, Western Region.
“Guys, from here on out, it’s Raham.”
“We’re already in Raham…? It’s a distance that should take a good month by carriage…”
Yusti-ah said, sounding bewildered.
Just as she said, the distance from the Magic Tower to Raham took at least a month, and at most, about half a month longer than that.
But that was strictly when traveling by carriage. For the Magic Airship, which was not only fast but also didn’t need to follow roads, a few hours was plenty.
“Magic Tower master, could you perhaps fly a little lower? I think the city would look incredibly pretty from up here.”
“Sure, I can do that.”
Franz immediately lowered the airship’s altitude.
As they pierced through the thick layer of clouds and descended, they saw Raham.
“Wow…”
“It’s incredibly fascinating…”
“I never thought I’d be able to see such a sight in my life.”
“I agree.”
Yuna, Yusti-ah, Hera, and Arian each voiced their impressions with their faces pressed close to the windows.
Just as they were looking down, surely the people below were looking up as well.
What kind of reaction would people have upon seeing a giant lump of iron flying in the sky?
Would they perhaps think a monster was attacking?
Maybe they really would. The sound was louder than expected, after all.
Franz let out a chuckle, pfft-, and gripped the control stick. Before he knew it, their enjoyable flight was nearing its end.
How much time had passed since then?
The giant lump of iron slowly touched down onto an endlessly stretching lawn.
For a normal airplane to land vertically, it would require a truly immense amount of power. And in that process, an enormous wind would naturally be generated.
But the Magic Airship Franz made was different. By appropriately utilizing levitation magic and gravity magic, it could land without kicking up any wind.
Because he added these functions, it ended up being only slightly larger than a bus, but…
After actually piloting it, he was quite satisfied.
As expected, driving is all about easy parking.
“Alright, we’ve arrived. Everyone, unfasten your seatbelts and let’s get off.”
When he pressed a button, the door opened and naturally formed a staircase.
Soon, what Franz faced upon stepping off the airship was a man wearing luxurious clothes. And behind him stood quite a large number of knights.
“I greet the great hero who saved the continent from the Demon Lord. I am the First Prince of Raham, Erden Abraham.”
He bowed his head and offered a polite greeting.
The knights standing behind him also bowed their heads politely in the same manner.
In truth, he had expected this to some extent. This matter was an official request for help from Raham to the empire, after all.
Even so, he hadn’t expected a big shot like the First Prince to come out.
Anyway, a polite greeting deserved a polite return.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Franz Gilbert Esteban, serving as the Magic Tower lord in the empire. I would appreciate it if you could comfortably call me Franz.”
After Franz finished his greeting, the four who came with him also gave brief greetings.
“I did hear that you would be coming with acquaintances, but I didn’t expect such incredible individuals to come…”
“Please don’t mind it too much. I am handling this matter alone, and these friends are simply people I brought along.”
“If you say so…”
Even as he answered, he seemed quite unconvinced.
Franz could understand his feelings. The number of people who needed to be treated as state guests had just increased from one to four, after all.
“Then I will guide you to the villa you will be using during your stay in Raham.”
“Yes, please do.”
Erden Abraham took the lead, and Franz followed him. Of course, the four who came with him did the same.
The place they arrived at was a large mansion built on a vast field. They must have paid attention to its maintenance regularly, as the mansion looked incredibly neat.
“It is a villa owned by the royal family. We have already arranged things you might need, but if there is anything lacking, please feel free to tell us at any time.”
Things lacking…
It didn’t look like there was anything of the sort. There were even an excessive number of servants to wait on them.
But you never know until you look closely at everything, right?
“Arian, take this.”
“Pardon?”
Franz handed the bag he was holding to Arian. It didn’t contain anything particularly special, just simple travel luggage.
“You guys decide among yourselves which rooms to use, including the one I’ll use. Once my room is decided, leave my bag inside.”
“Then what about you, Magic Tower master…?”
“I’m going to go handle the work first.”
Even if they were here to play, it was better to handle the work first. If work was left unfinished, he would end up having all sorts of unnecessary thoughts.
Of course, it seemed hard for them to accept…
But they didn’t say they would follow him. It was because they fully understood that this was a matter between nations.
“Think about whether there’s anything lacking or needed until I get back.”
With those final words, Franz left the mansion with the prince.
'They won’t fight, will they…?'
Such a question suddenly occurred to him, but he decided not to worry about it. He doubted they would do such a thing when they had come on a fun trip.
He only had the desire to finish the work quickly and return.
* * *
Franz left the mansion.
The remaining four stared blankly at the spot where he had disappeared before shifting their gazes to one another.
“Then shall we decide on the rooms first? Including the Magic Tower master’s.”
“What method should we use?”
“Hmm-, we’ll play rock-paper-scissors and pick the rooms we like in order.”
“Then what about Franz’s room?”
“Let’s have the person who gets first place decide. First place should have at least that much of a perk.”
“Sounds good. Let’s do that.”
Hera agreed with Arian’s opinion. Yusti-ah and Yuna did the same.
Thus, the four ended up playing rock-paper-scissors for the right to choose the rooms.
“Rock-paper-scissors-!”
The four called out simultaneously and threw out their hands.
Afterward, they checked each other’s hands in silence for a moment.
“Hmm-, it’s a tie?”
Yusti-ah hummed and cast a sidelong glance at everyone.
Everyone’s hands were wide open, showing their palms; all four of them had thrown paper. It was a truly miraculous situation.
“Rock-paper-scissors-!”
The showdown didn’t stop and continued right away.
This time, Yuna threw scissors, Arian threw rock, and Hera and Yusti-ah threw paper, resulting in a tie.
“Rock-paper-scissors-!”
“Rock-paper…”
“Rock…”
Because a winner wasn’t easily decided, the four repeated rock-paper-scissors several times.
The one who emerged victorious at the end of it all was…
“I won-! Yay-!”
Yusti-ah let out a cheer and pumped her fist in the air.
Her joy had unconsciously burst out into action, but unfortunately, they weren’t the only ones in the mansion.
A servant passing by cast a sidelong glance, peek-, at her actions and hurried their steps.
“U-Ugh…”
Yusti-ah, belatedly grasping the situation, blushed and stopped her actions, but there was no crying over spilled milk.
“First place has already been decided, but what should we do?”
“Hmm-, I’ll think about it after seeing Yusti-ah pick her room.”
“I agree as well.”
Arian, Yuna, and Hera’s gazes simultaneously turned to Yusti-ah.
Yusti-ah, who had been keeping her head down with a flushed face, slowly raised her hand and pointed to a room.
It was the room at the far left end.
“Franz will use that one, and I’ll use the room next to it.”
Franz would use the room on the far left. That meant the only room next to his would be Yusti-ah’s room on the right.
Of course, the right to choose belonged to her as the first-place winner, but…
Doing such a thing while knowing that everyone wanted to sleep in the room next to Franz’s was truly no different from being a devil.
“Did you leave your conscience at the cathedral?”
“Yeah, I think she did?”
“Everyone, take it easy. Easy.”
The three slowly approached her. With vicious looks on their faces.