Tearful Reunion

It was all good until I received news from Rayner that the Holy Kingdom had granted us permission to visit.

Unlike my first playthrough where I could just enter directly, there was one condition attached this time: I had to hide the fact that I was a beastkin, but it wasn’t a difficult condition. Even if it had been a difficult condition, from my perspective, I had no choice but to comply with it anyway.

So I checked the status of Adrian, Rea, and Iris one last time, informed them that we would be leaving soon.

And not even a full day later, we boarded the prepared — with an enormous amount of self-praise added — airship with our simple luggage.

Everything was fine until the high-class airship that had completed all preparations finally began to float up.

It was even slightly amazing when we pierced through the clouds that I always had to look up at and flew above them.

Before I noticed, the speed of the airship began to gradually increase, but since the distance to the Holy Kingdom was quite far, it was somewhat understandable.

Yes, it was understandable only “to some extent.”

The airship’s speed rising endlessly was a different matter.

“Why, why does it keep getting faster…? It already seems fast enough?”

“I don’t know either.”

Thinking this might be dangerous, I forced my parched mouth open to ask, but the answer that came back from Adrian, who was standing right next to me, was rather halfhearted.

On top of that, he looked at me with a puzzled expression as if to say, “What’s wrong with this kid?”

Even Rea and Iris seemed to find my tense appearance stranger than the airship that had accelerated to almost missile-like speeds.

Not long after that, the inside of the airship finally began to vibrate little by little.

Maybe it’s natural for an airship flying at such a tremendous speed to shake, but I wondered if it needed to fly so fast that it would shake in the first place.

Rayner had definitely said it was a high-class airship that couldn’t be compared to ordinary ones.

He had said it was a special airship that only distinguished guests could ride…

Wouldn’t a high-class airship carrying distinguished guests normally not engage in such dangerous flight?

…Could it be that Rayner deceived me—

Lurch

“Waaah!”

For whatever reason, the airship suddenly lurched greatly, and I almost fell, losing my balance.

Fortunately, Adrian, who was right next to me, caught me in time, preventing the perilous incident of my face hitting the cabin floor, but…

After that, I couldn’t even think of standing up and tightened the seat belt excessively.

Right after that, I uttered once again that this seemed dangerous no matter how I thought about it.

“I-It’s shaking too much…? Is this really safe?!”

“What’s the big deal about this much?”

“It’s okay, Lua. You know that nothing bad will happen, right?”

“B-But, this is too—”

Before I could finish speaking, once again, lurch.

And, “AAAAH!”

A high-pitched scream that I unwittingly let out filled the surroundings for a moment.

What followed were small laughs that came from all three with a time difference.

“…Pfft.”

“D-Don’t laugh!”

With my face burning bright red due to the gazes that had somehow become focused on me, I made excuses that anyone would be startled like this.

But even though they verbally acknowledged it, they would still snicker whenever I so much as flinched slightly.

Just at this moment, I couldn’t understand those three.

Isn’t an airship that shakes like a vibrating alarm scary?

If by any chance an accident occurs, it’s all over. Frankly, it might be safer to jump off with a parachute right now.

Or am I the abnormal one? Is it normal to be unfazed by this level of danger?

“Lua, it seems like you’re making too much of a fuss.”

“…That’s absurd.”

They’re probably actually scared and tense but pretending to be unconcerned in front of me.

Yes, all three must be in cahoots, deceiving me.

Of course, I hadn’t ridden anything like an airplane even once until today, but…

I know that it’s not normal for an aircraft floating in the air to shake this much.

So couldn’t they at least sit in their seats like me?

It seems like it shakes every time they walk around, and it’s scary…!

“Then, if we all jump together, would it crash completely?”

“Th-There’s no guarantee it won’t, right?!”

“How innocent. I used to be like that too…”

“…I don’t care anymore. I don’t care if you all get in danger!”

“Hmm, that might be a bit disappointing.”

And so, my tearful attempts to recover my party members’ lost sense of caution all ended up in vain without exception.

Finally, quite a long time passed with only me gripping the safety belt tightly as if riding a dangerous amusement ride.

The three excluding me were still walking around the spacious interior of the airship, somehow even holding simple snacks — I had no idea where they got them from.

They did bring snacks for me too, probably feeling sorry for me sitting in my seat for so long, but I couldn’t actually eat them since it was obvious I would choke the moment I took a bite.

And so, after what felt like an infinite amount of time began to flow endlessly once again.

“Hey, seniors. That city over there, isn’t it the Holy Kingdom?”

“It does look like the Holy Kingdom. It looks exactly like the photos.”

“We arrived faster than I thought. I expected we’d arrive late in the evening.”

Only when I heard reports of the Holy Kingdom from people looking out the wide windows of the airship did I slowly relax my hands that had been gripping the safety belt.

After that, I discreetly turned my head backward to look at the landscape on the ground that had somehow begun to get closer.

And so, silently looking at buildings with white outer walls and the huge temple located in the center of the city.

Belatedly remembering that I wasn’t just a human but a beastkin, I hurriedly changed into a robe of a much larger size.

Either way, if I violated the entry conditions set by the Holy Kingdom, I wouldn’t even be able to set foot in the Holy Kingdom.

Not long after that, the airship finally began to slowly descend vertically.

Only after it had completely landed on the ground did I exhale a sigh of relief.

“Phew…”

As expected, almost simultaneously, another faint laugh was heard from around me, but I decided not to mind.

If I said anything again, I would undoubtedly be teased even more.

Right after that, I covered my ears and tail by pulling an excessively large robe over my head until just above my eyebrows.

I seriously contemplated for quite a long time about the strange-looking sunglasses and mask that Rayner had “specially” provided for hiding the characteristic parts of a beastkin…

Still, thinking it would be safer to cover as much as possible, I ended up wearing them.

But, embarrassment is still embarrassment, so.

After lowering my head as much as possible, I got off the airship hiding behind Adrian, who had the largest build among the three.

“Hey, Lua. Will you get angry if I laugh at your strange sunglasses?”

“If you know, please be quiet…”

“Okay.”

And so, after exchanging formal greetings with the people from the Holy Kingdom who had come to greet us in advance — only the three excluding me, that is.

“You must be tired from the journey, let me first guide you to your accommodations.”

We arrived at accommodations that were better than I had expected, unpacked our luggage.

There was no problem until shortly after that when we headed to a restaurant following the guidance of a person who came to our room.

“Excuse me for a moment. Is there anyone among those who came from Itar Academy whose name is [Lua]?”

Because a man dressed in attire that anyone could tell was that of a priest of the Holy Kingdom came to the restaurant looking for me.

More precisely, because he conveyed the news that some high-ranking person was looking for me.

I had to part with the salmon steak that I hadn’t even finished eating.

When I’m specifically being sought by someone described as a high-ranking person by a priest of the Holy Kingdom, I couldn’t ignore it…

So, somehow enduring my hungry stomach — perhaps because the meal was interrupted, I felt hungrier than usual — I walked and walked.

After finally arriving at a huge room inside the massive temple located in the center of the city.

After receiving news that someone whom I was increasingly suspecting would soon arrive, I sat quietly on a soft sofa and waited, and sure enough.

Click

Click

From far away, a woman in pure white attire, emanating a somewhat sacred atmosphere, began to approach gradually.

Within just a few seconds, the sound of heels began to accelerate.

However, perhaps because she couldn’t openly run in front of many people’s gazes, she settled for a fast walk, but…

Drop

“I, I… missed you…”

Finally arriving in front of me, as soon as she made eye contact with me, Daina started what could be called a “tearful reunion,” so.

The noticeably bewildered gazes of Adrian, Rea, and Iris alternated between me and Daina.