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As I racked my brain, trying to figure out how to pull Dan over to the dark side while chuckling to myself like a villain, Al approached us, his steps staggering.
His face looked so pale, it was as if he hadn't eaten for days despite it only being half a day since our voyage.
"Allen, Dan. Sorry for embarrassing you guys there. But I think I’m now a little bit used to the swaying. Well, I still can't handle it if the motions are as erratic as last night, but this much should be fine."
Dan chuckled softly at the strong front Al was putting up, and shook his head.
"It's fine, seasickness is just one of those things you don't have control over. Besides, you've never trained your sea legs either. Alas, you can only get used to it bit by bit since it takes time to build resistance. I think you’ll continue to feel under the weather, but just focus on getting better for us.
Many people typically recover after getting back on the land, so hold on until then. We can't afford to lose our head start here."
'You really are determined, huh?' Al laughed feebly when Dan talked to him with a serious expression.
Silver-haired Caprine-san, who was watching, giggled cutely to herself.
"Ah, the friendship between boys is really tough, huh, Daniel Serdos-san?...... I can't say I understood what you two did, but I’ve seen plenty of your determination throughout this half day journey despite the fact that you’re still students. It shouldn't have come to this, however, please see this to the end."
"Hmm~, well I don’t have any interest in anything other than magic, though... I did see the effort you two put in, as well as your faith in each other. Just don't overdo it, alright?"
Magician Ruruce quipped with one eye closed, took out some salve from her bag, and started dressing Dan's hands.
"Should I wrap them in bandages too?"
"Thank you, but no. It would dull the sensation of my hands. I just skimped too much on using magic guard."
Dan flashed a wry smile.
In fact, line work barely had any requirements like 'you must feel the ropes through your hands!' or such, however, using your bare hands was better to feel any abnormalities especially when you were aiming to bring out maximum output. I mean, it could happen that my control over the wind slipped, so the excessive speed would throw the ship out of balance.
Having finished putting salve on Dan's hands, Ruruce-san turned to me with a broad smile on her face.
"Well, well...... I’ve heard the rumors, but that mana manipulation skill of yours is truly out of this world… At this point, I feel like it has gone beyond the current concepts we know of. Wind magic, huh? It's certainly a new concept of magic that overthrows what we've known up until now. As a magic researcher, I must say this is praiseworthy, but......"
Ruruce-san paused in her speech, and that broad smile transformed into a deadly glare.
"......I was quite troubled, you know? I had to hold my fluttering long robe down since the wind, which had been changing direction at the wave of your hand, was being quite mischievous. I did hear about your title... Flipping Master, eh? Say, you're taking this seriously, right? Why are you even wearing that mask with such an obscene smile anyway?"
T-This national treasure level faint smile — the smile which was akin to gazing at the benevolent Buddha's smile — was obscene, you say......? Woah there, did she not fear that she would drown under the complaints of the Nara prefecture citizens first before the water?!
"I-It's a misunderstanding! I wouldn't go as far as to say I understand the heart of the maker of this mask, but I definitely think this smile reflects a merciful heart. Also, I wasn't trying to flip your robe at all!"
I hurriedly explained, but Ruruce-san still narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Heh, who can tell what's actually hidden inside your heart, eh? Though it even flipped completely one time when I left for the restroom…"
Dan then chimed in with a bitter smile.
"As a sailor, I can assure you that he had no leeway to pull any mischief while pushing the speed of the boat to its limits. His control of the wind had been precise with no form of wastage."
"I concur. He may have some loose screws in his head, but he's quite reliable in times of need."
Al also nodded assertively. Ruruce-san gave a loud chuckle and finally slacken her scowl.
"Pfft. My bad, I was kidding. Well, I did let down my guard and got caught in the situation, but at least, I had my red underwear on to save me from embarrassment instead of some lame design."
"Huh?"
No wait, I was sure that when I accidentally saw her back then, it was whi—
I suddenly realized something and looked up, and sure enough, Ruruce-san had a broad sunshine smile, but her eyes were glaring daggers.
"You saw, right?......"
I averted my gaze and shook my head. I saw Dan's gaze was similarly darting around restlessly, so I threw the hotpot at him.
"......Not at all. But maybe Dan did?"
"Why're you bringing me into your mess?! And no, I didn't see anything!"
"Liar! There's no way you would've missed what was happening on the deck from your position!"
"What do you mean by that?! Don't pull me into this!"
"Wait, whaaatttt?! What the hell were you doing while I was sick here?! Don't tell me even that erratic sailing was just you goofing around while the kingdom is facing a crisis?!"
"Shut up! And as I recall, it's all because you're rubbing your flirting scene on our faces!"
"So that really was what you were doing!"
And so an argument broke out between us. Carinpe-san burst into laughter when she saw it.
"Fufufu, you really are good friends, huh? I expected more cunning discourse from fellow Royal Academy students… Something that stinks of politics for the most part, but......
I think I now know one of the reasons why Class-A managed to break that immortalized score of the outdoor classes. How I wish I could have taken my class with you all, truly enviable.
Something like a skirt getting flipped is a rather trivial thing compared to saving the nation. Should it help you in getting to our destination faster, I’ll gladly change my trousers to a skirt. Should I?"
Hearing Carinpe-san, who said so with a serious expression, Dan and I immediately made stopping motions at her.
"......No, there's no need......"
I wasn't bold enough to say 'Yes, please'......
◆◆◆
Mainon was a river port located in the territory of Viscount Marninni. The viscounty was located at the edge of the Royal Family's vast Rune Plains, and the Dosperior region.
The town offered a landscape with a profound history — it had been a strategic location ever since due to its voluminous stream that was connected to the Rune River later down the line — though we didn't even have enough time to go down.
The ship barely stayed in port for five minutes to welcome one C-rank Ice Attribute Mage plus the additional materials they'd been informed about via magic bird before departing almost immediately.
I took a nap after that, though Dan didn't.
One of us who could control the wind had to be present to help the boat speed up. While we traveled faster when we both were at it together, this was a battle of attrition. It was important for us to take our due rest on time. We wouldn't want to endanger the ship due to a lapse of concentration.
Meanwhile, Dan has already learned how to reduce the speed of the wind, which was the crucial point in generating dynamic force. I think he was probably the only one who could pull that off among the members of the magic club.
Well, he had been blessed with a knack for mana control. I remember that he was the first to achieve mana compression while taking part in the activities of the Hill Road Club. But, what propelled him in learning this technique was his passion.
There were other idiots too who were capable of at least rousing the winds… for a different passion than Dan's.
It was just that he still couldn't control his mana with near zero dissipation. When it came to the biggest mana capacity in our class, he was only second to Leo, but the best he could do was keep going for eight hours before his mana dried up.
In addition, he also needed mana to keep his Body Strengthening magic up to handle the ship and its controls. Given the situation, he probably wouldn't have enough time to recover sufficient mana. Consequently, that would reduce the time Dan could control the wind. At the same time, my time to rest would also get shorter as his replacement.
This was why taking a rest as much as possible was the key.
Leaving the navigation to Dan and Cass, I ventured into dreamland in the main cabin.
After around five hours, Glover-san and I relieved them of their post.
The fore-and-aft sail ship traveled at an angle, so the rhythm of our synergy was the key here. Hence, we were currently going at around 80% of the maximum speed Dan and I could do until our tune matched precisely. The speed was reduced, but that granted us more time to react should anything go wrong.
Again, sometime after that, command of the ship came back to Dan and me. Like this, our rotation was settled for the voyage.
Al was no longer flirting, and the wind had become pleasant, granting us a bit of leeway in our control. Of course, the ship continued its sail with more or less the same speed.
One and half days after we left the Royal Capital, we arrived at Rabeldin, the former royal capital, and now the central city of Dosperior Marquisate.
The Dosperior territory was touted as the land of creation, and this city had been under the reign of the Dosperior family for a very long time. Apparently, they had ruled from around the time that the continent was most prosperous.
I recalled the details as I gazed at the looming scenery— and what should be the famous Tower of Rabeldin.
Apparently it had existed for as long as one could remember, a tower that symbolized the exalted existence of the Fabled Emperor Aeolus, the one who had brought a golden era to this continent. It was said that only the people of the Dosperior family were ever allowed to enter the tower. Nevertheless, it was still one of the most famous tourist spots in Rabeldin, and there were even visitors from foreign lands who dropped by to get a glimpse of it.
The city was filled with average height buildings, offering a classical yet exotic scenery to gaze upon, yet the tall tower, instead of appearing mismatched, appeared in the same color as the cityscape. It was a beautiful place, as if a painting had come to life.
......So this was where my mother had been raised, huh?
I had no fate with it today, but it wouldn't be bad to visit it later for sightseeing someday.
As we stopped the ship by the beautiful port, a dark brown-haired refined old lady was waiting for us along with her people.
Seeing Glover coming out to meet them, the old lady deeply bowed in greeting.
"We give you our utmost gratitude for taking this mission. These are the materials we were able to scour. We weren't sure if you could make it here on time, so we’ve already dispatched the ship loaded with the other materials and personnel the moment we received the report about the Hellrowcast's mutation.
But since you were able to get here in only one and a half days, I believe you should be able to catch up with them around the Crutz Peninsula. I’ll inform them with a magic bird so that you could merge with them without a problem."
"It's been a while, Freria-san. I very much appreciate the Dosperior family taking the time to help us out. This should have been a meeting to reminisce about our past, but alas... time isn't on our side today. I pray for your long life."
"Please, you're shouldering your part as the kingdom's noble well enough, and that's sufficient...... You're already more experienced than me, so this warning may be uncalled for, but the sea is rough, and the monsters are strong, so please be careful. May fortune shine upon your journey."
The old lady loosely interlocked her fingers as she held it before her chest and prayed, her knees slightly bent like the bow samurais in the past used to make.
In the meanwhile, the sailors had been loading the materials. I guess this pit stop was only going to last for less than ten minutes.
After confirming that the two other mages who were unable to make it in time during the first trip, had already boarded, the ship slowly distanced itself from the port under Dan's control.
I noticed an intense gaze from the old lady named Freria, and after a bit of mental struggle, I turned around with my mask still on and performed the ceremonial knight’s bow— with my right hand on my chest.
I was sure I felt her gaze. However, by the time I fixed my gaze on her, Freria-san was also in a bowing stance, her head hanging down.
As the echo of a shellfish flute reverberated around, noting our departure. I felt a pang of pain in my chest alongside an inexplicable sensation of grief.
T/N - This arc sure is gonna be ever changing like a voyage in the sea, truly. Guess, the character development time is here, maybe.
E/N - MC really has no luck with women. Al and Dan got praised, but he got treated like a pervert. Well, what did he expect when he flipped a skirt in front of thousands of people? 🤷♂️