A Walk in the Skies and the Underworldly Gate - 2
Leaving the gates of the royal capital and deviating from the main road, we reached the grasslands. I intended to apologize for suddenly letting go of Juliusâs hand. But the palm of my hand was tightly grasped. Juliusâs hands were large, completely enveloping mine.
His grip was strong, causing a slight pain.
âCome, Helios!â
Julius raised the dragon ring on his left ring finger towards the sky, calling out Heliosâs name. The ring sparkled, and the light emanating from the gem formed a pillar of light piercing through the sky.
In response, Helios appeared directly above. With large wings and a sleek, well-defined body, the dragon gracefully flapped his wings as if celebrating freedom in mid-air. Without hesitation, he descended rapidly towards us.
Bewildered by the sight of Helios descending straight towards us at considerable speed, Julius firmly pulled my hand.
He then lifted me, holding me close as if cradling me. Julius seemed to have grasped Heliosâs reins, but it was hard for me to see it clearly.
I found myself on Heliosâs back, held securely by Julius.
With a swift kick from the ground and a grip on the reins, we soared into the sky.
I could only let out a feeble scream, âAhâ,â as the scenery spun around me in a dizzying rotation. With a force equal to the previous rapid descent, Helios ascended sharply into the sky.
Compared to Julius, who was securely seated in the saddle, my body felt unstable. He held me in a sideways embrace, and my legs dangled freely in the air.
While riding Helios earlier, I noticed that the horse gear attached to his body was an alchemical harness with additional effects such as impact reduction, a defensive barrier, and physical stabilization.
Although I knew it was designed to prevent falls with minimal effort, the nearly vertical ascent was visually frightening.
âJulius-san, Iâm falling, Iâm going to fall...â
âYou wonât fall. If youâre scared, just hold on tight.â
Julius spoke in a calm voice, holding my body with one hand. However, not feeling entirely secure, I clung to Juliusâs waist. As he told me not to move, I tried my best to stay still by curling up my body.
Rising at a considerable speed, I felt almost no strain or impact on my body. The scenery was shrinking rapidly, as if being absorbed into the blue sky. Piercing through the clouds and ascending high into the sky, Helios let out a triumphant âKyuâ and gracefully circled around.
As the ascent slowed down and Helios leveled off, I breathed a sigh of relief.
The city of the royal capital now appeared as tiny as a speck of dust. It felt unreal that just moments ago, I had been standing in that place. The encounter with Eliza, pulling Julius along while running away, all seemed almost unreal as I gazed at the scenery from Heliosâs back. The view from this vantage point made me question whether those events had truly happened.
I loosened the grip of my arms, which had been clinging to Julius.
The last time I rode with Julius, I was behind him, and the ride was so comfortable that I ended up falling asleep. And when I finally woke up, I was being held in front of Julius to ensure I wouldnât fall.
This time, I found myself being held in a sideways embrace, akin to a princess carry. I had thought of Julius as someone capable only of carrying or tossing a woman like baggage, so this was quite surprising.
I looked up at Juliusâs handsome face. His eyes, each a different color, were focused straight ahead. The corners of his mouth were lifted in a somewhat joyful expression, likely due to the thrill of flying with Helios.
His golden hair fluttered in the wind, presenting the majestic figure of the Black Prince on the battlefield.
â...Thereâs no specific goal today, right, Chloe? Let me enjoy the flight as I please.â
âY-yes... Please, feel free...âJulius turned his gaze towards me, and our eyes met. I wondered if I had just been staring at Julius without realizing it.
I quickly averted my gaze and nodded awkwardly, my voice slightly strained. He probably noticed my unease, but Julius didnât say anything. For some reason, the silence calmed me down.
Since yesterday, I felt a bit strange. Sometimes Iâd sulk or get angry with Julius, and at other times, Iâd feel reassured or happy. It was a peculiar sensation, similar to the anticipation of an impending storm, causing my chest to feel restless.
Closing all the windows, preparing the lamps, and stocking up on foodâit felt like these moments of unease when preparing for a storm. I would anxiously listen to the creaking windows and outside noises. Yet, it wasnât unpleasant; it was a mysterious feeling.
What is this feeling? Itâs the first time Iâve felt something like this. I donât really understand it.
Julius lightly pulled the reins. As if understanding everything from Juliusâs mere gesture, Helios stretched his long neck straight. His neck, body, and tail formed a straight line, and his large wings became horizontal.
Even though he wasnât flapping his wings frantically, the speed increased rapidly. Helios leaped high into the air, gliding smoothly to lower the altitude, then flapped his wings a few times to rise again.
At first, I was exclaiming things like âwoahâ or âwow,â but gradually, I began to have the composure to appreciate the scenery.
The effects of the alchemical harness seemed quite reliable. No matter how much we flew, there was no strain on my body, and the ride felt comfortable. I didnât sense the feeling of falling either. If there was any, it seemed purely visual, a product of my imagination. The dizziness in my head and the sensation of floating in the air were like illusions.
Julius had his arm around my waist, and since there was nothing else to hold onto, I wrapped my arms around his back, grabbing onto his black robe. Since he had given me permission to cling on, I decided to take advantage of his kind words.
Forests, cities, riversâthe landscapes of the kingdom, unseen by me until now, unfolded beneath us. Accompanied by the sound of cutting through the wind, the scenery changed rapidly.
We passed through dense forests in an instant, soared beside a massive waterfall cascading down from a table-shaped cliff, and Helios twirled joyfully as water droplets lightly sprayed on us.
I wonder if Julius has always experienced this view of the world.
Even though the sky above is boundless and free, Julius, despite that freedom, had always been someoneâs slave since birth. After flying through the sky alone with Helios, I could imagine how desperate Julius must have felt when he was captured and separated from Helios.
As I watched Helios joyfully soar through the sky and observed Julius enjoying himself, I couldnât help but feel a sense of happiness too.
âI might be stealing Julius and Heliosâs freedom.
Suddenly, that thought crossed my mind. The concept of slavery itself was inherently problematic. Buying people with money was an act that, although common, was far from commendable.
Even though I had purchased Julius with the intention of having a strong worker, a wave of emotion swept over me, prompting me to question if things should stay as they were.
âChloe, Helios is quite fast, isnât he?â Julius said. His voice carried a hint of pride.
âYes. It feels a bit different from the usual way dragons fly. If he came charging into the battlefield at this speed, it must have been quite intimidating,â I replied.
âDragons are excellent for both offense and retreat. Their mobility far surpasses that of cavalry... Dealing with them is challenging, though. Just forming a unit requires a considerable amount of effort. In the Empire, I was the only proper dragon knight,â Julius explained.
I wasnât well-versed in war or knights, but listened quietly to Julius, who seemed to be reminiscing about the past.