Chapter 39

Selina was an excellent mage beyond expectations.

Even without Baltar, who was the core force, she perfectly subdued Odin's crew and seized the airship as spoils of war.

She praised my achievement vehemently, saying it was incredible.

But, truthfully, I felt that her accomplishment was something she could truly boast about, proudly puffing out her chest.

After a simple maintenance, and in preparation for potential mistaken fire, the airship immediately took off after Odin's flag was lowered and the Alliance's flag was raised.

Selina, after a few simple flight tests, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Wow… It's the same ultra-compact size, but it's on a different level compared to the Alliance's mass-produced models. At this rate, I'd believe it if you said it was a small-sized airship, just with a smaller scale."

"Right?"

"…Why are you proud, Ryan?"

"…Indeed."

I escaped to a corner, avoiding Selina's gaze.

The Alliance's airships and the White Hero's airships had distinctly different designs, recognizable at a glance.

If the Alliance's airships felt like frigates, the White Hero's airships felt like wooden destroyers.

Not only were the basic performance and components of the airships different, but the designs themselves were unique, so anyone seeing them for the first time couldn't help but feel a sense of novelty.

Indeed, even the crew members operating the airship showed signs of difficulty in handling it or were distracted from their work, inspecting their surroundings with curious eyes.

"......?"

Something felt off.

More precisely, it felt familiar.

All of Odin's ultra-compact airships shared the same design.

It was natural for it to feel familiar, as I had purchased readily available ultra-compact airships and customized them to my liking with Odin's financial power.

What should I say?

It felt fundamentally different from that…

"Ah."

As I walked, running my hand along the railing at the stern, a small scratch caught my fingertip.

Upon closer inspection, I saw traces of the railing being completely broken by something and then forcibly repaired.

Memories came flooding back.

'Ah, Commander. So, what happened was…'

Joshua.

Odin's second soldier, after Leisia.

A man born with an absurd, superhuman strength.

Unfortunately, his first power awakened in a strength-related direction, and he couldn't control his strength well, leading to him breaking airship props and causing early Odin's finances to falter – a devilish fellow.

He had once broken this railing.

I remembered him hanging his head like a criminal who had committed a grave sin, completely deflated.

'I'm sorry, Commander.'

'A mistake! It was an accident, wasn't it? Master… um… just be a little angry.'

Following Joshua,Lacia voice could be heard, clumsily trying to resolve the situation.

Like someone possessed, I walked down the corridor and opened the door to a small room in the corner.

The room was desolate, with only emptiness remaining, as if no one ever used it.

Lying on a dusty bed, I looked up at the ceiling and saw a strange pattern.

Level 1 Hero Leisia had scuttled around, unfurling a thick book she had picked up from who-knows-where, and carved an intricate pattern on the ceiling.

'This?

It says that if you engrave this, you can block curses from outside.

I don't know if it'll be effective, but wouldn't it be good to have?

Since we're still inexperienced, we can't always protect Master.'

Yes.

I remembered everything.

This airship was the very airship I had operated when I first started D&K.

And this room was the room my player character had used.

My eyes closed.

I thought I could have a good dream.

But I had a terrible nightmare.

***

Bang! Bang! …Thud!

It had been a week since we moved our quarters to the airship.

Loud noises woke me up.

"It's doing this again from morning… Why are people in this world so diligent?"

They should at least know how to be a little lazy.

Checking the time, it was 8 AM.

I still didn't want to get out of bed, but the loud noise, despite the windows being tightly shut, and the subtle vibrations reaching my bed, were unbearable.

Left with no choice, I opened the window and ventilated the room.

Then, with the pouring sunlight, the outside scenery came into view.

"Where should I put this box?"

"Just put it on the deck for now. Be careful not to drop it!"

"Slowly! Move it slowly! If that falls, you'll have a month's salary cut!"

"Hieek!"

It was noisy.

Like a construction site, no less.

No, it was literally a construction site.

Outside the window, numerous laborers gathered, carrying materials or hammering, remodeling the airship.

Odin's captured ultra-compact airship, from its exterior to its internal equipment, was too close to the White Hero's style, so Selina was privately funding its modification for smooth operation.

Thanks to that, I was at war with noise every morning.

"When will it be over?"

It's been a week already.

Selina clearly said it would be finished in about five days.

It seemed that something went wrong, and the work was delayed.

My body, which needed plenty of rest due to the side effects of the curse, let alone high-speed regeneration, and even reduced efficiency of healing potions, was in agony because of this.

"Ryan!"

Someone ran down the airship's corridor, calling my name.

Selina and the unit members, having fully recovered, had taken leave and departed for a while.

I was the only one left on this airship with nowhere to go, but it seemed Selina had returned.

Knock, knock.

Two knocks were heard.

Judging by the fact that she was knocking with her fist rather than her finger, she seemed to be in a considerable hurry.

When I opened the door, sure enough.

Selina, with a highly flushed face, was looking up at me and smiling.

She had both hands hidden behind her back, as if she was up to something.

"Did something good happen?"

"Ryan. First, I want to let you know that I flew from the Holy Land to the capital without sleeping at night because I wanted to deliver this good news to you as quickly as possible."

"Thank you. Whatever it is."

"Ryan will probably be surprised too. Ta-da!"

Selina extended her hands from behind her back.

What she held in her hands was a medal crafted from black ore.

The medal, adorned with a black dragon motif and three wings, gleamed, reflecting the sunlight pouring through the window.

"How is it? I actually thought I'd get a silver medal, but it's an obsidian medal! It seems that command highly valued my military achievement of being the first soldier to defeat a Named. Normally, there should have been an awarding ceremony, but it seems to have been omitted, probably because the war situation isn't that good. It's a bit disappointing, but since it's an obsidian medal, let's just focus on that!"

"…Oh. I see."

"…Ryan? You don't look happy at all."

Selina made an incredulous expression, as if my reaction was completely unexpected.

Did she expect me to jump for joy or something?

I was sorry for her, but.

People who would be happy to receive a medal were those with high loyalty to the nation, like Selina, Byan,Vijan, or Sergel.

People like Lirisa and me, who were forcibly conscripted into the military, wouldn't be happy at all, even if they were given a truckload of these.

"What's good about having that?"

"…Honor?"

"Besides that."

"…Your salary goes up. And your pension."

"That's good."

"......"

Selina put a hand to her forehead as if she had a headache.

The medal she gave me was carelessly tossed onto the bed.

As if she couldn't bear to see it, Selina squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away.

"More importantly, Selina."

"Yes."

"Can I ask a favor?"

"A favor?"

"I'd like to add one person to the unit."

The capacity of an airship was not as large as one might think.

In the case of ultra-compact models, after excluding the crew members needed to operate the airship and the commander, there were only five vacant seats.

However, this airship had been modified to accommodate up to six people without problems.

Naturally, the more combat personnel, the better.

If six people could be assigned to a task that five people would normally do, the burden and risk in future battles would be reduced.

"I was actually planning to do that anyway."

"So, about that. Is it possible to recruit someone from another unit?"

"Uh…"

Selina narrowed her brow and rolled her eyes, as if she had never thought about it before.

After a moment of contemplation.

Perhaps her calculations were complete, for she hesitated and nodded.

"It depends on the situation. If we can coordinate opinions well, it probably won't be impossible. Do you have a soldier you're keeping an eye on in another unit?"

"Edam Taylor."

"......"

Selina fell silent.