Chapter 58: Give Me Wings (2)

“N-No… why, on earth, would you do that……?”

Both were astonished, but Ethesia, who seemed particularly flustered, asked back in disbelief.

“I thought I should hear their side of the story too.”

At that, I answered, feigning innocence.

“And thanks to that, I found out that they are definitely hiding something.”

“…….”

The two, as if at a loss for words, just stared at me blankly for a while.

“Did you see? I was really flying! ……Huh?”

In the meantime, Miki, who had finished gliding and landed on the ground, seemed to have realized that something was off about the atmosphere, after speaking in a tone that showed his excitement hadn't subsided.

“Um, is something wrong…?”

“The guards at the shrine have doubled.”

“Ah…”

At Ibi's prompt reply, Miki seemed to flinch and hastily covered his mouth.

“Don't worry.”

Before the two's gazes could shift to Miki, I quickly interjected.

“Now that we've come out in the open like this, they won't suspect you two as the masterminds.”

Though they had already started to suspect them openly.

It was as if I had gone and openly said that these two were behind me.

“The difficulty of entering the shrine has gone up, but, well, we can just handle that ourselves.”

I have no intention of getting caught anyway.

I added.

“If no one knows that we've been in and out of the shrine, there won't be any problem, right?”

At my confident attitude, Khamsin, who had been dazed, asked again cautiously.

“…By any chance, do you have a plan?”

“A plan?”

I raised the corners of my mouth as if I had been waiting for those words.

“Always.”

* * *

The destination, the shrine, was located at the end of the Wind Canyon.

Because that place, the shrine, was practically carved out of a cliff.

Therefore, the path to the shrine was quite treacherous.

The canyon was already difficult to navigate if you didn't know how to ride the wind, and it was located in the deepest part of it.

It was bound to be treacherous.

Therefore, for the followers of Dairus, the act of passing through this canyon was considered a kind of training.

Something about following the penance that Dairus had gone through.

Though that Dairus would have probably been flying around on the wind, enjoying the power of a god to his heart's content.

Anyway.

The point was, just walking through this place was very difficult.

Moreover, we were now climbing the cliff path through the intermittently blowing Ascension Wind, instead of the relatively flat path below, to avoid being discovered by the priests.

So, we were practically climbing.

“Ugh, ah…….”

It's really not good for a 「Closeted Artist」 with poor stamina.

In other words, I was about to die from exhaustion.

“W-Wait… just a moment, let's rest…….”

“Has it even been 10 minutes since we rested?”

Ibi looked at me as if I were pathetic and sneered.

“For someone who was talking big about having a plan, you're about to die before you even get up there.”

“I have a plan… I just… I just don't have the stamina…….”

I mustered a little more strength and staggered a few more steps, but in the end, I collapsed to the ground.

“So my adventure ends here….”

When do you think a person dies?

When their heart is pierced by a bullet?

When they catch an incurable disease?

No, old man.

For me, it is now….

“Are you okay?”

Just then, Miki approached and offered me a helping hand.

“No, I’m not okay…”

“Would you like me to carry you?”

“…Huh?”

“You look very tired, so if you'd like, I can carry you, teacher!”

It was a proposal like rain in a drought for me, but it was also true that I was somewhat hesitant to accept it right away.

I had several thoughts, but the first one that came to mind was…

“I-Is that… possible…?”

Like, physically?

“Of course!”

At that, Miki replied with a confident smile and raised one arm as if to show off his muscles.

Though I couldn't see them because he was in armor.

Of course, with Miki's strength, he could easily carry me, but it's like…

“Will the center of gravity… hold?”

Is what I'm wondering.

The height difference between me and Miki was such that Miki's head reached my waist.

So if I were on his back… wouldn't he fall forward?

“Ah. You might be right, teacher.”

Miki, who had been thinking for a moment, seemed to have come to the conclusion that it was a possibility.

“Well, thank you for the thought, but it might be dangerous, so…”

“Ah! Then how about you hold me in front?”

“Huh? In front?”

As soon as I heard the proposal, I imagined it once again.

Does that mean… he'll carry me in what's commonly known as a ‘princess carry’?

“……Might be, possible?”

In that position, indeed, the center of gravity might not shift and he might not fall forward.

It would take more strength than carrying me on his back, but… with Miki's strength, that should be possible…

Honestly, it was a tempting offer.

But… still, it's a bit, you know?

I can't really explain why, but if I go that far… I feel like I'll become a truly hopeless piece of trash.

“No, Miki. I think…”

It felt like I was about to cross a line that I shouldn't.

“How is it? Are you uncomfortable anywhere, Teacher Yubin?”

“Nope. It’s very comfortable.”

Right.

I'm a piece of trash.

A piece of trash who, because it's hard to walk, is being carried in a princess carry by a halfling companion, a piece of trash who has finally crossed a line(?) that shouldn't be crossed.

“…Are you really okay, Miki? Am I not heavy?”

“You’re not heavy at all!”

For some reason, Miki, who was carrying me, had a very excited face, so I felt a pang of guilt every time our eyes met.

“Just a little more… I'll just be carried until the next Ascension Wind. I feel bad for continuing like this…”

“No! This is also a form of training for me!”

But Miki gave a bright smile as if I didn't need to worry at all.

“Besides, helping someone in need is what a knight should do!”

“Miki…”

Miki's bright blond hair seemed to be sparkling even more today.

Keuk, what is this light…!

Are you trying to blind me!

“Huh? W-What’s wrong all of a sudden, Teacher Yubin?”

“No, you were just so dazzling…”

“Ah, I'm sorry. Is the sunlight shining this way?”

“No. You are my sun, Miki.”

'My sunshine’

“Pardon?”

As I was being cheesy, I suddenly noticed Ibi, who was following us from behind, glaring at me with eyes that looked at a complete piece of trash.

“…Ugh.”

It wasn't the first or second time I had seen that kind of look from Ibi, but this time, I felt particularly guilty.

* * *

And so, somehow, we arrived at the entrance of our destination, the shrine.

To be precise, on a cliff overlooking the entrance.

As expected, priests were stationed at the entrance.

Normally, there would only be a few priests guarding the front of the entrance, but now, even the narrow path leading to the entrance was being patrolled by several priests in shifts.

The problem was that the narrow path was the only entrance to the shrine, which was why we had to climb up to the cliff.

Well, as long as we're on the ground, that is.

“I don’t see anyone who looks armed.”

“Those people are all priests. They are not people who fight with weapons.”

And whether they were armed or not, since our goal was to ‘enter the shrine without them knowing’, it didn't matter.

I stood up from my crouched position where I had been looking down.

“Everyone, remember the plan?”

At my question, the four of them nodded their heads as if on cue.

If the path on the ground is blocked, we just have to fly through the sky.

We just have to glide with the wings and land right in front of the entrance.

It was simple.

The problem was not the path, but the priests guarding the front of the entrance.

They weren't just going to see us suddenly drop from the sky and say, “Just this once…” and open the door for us.

So.

“──Here I go.”

With that declaration, I jumped from the cliff.

With my lute in hand.

『Deploy!』

At the same time as the incantation, the ‘wings’ on my back spread wide.

Hwook!

At that moment, I felt my falling body being pulled up by the air resistance and floating in the air.

And as I did, I could see the priests, who had noticed my sudden appearance in the sky, raise their heads one by one.

— Wh-What is that?

— A bird…?

From down there, with the sunlight at my back, they wouldn't have been able to easily recognize my figure flying high.

They would have just seen me as a bird with large wings.

— L-Look at that…!

Pororong──

And, until I plucked the strings of my lute.

Then I.

“Come fly with me.”

Began to sing.

─ Th-That! That!

─ Fl-Fl-Fl…!

In other words, I began a [Performance] in mid-air.

“It’s a flying bard──!!”

The shout of someone who was astonished at the sight of a bard singing while flying in the sky, something they had never seen before, echoed through the canyon.

“By the God of Wind!”

“W-What am I seeing right now…?!”

The priests looked up at the (probably) first bard to start a [Performance] in the sky in this world, in disbelief.

There are some things in the world that you just can't help but follow instinctively.

Like the Pied Piper.

Or the disinfection truck that sprays white smoke.

Or a Ghosting ShinX.

In this world, a bard who had started a [Performance] was also one of them.

You just, have to follow them instinctively, like the previous examples.

It doesn't matter how serious, calm, or disciplined you usually are.

It's practically engraved in your DNA.

‘System’-wise, it was set up that way.

The ‘NPCs’ here, regardless of their race, were creatures that, once they saw a [Performance], had to come to the front of the performer, watch, and then applaud.

Even if that performer was flying in the sky.

“Fly away.”

Sure enough, the priests began to follow me like they were possessed.

Of course, the priests who had been guarding the front of the entrance were also included.

And while I was drawing their attention like that, I could see the four of them landing safely in front of the shrine entrance, which had naturally become empty.

Then, as Ibi began to open the firmly closed door with her [Finesse], the door would soon open.

Since a suitable distance had been created, it was time for me to head to the door as well.

Normal wings made from windbird feathers can only glide through the air like this, but the ones made from the feathers of a 「Windlion」 are different.

Last time, Khamsin had been about to boast about these wings, but he was interrupted by Ethesia's subordinate and couldn't finish.

With these wings, you could use 「Flapping」.

So, as I said last time, you could create a wind and blow away the opponent in front, but──

『──Wind!』

Hwaaak!

If you used it like this, it was also possible to ‘accelerate’ in mid-air.

As if it had a booster.

Ssaek!

“──Wahaha!!”

At that thrilling sensation, I couldn't contain my excitement and let out a cheer.

The priests, who had been lured into the narrow path and were gathered together, just stared blankly at me as I turned and disappeared from their sight in an instant.

When I reached the entrance, my companions, who had already opened the door and gone inside, were waving at me to hurry up.

At that, I gave them a triumphant smile, as if to say the plan had worked, and prepared for a spectacular landing──

“──Ah.”

But I ended up tripping on a stone.

“Ah, wai!”

Damn my unathletic attribute again…!

Kwadang!

I, who had fallen over, couldn't slow down and began to roll, but thanks to that rolling(?), I somehow managed to get inside the door.

Miki, as soon as I had rolled into the goal, no, the door like a ball, quickly closed it.

“A-Are you okay…?!”

Lily, who had stopped rolling and was completely spread-eagled, looked down at me with a panicked expression.

I somehow endured the pain that was starting to creep in and gave a thumbs-up with difficulty.

But that was short-lived.

Seeing my hand fall limply, Lily was startled and began to cast a healing spell on me.

Ibi, who had been watching the scene with her arms crossed, finally let out a dry laugh in disbelief.

“Get some exercise, you.”

“……Yes.”

You are absolutely right….