Chapter 52: Townsperson A Flies the Skies with the Villainess

“Sherilralra, um... regarding the Elven Village. Was it really okay to reveal its existence like that?” I asked tentatively.

“What are you talking about? Of course it wasn’t,” she replied.

“Right. Well, here’s the thing... when you submit a request at the Adventurer’s Guild, they verify your identity. If you’d tried to put in a formal request yourself, it likely would’ve caused a massive uproar. You probably would’ve been captured.”

“It would have been fine. If I call upon the Spirits, I can handle a human or two,” Sherilralra said with a triumphant, self-assured look.

She was missing the point. That wasn't the issue at all.

I wondered what I was supposed to do with her. My common sense was failing to reach her entirely.

“It wouldn’t be one or two people; you’d have ten or a hundred coming after you.”

“Oh? I’d heard the stories, but do humans really want to capture elves that badly?”

“Well, yes, there are people like that, but that’s still not it. It’s because you’re a suspicious person here, Sherilralra. For that matter, how did you even get into the city?”

“Hmm? I just walked through the gate normally. No one really stopped me.”

Dammit, gatekeepers! I appreciate the lack of trouble, but do your jobs!

“Fine, whatever. Regardless, I’ll go to the summer festival. You help me out on a regular basis, and I’m curious to see it myself, so I don’t need a reward.”

“Then let’s go! Immediately! Just the two of us!”

“No, you have to take Ana with us. Or rather, without her, you won't even be able to leave the city. You’ll be stopped at the gate.”

“But this little girl isn’t your wife, is she?”

“Be that as it may, I can’t just have her walk us to the gate and leave it at that.”

“Hmm. I see. So that’s how you feel, Allen.”

Sherilralra let her gaze drift slowly between me and Ana. She let out a small sigh, looking somewhat disappointed, before dropping an absolute bombshell.

“Then I suppose we can just pass her off as your fiancée?”

“F-fian...cée...?”

Ana froze solid.

Okay, yeah, no. I’m going to stop thinking right now. I’d prefer it if my head stayed physically attached to my shoulders.

“Then we’ll go with that, please. Ana? If it’s alright with you, would you like to come to the Elven Village? We can look into the adventurer situation another day.”

“Eh? O-oh. Yes! I will!”

Having somehow navigated that minefield, I sent Ana back to the ducal estate once. I don’t know how she managed it, but she secured permission to stay out overnight in record time and hurried back.

Using Ana’s status to bypass the guards at the noble gate, we slipped out of the capital and headed toward Lurden Airport in the Northeast Forest.

“Hey, Allen. What is this place? Why is there such a perfectly straight, open clearing in the middle of the forest?”

As soon as we arrived at the airport, Ana let out a voice of pure bewilderment.

“This is my secret base. Aside from you, Ana, no human has ever set foot here. Please, keep this strictly between us.”

“I-I see... Just me, then.”

For some reason, Ana looked strangely happy after I said that.

“Yes. Now, I need to get things ready. Please wait here.”

I hauled the Vuitol out from the underground hangar.

“What? From inside the ground?!”

“It’s a Skill I have. I’ve kept it a secret because I have no idea what would happen if the public found out.”

“Right... A secret. Understood!”

“Good. Also, I’m telling you both now: do not struggle. This was originally a single-seater, so I’m going to have to bind you both with ropes to keep you secure. Is that okay?”

“Of course. If it means I can fly, I’m looking forward to it,” Sherilralra said.

“Fly? What on earth... No, this is Allen we’re talking about. I suppose I should expect this much. Fine, I’m ready. Do what you must.”

Once I had their consent, I began securing them to the Vuitol.

“U-um, Allen? Why am I being tied like this? Is this really necessary?”

“I considered a few options, but I won’t be able to maintain the balance any other way.”

“H-hey, Allen... Isn’t this heavy? And, well... we’re awfully close.”

“I’m sorry. It’s the only way to keep the craft stable, so please bear with me. We’re taking off.”

I kicked the Wind Magic Engine into gear, drawing out full power to lift the Vuitol vertically.

To pilot the craft, I had to lie face-down. I had Ana lie down as well, positioned so her face was near my waist. Her voluminous chest was pressed right against my backside and thighs—a definite fringe benefit, though I was trying to stay professional.

“Hieeeeeeeee! I knew it would be like thiiiiiis!”

The one screaming was Sherilralra, who was currently dangling in mid-air. Just like when I’d transported that Orc before, I’d bundled her up like a log and hung her from the cargo hook with a rope.

“Allen! This is incredible! Amazing! And so fast! How is this even happening?”

The Vuitol accelerated steadily as we gained altitude. I could hear the excitement in Ana’s voice coming from behind my back.

“It’s essentially the same principle as paper being blown by the wind. Just an application of Wind Magic.”

It was actually much more complex than that, but there was no way she’d understand the concept of lift even if I explained it.

“Look! The Royal Capital and the castle are already so small!”

“Yeah. It’s about a four-hour flight to the Elven Village. I expect we’ll arrive just as the sun sets.”

By the way, Sherilralra—who was still dangling beneath us—had gone quiet. I could still feel her weight on the hook, so it wasn't like she’d fallen off.

“I see... You really are amazing, Allen.”

I felt Ana whisper those words in a gentle tone as she rested her head against my back.

It felt as though she were telling me she trusted me with everything. Feeling her weight and her warmth, my heart began to race. At the same time, my chest was filled with a localized, fuzzy sort of heat.

Ah, I see.

I...

I’m actually in love with Ana.

At first, it had just been because her character in the game seemed so pitiful. When the memories of my previous life returned, I’d thought of it as a casual opportunity—maybe while helping Mom, I’d have a "chance" with the Villainess.

God, how embarrassing.

I wanted to punch my past self with everything I had for thinking like that. If I looked at her that way, was I really any different from Amy?

Ana was Ana.

Just as my mother and I weren't just characters in a game, Ana was a living, breathing human being.

She was a hard worker with a crushing sense of responsibility—someone who would push herself to the breaking point for the sake of her duties. Yet she was also shy, clumsy at expressing her emotions, and possessed the most wonderful smile when she was actually having fun.

Without even realizing it, I had fallen for her.

Even though I knew I never should have.

Carrying the three of us and my heavy realizations, the Vuitol glided effortlessly through the high summer sky.