By Zephyria 
It was truly time to send Ruben off.
The hour was past the point where “early morning” held any meaning. The laborers had finished loading their burdens, and the Knights, all waiting for Ruben, stood ready, gripping their reins. Ruben, having confirmed the party was prepared, lightly stepped onto a higher platform.
It was the moment Ruben was about to give a speech, as always when addressing a large group.
“Here, to greet the proud Knights of Withrow….”
“…Huh?”
One sharp-eyed Knight lifted his head. Then, all the Knights looked in the same direction. I too raised my gaze to the sky high above. A giant shadow covered the villa, the land, and the wide grassland.
It was a Wyvern, again.
However, most of the people present were Sword Masters. Fifty Knights of Withrow would hardly be scared of a few Wyverns. Several tearing sounds pierced my ears. Without exchanging a single glance, everyone drew their swords as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I too rushed onto the platform and stood beside Ruben. I counted the shadows.
There were a total of… Wyverns.
…Seven.
[Wait.]
Just as I was about to leap, I stopped. Several others who had drawn their swords staggered, losing their balance. The gusts of wind created by the wingbeats of several Wyverns, each the size of a mansion, sent fragments of trees from the villa’s garden scattering and toppling.
The God of Records, strolling out of the mansion, placed a hand on the snout of the Wyvern that had landed foremost.
“…What is all this?”
“You planned to run all the way to the Yuil Mountains? That’s a human way of doing things. We’re going to ride these.”
…I almost drove away more innocent beings.
Watching the God of Records pet the Wyvern as if it were a dog, I was stunned. The sight reminded me of the shark that had fled after I beat it up. It was a great relief that everyone stopped before I had a reason to feel sorry.
Seven. Such massive magical beasts, why would we need one per person? Then again, the Oasis Cultist had used Sandworms as mounts before, and only two rode at a time. Even the Sun God seemed to prefer walking on his own two feet, but… one never knows.
The Wyvern I had seen before was pitch black, as if dipped in ink, but today they looked like the Silver Race in front of the Second Prince’s Palace. All of them were white and beautiful.
“Mom… I think I picked the right line…”
Unlike Boulder, who was weeping with emotion, the Goblin whose leash he held was struggling as if it were dying. Mage Boulder didn’t spare a glance at the Goblin, as if his cherished pet was a thing of the past.
Seeing his dazed state, I felt like playing a prank and casually asked,
“Are these females or males?”
I had said the wrong thing. Five Knights rushed to stop Mage Boulder, who had prostrated himself on the ground, intending to crawl under the Wyvern. Only after hearing Hugh Benson’s reprimand, telling him not to anger the Wyverns and lose his chance to ride one, did Boulder calm down. His stubbornness was immense, and it took a great deal of effort.
Originally, I had planned to let Ruben’s party depart first and follow later, but the plan changed.
The horses were greatly frightened by the Wyverns’ gaze. Whether they were warhorses or ordinary steeds, they buried their heads in the ground and trembled, refusing to move.
It seemed I had to leave first.
“Well then….”
As I turned to say goodbye, Ruben grabbed me by the collar.
I was too surprised to stop him.
Ruben, who had planted a kiss on my lips in front of dozens of Knights, pulled away with a smile.
“Have a safe trip, Mika. I’ll be waiting.”
“B-but….”
“It’s fine if you return as a hero, but it’s also fine if you don’t. Just come back alive. Don’t put anything strange in your mouth… I love you.”
“…I… love you too.”
“Yes. I know.”
After a long, very long moment of consideration.
I also kissed Ruben briefly.
I was aware that I was doing something embarrassing in front of others, but since Ruben wasn’t hiding his feelings, I felt it would be impolite for me to shy away.
Though our lips only touched briefly and lightly, the child seemed immensely satisfied.
Laughter, whistles, and applause could be heard from among the Knights. My flushed face burned. But it was alright. I took in Ruben’s reddened ears and the gentle curve of his eyes.
“I’m leaving.”
“Yes, go safely.”
We exchanged the same farewell several times.
Even after finally letting go of the child’s hand, I kept wanting to look back. I didn’t hold back and looked back a few times. Ruben kept smiling, but once I stood beside the Wyvern’s wing, he stopped smiling.
I climbed onto the Wyvern’s back as instructed by the God of Records.
I sat a hand’s width behind the junction of its neck and back, gripping the sparse, coarse mane. The beast was so large that Ruben and the Knights standing below looked as small as fingernails. I waved at them, and they waved back.
The moment all seven of us had mounted our Wyverns and settled in.
Flap, all the Wyverns spread their wings in unison. In an instant, the ground was far below. I looked down for a long time until Ruben was no longer visible, then turned my gaze forward.
The high mountain range ahead was blacker than the land below. I pressed myself close to the Wyvern’s back to receive less of the fierce wind.
Once at a certain altitude, the Wyverns stopped flapping their wings. They spread their wings wide and rode the wind. They looked like seagulls floating over the sea or eagles circling over the fields.
The continent viewed from high above was indeed not much different from what I had seen in textbooks.
To the left was a desert swept by sandstorms, and to the right were fields covered in green land. I could see fields cultivated in neat rows, and low hills dotted with reservoirs. But what was most astonishing was the distant, very distant, towering mountain range.
It was high when seen from below, and it remained so when seen from above.
Born as a human, would I ever have another chance to look down upon the world from such a height? Was this what it felt like to be a god looking down? The rising sun in the east appeared incredibly close. I felt as if I could grasp the clouds drifting overhead.
The Wyvern carrying the God of Records took the lead, and my Wyvern closely followed behind.
Several other Wyverns trailed behind them.
We crossed the highest peak of the Yuil Mountains just like that. What kind of enemy would we defeat now?
With how I felt, I could probably defeat a Heavenly Demon if asked.
❖ ❖ ❖
Two years passed.
“What’s today’s date?”
“It should be… around the beginning of September.”
“September, the 5th.”
Beyond the Yuil Mountains, the seasons were irrelevant, so only a few of us could accurately keep track of the dates. Mage Boulder and the God of Records. If you nudged either of them and said “date,” they would immediately tell you the current month and day.
If I had to say who was more useful, it was undoubtedly the God of Records.
“And Ruben?”
“He’s very healthy today, full of vigor. He’s living well. Do you know this is the fourth time you’ve asked today?”
“I know.”
It was a truly useful talent.
Slimes covered the ground up to my waist. If I were to cut through all of them with my sword, I would get stuck in their viscous fluid, so I pushed my way through the gaps between the slimes.
As I cleared the path, the others followed behind like ducklings trailing their mother.
“What do these guys eat to get so big… Wow, this one is lemon-colored. Doesn’t it look delicious?”
“Do you have the leisure to admire the scenery right now?”
“What else can I do? It’s right in front of my eyes.”
Leon laughed at Hugh’s scolding and slapped a slime. With a squelching sound, the wobbling slime slithered away a hand’s length.
Perhaps because so much affection, both good and bad, had accumulated, everyone who had suffered together had become somewhat presumptuous. They called each other by name without hesitation, and even addressed the God of Records as “Hey, you.”
If there were an Academy in the Yuil Mountains, these guys would be my classmates.
…It was a thought that insane.
Benjamin’s expression and demeanor, as he listlessly pushed through the slime clumps, carried the weight of thirty years of mining. When nothing came out no matter how much he rummaged, he looked up at the sky. He briefly watched the black clouds drifting lazily across the purple sky, unseen south of the Yuil Mountains, then sighed, took a breath, and continued clearing the path. My feet sank into the slime’s fluid, making each step arduous.
“Hah….”
“If you get tired already, God, what are we going to do? Shall I carry you again?”
“Yes, carry me, carry me.”
“Is this the right direction? Are we going to come up empty-handed again?”
“I told you, it’s right. I definitely left one here before.”
“Sigh.”
Hugh Benson let out a sigh and tapped Elvin’s forearm. Elvin, without hesitation, grabbed the God of Records and placed him on his back.
The God of Records, who had been energetic enough before crossing the summit of the Yuil Mountains, often appeared tired after crossing into the northern part of the range. When asked why, he would sigh heavily and lament that it was because he was a god outside his domain. He claimed the Magic Territory was a place of chaotic records, making him dizzy and disoriented. Well, I supposed that was possible.
Mage Boulder, on the other hand, grew healthier by the day.
“Wow! Wait, just a moment. I’ll just pick this up.”
“What is it this time?”
“Kkokko found mushrooms. He says these are edible.”
“You can’t just eat whatever goblins can eat, you know…”
Once, out of curiosity, I checked his pulse. I was surprised to see his Qi and blood were much stronger and thicker than during his Academy days. He claimed the Mana he encountered now was purer than the contaminated Mana of the continent. Since other Knights and Mercenaries felt no significant difference, it seemed to be something specific to Wizards.
And as for me.
“There, over there. That’s the one we need to catch.”
“Wow, another Owlbear. Go Mikael.”
“Gooooo!”
“…Am I doing this alone? I’d get better if I tried catching things like this sometimes.”
“No, Owlbears just seem to be your specialty, Mikael. Being able to seal their movements with Sword Energy is just too effective.”
“You can do it, strength!”
I had become quite adept at defeating monsters that harbored fragments of the Ninth God.