*Guguugugu* – The rumbling sound that you won't be able to hear
anywhere else outside resonates inside the wooden body of the carriage.
The carriage is running on bare ground and grass, unlike with the paved
roads that can be found in the city, and the uneven surface causes it to shake
and transmit the vibrations into our bodies.
We're currently inside a rented carriage.
I'm trying to distract myself looking at the blue skies outside the small
window each time the carriage shakes to not let the dizziness get inside my
head.
Especially… from the person who's sitting in front of me who just keeps on
giggling with [fufufufu]… Hey, did you seriously laugh just now?
[Oyaa~ since you've reunited with Emmy-chan, haven't you been quite
tamed, Russell?]
[I'll hit you.]
[Why don't you show me if you can?]
…Ofcourse I can't. It's because the [Holy Knight] Emmy is firmly putting
me in place.
I believe my physique isn't that bad, but even if I give it my all, she will not
even budge.
And this strength is precisely the reason why we know we can rely on her
as a party member.
However.
This and that are different things.
[Emmy, can you loosen your hold for a bit?]
[Uhhh…. Sorry, it's just that, I can't get used to this…]
It doesn't matter how high tier a class someone gets, they will always be the
very same person they are inside.
Emmy, who isn't that good with vehicles, has been clinging to me like this
all this this time.
Perhaps I can let her keep this up for some more time. It's not that I hate it.
[…Ehehe…]
[Ah, don't you think that Emmy-chan is just actually fine and just trying to
get this chance to get close to Russell? Just a random guess.]
[Guh!]
You said 'Guh!' literally just now, right? It's my first time hearing someone
actually say that though.
[A,hahaha…]
[Emmy.]
[Hahi…]
I sigh and use my free left hand and gave Emmy's head a chop. I'd like to
note that I didn't hold back even in the slightest.
It even made a crisp sound upon hitting her but Emmy's just like:
[…Ehehehe, I've been chopped.]
[You're really sturdy and tough huh…]
Looks like this is the only reaction I can get from the one who is meant to
protect me, a mage, huh.
Yareyare… The defensive blessing of that Goddess really is something. I
miss the days when we fought with wooden swords and this little girl
wasn't even able to, not even once, win.
[AH! How could it be so hot! It's just too freaking hot! Even though we
aren't heading to the 'Country of Burning Sands'!]
[Can you either stop shaking this damned carriage or just shut up?]
[How awful of me!]
Starting to join in acting as cheeky as she can be is Sybilla sitting in front of
us while grinning mischievously.
If I recall correctly, isn't she recently officially registered as mage with
level… 21, right? Her actual level might be higher right now though…
Anyway, she's still be my adventuring senpai.
But Sybilla's real identity is someone who has a pair of beautiful black
wings behind her back and is someone who governs the dusk. A real
Goddess in flesh. The Dusk's Goddess, Sybilla.
It's really annoying even though she is someone whose beauty is as
befitting as a Goddess… even though she has the ability needed as a
Goddess.
How can she be so disappointing? Really…
[…Russell, you don't ever really hold anything back, huh…]
[No? Didn't you realize it before yourself?]
[Don't you feel any sympathy towards me? Towards Sybilla-chan who's a
world class beauty free from all blemish and full of purity!?]
It seems like that girl in front of me isn't the Sybilla I know.
Uhum. Doesn't resemble even a single bit.
[I'll be the one hitting you!]
[Then I'll gladly send dark magic on to you.]
[There's no way dark magic will work on Sybilla-chan, though? We're of
the same attribute after all.]
Well… I guess I can expect at least that much from a real goddess, huh.
[Mou… Russell is starting to get flirty with Sybilla-san again…]
[Doesn't appear like that to me though.]
[…how envious…]
I know this is Emmy being herself but how am I supposed to respond to
her…
I'm a [Saint] who's been in a party with Emmy before.
However, I was eventually got expelled from the party as I cannot use any
offensive magic.
A lot of things happened after then… But I met Sybilla and offered to her 4
levels of my Saint class to receive the class of Dusk Magi which allowed
me to use dark magic and become the Black Eagle Saint.
The one who gave me that new name, in a sense, is my biggest savior.
She probably thinks I'm the one who saved her though.
But that sort of relationship isn't that bad either.
[You've been thinking about something, Russell?]
[N? Yep. I'm thinking if Brenda's doing alright.]
[…I see. It's Victoria-san's daughter so she will definitely be fine. She'll
probably grow up more reliable than you.]
[You're right. She'll probably grow more reliable than you too.]
We chuckled after such exchange. When it comes to the little girl Brenda,
Sybilla loses her teasing temper and let her eyes show how truly she is
gentle.
I've always felt very close to this girl named Sybilla. That's why no matter
how much she angers and irritates me, I'll never be able to actually hate her.
We've only met for a few days but that was enough for us to naturally
develop and call each other as partners.
That's how I see her, not as the Dusk's Goddess, but as my adventuring
senpai, Sybilla.
The carriage starts to uncontrollably shake once again and so is Emmy
clinging on to me.
….Why does it feel like she's holding me into place as well so I won't
shake with the carriage and get dizzy too? Don't tell me that's really the
case?
If that's true, then… mentioning it myself is kind of lame.
Hm… I'm enjoying this peaceful time after that continuous fighting.
I don't really have one like Sybilla but it feels nice being able to spread
your wings once in a while.
I've gotten use to this feeling of shaking after a bit longer and it started to
feel like I've been being cradled as I get sleepy.
I didn't fight back against the drowsiness and let my self fall asleep. And
even if the shakiness woke me up sometimes, it eventually lets me sleep
again.
It happened again and again and again until I started to notice something
strange.
[…What…is this feeling?…]
I woke up Emmy who is sleeping as well beside me. I hit her should and
she uttered an 'n…' as she looked at me with drowsy eyes.
[Emmy, wake up.]
[...…..!]
She opened her eyes wide then moved away from me reflexively.
I wasn't even able to say anything when she just blushed immediately.
…Uhm, you see… I don't think that's how you should react though… Now
it's kind of embarrassing for me too…
[So innocent, aren't we?]
A sly voice came over suddenly making me and Emmy look from that
direction in surprise just to see Sybilla grinning staring at us full of
curiosity.
[What more can I expect from the yearning of a childhood friend? You
really are the cutest, osananajimi-chan. You're making full use of your
chances, no? Keep working hard.]
[…As if I can accept those words from my rival. Not to mention in front of
Russell…]
I… I see…
Perhaps…I should start to get used with how delicate girls can be…
[…No. that's not it. Don't you feel something's amiss?]
[Something?… ah, do you mean that smell?]
I started to notice it after hearing what Sybilla said. It's a scent that I
haven't smelled before.
And Emmy is as surprised as me too.
[Ye-yeah…. I wonder what's this strange scent…]
[Then, let me ask one more thing to the both of you.]
Sybilla looks happy as she raises her eyebrow then started to put her finger
on to her nose and the palm of other hand behind her ears.
[Have you noticed anything else?]
That pose is just basically saying that it's something we should hear.
I haven't heard anything else but the sound of 'gugugu' since earlier
though…
[–ah]
By the time I actually became aware of it, Emmy's voice had already
leaked.
Something like… a sandstorm? I can hear something loud…
However, the sound gets louder then after a moment, it becomes softer…
As Emmy and I look at each other, Sybilla suddenly burst into laughter.
[Nn~ Iyaa~ it really is fun seeing the reactions from people of the
countryside after going out.]
[Oi, Sybilla. Isn't it time for you to give us the answer?]
[Ah, don't worry. The answer will soon reveal itself.]
The carriage has stopped the same moment Sybilla said it.
I'm sure we've arrived at the gates of a city.
After a short while, the door of the carriage opened.
Then, a strong breeze of wind came over and along with it… is that strange
smell.
However, the biggest surprise for us was—
[It's been a while… It's the sea!]
The scenery of the never-ending blue waters laid in front of me.
The new base of our activities.
The place called [Port City of Seiris]
What Sybilla chose is the city residing next to the seas.