In front of me is a vast scenery of blue waters shining as it reflects the light
of the sun. How mysterious…
[…This… are all of these really water?]
[No-no, that shouldn't be the case… Right, Russell? That shouldn't be the
case, right?]
Sybilla then starts to laugh at both of us who are from the countryside.
[Ahahaha! That's quite a show. That's really the case, both of you. It is I
you said, everything that's in front of you is water. A large body of water
containing lots of salt surrounding the lands and continents. That's what the
sea is.]
Me and Emmy can't help but get shock after hearing what Sybilla said as I
look once again into what was I originally thought of as a bigger lake.
[Oh by the way, the world is mostly composed of wide seas. If you'll ask
me what might be wider than the land or seas, then I have to say that lands
only reside in the middle of the seas.]
[You aren't… kidding, right…]
[Ofcourse. I don't mean to fool around this time and that's just the plain
truth. The land people inhabit had always been small. Nonetheless, if I have
to compare this whole land where the kingdom resides, I can still say that
the continent over the other side of the seas is several times bigger.]
Se-several times!?
How am I suppose to believe all of that.
[You must be kidding. It's the kingdom, duchy, and the empire we're
talking about… Just imagining how much the land is needed to travel from
Hammond to the empire is already unimaginable.]
[You've been to Hammond as well right, Sybilla-san? The kingdom is much
bigger than that city so having a land that we can't even see being bigger
than that is just impossible.]
Sybilla just faced us without saying anything while her eyes appeared to be
looking somewhere far away while keeping both of us under her stare.
As she brushes her hair with the beautiful scenery of the sea behind her
back, the goddess whose hair is now dancing along with the sea breeze,
declared a single truth in front of us.
[What I mean is… This is just how wide the 'real world' that you guys
haven't seen.]
Those words made its way into my heart and it made me realize that what
we are saying is the only thing we believe in.
I see… What she means is that the world isn't just this big.
I've been with Vince, Emmy, and Jannet ever since I was a kid. There's
Gemma-baa-san and Fredrica-san too.
They were everything in my world with each of them having their own
individualities together with Fredrica-san's always delicious dishes.
I've always thought that I'm happy enough with just all of them around me.
When we went to the city, I was then taught of how small was the world I
used to live in. Not even everyone in the village where I was born and
raised knew my name. Obviously, it's much worse in Hammond where we
got our classes from in the Goddess' Selection Ceremony.
Forget the name. I think people don't even remember my face.
On top of that, Hammond isn't the biggest city in the world. In fact, it's
rather small compare to others.
After being brought here in Seiris by Sybilla and got the opportunity to look
at the sea, I get this strong feeling that it tells me how small of the world
we, humans, are all living in.
The truth is the world is just wider, bigger, and larger, than what I had ever
imagined.
[You know-]
Sybilla then spread both of her two arms and receives the breeze with her
whole body.
[When we people reminisce or deeply think of our worries… Don't you feel
like those things are just so insignificant compared to the seas? That's what
I think and the reason I love it.]
The wind continues to blow making her jacket flutter and her silver hair
bathing under the light of the sun sparkle.
And behind that hair is a face as clear as the sky without any signs of
cloudiness.
I stare at Sybilla when Emmy suddenly jumps forward beside her.
It appears that I'm not the only who's caught off guard as Sybilla looks
bewildered too. Emmy then stretches both of her arms as well and let
herself get bathed on the winds.
[Waa—————–!]
And then… she shouted.
Emmy suddenly started to shout towards the sea. That's a surprise.
As I was still not able to get over by Emmy's sudden impulse, I saw Sybilla
looking quite happy as she raises the corner of her lips into a smile as she
looks at Emmy.
Emmy turned around towards my direction looking satisfied after
screaming her lungs out.
[…un! Perhaps I love the seas too!]
It seems that something inside her came out along with her voice as it
seems that the shadow lurking behind her has shrink and her face started to
become more radiant.
[N~! You're really cute, aren't you, Emmy-chan! Ah, I now want a little
sister like you!]
[Kyaa! Sybilla-san…!?]
Sybilla appears to be really happy as she hugs Emmy while patting her
head.
Emmy looks confused at first but then she stars to get comfortable under
Sybilla's touch. Oh. Now they really look like good sisters.
[…Russell, do you want to squeeze in?]
[Who'd want to.]
As if I could ever do such an embarrassing thing. Emmy said [eh?] while
looking disappointed for some reason but I will never squeeze myself in
between the two of you.
…Don't you dare think I won't resist if you force me to.
Anyway… The seas, huh.
I look towards the waters as well and try to receive the winds.
The sun light is pretty strong but it still feels refreshing because of the sea
breeze.
It somehow feels nice.
–Really.
It really is vast and wide…
[Russell, will you not be doing the arms too?]
[I won'—oouh]
A big gust of wind came all of a sudden and my robe starts to flutter.
Compared to the other two, aren't my clothes easier for the winds to blow
away!?
As I'm trying my best to resist the winds, I suddenly get the feeling that the
winds aren't pushing me back anymore and I can now stand firmly.
I look towards Emmy who is holding me.
[Are you alright, Russell!?]
[Ah. Yep… That saved me. Thanks.]
[You're welcome! Ehehe, I was able to immediately protect Russell.]
Why does Emmy look so Happy? I don't think saying my gratitude for
saving me is enough for one's face to slacken though.
Or so I was thinking when starts to look to get serious and stares daggers on
me.
[I will never ever let Russell get a scratch, even if it's just your hair or
finger, I will definitely protect you!]
[I don't think hair can even get a scratch though…]
I wonder what pushes Emmy so far but what's important for me is that her
face isn't as foggy anymore and she is now as lively as usual.
[…Nee~ Emmy-chan. How bold of you to embrace Russell in front of me
in this broad daylight, no?]
[Hahyun!?]
It only took a few words from Sybilla for Emmy's face to burn as red as fire
dragon and immediately let go of me.
It appears Sybilla can't take a hold of herself anymore as she starts to laugh
as well and hugs Emmy from her shoulders.
…Do your best, Emmy. That Goddess is the type who creeps her way to
anything she gets interested to.
…But still.
[–It really is big.]
I look back at the sea once again and immerse myself into it.
My life, my worries, and all of my troubles really feel so small when I
compare it to the sea.
It isn't as simple to describe but… The endless swaying of the water's
surface. Together with the roaring sound along with the other sensations it
give to my five senses. It feels like I'm being enveloped by all of its
grandeur…
Hm… It just occurs to me now but I really feel kind of thankful to be
brought in here.
…Did Sybilla consider all of this when she decided to bring me and Emmy
in this place?
If it is the case then I really can't say anything anymore on how Sybilla's
head works.
It's kind of hard to say but I am honestly grateful.
It seems Sybilla noticed my feels as she nods her head to me with a bit of
smile on her face before shrugging her shoulders and starts to chuckle a
little.
Umu. That kind of reaction really suits you better, Sybilla-senpai.
We started to look around the city of Seiris with Sybilla taking the lead.
There are a lot of things that we have seen for the first time so we can't help
but stare on it for a little longer. It's kind of obvious to the people around
that we are indeed country bumpkins, I think.
[Ah, are you perhaps worried on how do you appear to people from staring
around too much? Seiris is a commercial city so it is common to see people
who do the same so you don't have to be bothered.]
[It's kind of obvious for you to notice too, huh. But if that's the case,
then…]
Then I won't hold back and take a closer look at the things I am interested
too then.
Unlike me, Emmy isn't interested from other people's gazes and proceeds
to look at things she is curious about without hesitation.
And as I let my eyes wander, a certain thing caught my attention. I can feel
that its gaze is on me as well.
[…What's that red sloppy thing?]
[Wawawaaa–! Russell, it definitely looks like some kind of monster…]
The store owner appears and touch the bizarre creature and then it started to
change its shape.
There's no mistaking it. That surely is a monster.
But why is a monster being sold in a commercial place like this?
Sybilla is looking at us with a grin on her face.
…She definitely knows something about it. She's the one who leads us into
this city so it's impossible for her not to know everything in this place.
We move on from the vibrant market place and is now standing in front of a
square white building.
It's definitely a beautiful luxurious inn.
Sybilla show our adventurer's tag towards the receptionist where he
extracted the information and payment stored in them using magic.
The adventurer's guild seems to have a deposit and pay system but I don't
use it. However, Sybilla seems otherwise.
[『Dusk's Oath』Party, for three people, correct?]
[ Yes. Give us your best room, preferably, at the top floor. Thanks.]
[Understood.]
We've been guided towards what appeared to be their best room and after
entering it… What we found inside a is a very spacious room with
luxurious furniture and a very large window where the whole city can be
seen at.
It feels perfect to watch the city from here.
[Well then, I'll be starting to explain what are the things we will be doing.]
It's finally the time for her to reveal why we've come here in Seiris.
As Me and Emmy's nervousness gets higher awaiting for Sybilla's answer
—
[First and foremost! We'll stroll and eat around the city of Seiris!]
–the nervousness has vanished together with the unexpected answer.
…Am I wrong to think that this girl chose this place for my sake or
something like that but she just actually wants to enjoy some sightseeing
instead?
If that's the case, even if whether it is true or not, in the end, this all feels
like Sybilla-like and the good things about her.
But hey, if you really intend to just enjoy some sightseeing – then we better
enjoy it to the fullest!