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The Palmian Kingdom. October, 64 A.U.
Project Valfreyja
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"Do you even understand how stupid that was!? If it were anyone else doing it, I'd rather let them die. But YOU are not just anyone! If something happened to you..."
Ames's little mischief gained him a chewing from Captain Lyto for hour ends. Ames just dejectedly agreed with whatever Lyto said, even if he only had a little to say, and just looped it repeatedly.
"Do you have no limit in what spell you can pull!? Wait, of course, you have, it's your tiny mana pool~. Does that mean you can do anything as long as you're connected to an external mana pool?"
On the other hand, Prof. Vent was more than excited to see Ames's little stun. After extensive research in the conception stage of Vawln, Vent was the person who theorized non-mages limited magicabilities even with external boost.
Complicated spells that needed high-level mages to cast were a clear line non-mages couldn't break through. But before Vent's research, people believed non-mages could cast simple spells with help from external mana sources.
Her test also concluded that something like a magic armor, which in practice is only layers upon layers of simple and small magic, is also too much for non-mages. Her theory applied to every non-mage she tested, except for the boy in Humanity Allied Fighting Force, Ames.
That was her reason to be so curious about Ames.
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Clearing the base, Valfreyja traveled at a more manageable speed. Going too fast would hinder the [hiding spell] effects. With no blame pinned on any group, being exposed in the open would be too much of a risk.
With normal traveling speed, crews are free to roam around the deck. Ames was trying to find comfort in the situation. He found himself standing on the deck.
Someone as young as Ames is inclined to focus on a smaller, closer problem than a bigger one that's further. An unknown group of elves had him as their target. His existence would likely be the trigger to start another World War. The boy's mind instead focused on how he couldn't fly with his armor.
The strong wind was not exactly comforting and without any seat, he was sitting on the deck floor. What he found comforting was how much sitting there felt like flying inside the Vawln.
"Enjoying the view? It's all blue, though. haha."
"Nensa! You're free?"
"I only handle you rowdy bunch, If no one's flying I'm not working."
"No, I mean, with Prof. Vent?"
"Oh, that... She's a bit too excited to work right now."
Nensa got down on her knee and then fell to her left side. She sat next to Ames on her left thigh while both her feet joined on her right side. She kept Ames who was sitting cross-legged company.
Ames continued his relaxation by shutting his eyelids and letting the winds blow on his face. Nensa smiled seeing the peaceful state Ames was in and followed on his journey of relaxation.
"This is nice."
"Yes, I like this."
Minutes passed without a word from both of them. The only sounds entering their ears were background noises. The low buzzing noise of the machinery inside of the fortress. The rustling aeolian sounds produced by the wind passing by which sounded to never rest. For both of them, that was simply the best.
"Heyo! Picknic on top deck, huh?"
"1st Lt. Pommeline! Um, we were... Relaxing, ma'am."
"Calm down, Ames~ I'm relaying captain's message. We're going to Misr."
It made sense. The young republic of Misr was the closest human country to the Palmian Kingdom. Some of Misr's land was even Palmian before they bought it to use for settlement.
"Let's hope nothing goes wrong and we arrive there tomorrow noon."
"Yes."
"Oh, by the way, thanks Ames. That shot saved me."
"Yes, ma'am!"
---
VWOoo..
Valfreyja Flying Fortress stopped before it reached its destination. The captain called for most of the crew to brief them on the situation.
"They denied our entry request," Lyto irritatingly claimed. "There's a surge of refugees trying to enter Misr from Palmia. 'We have too much on our hands, came back later.' was what they said to me. Those morons."
The screen behind him displayed a live feed from the border. A group of elves gathered around the border. Misr's officer pushed them around also denying their entry.
If they would just deny the refugees, then what got their hands full?
---
The sole Prince of the Palmian Kingdom, Deuvr, was the man behind the attack on Chason Base. Without using his father's strength, he created the "Palmian Liberation Army".
Their goal was to rid Palmian of foreign military forces. But their truest aim was the HAFF, a human who was not touched by the great power of magic. To most of their members, non-mages should not take arms against mages.
"Magic is a power given to protectors. We mages live to protect those who have no magic power."
"They were mages too. The pilots of Fulsts, weren't they? Are you saying they were protecting the other humans there?"
"Yes, that's why we need to reach them. We can protect non-mages together!"
"Calm yourself down, your Highness. We're at a war. Of course, it will be preferable to not shed more blood, but as it stands now, the world itself already passed that point for humans and elves."
"Nemo, you are smart. But you should never underestimate people's strength of bond. Once they know the truth, human mages will help us, I'm sure."
"Like our masked man over there?"
"Yes."
Nemo was a calm-mannered man. People found it weird that someone that close to a royalty and brought himself in such a manner would be an orphan found in the slums.
Being Prince Deuvr's closest friend, Nemo also joined the Liberation Army as their magic armor training consultant. Even with his background, his talent for magic overall was beyond any of his fellow elves. A couple of years prior, he was one of the few elves chosen to help develop the first magic armor ever in the Valzak Empire.
"Nemo, you sure it will be fine leaving the base to him?"
"Yes, Prince Deuvr. Our masked man is knowledgeable when it comes to humans', no, HAFF's tactics. Letting him take charge of our main force will be enough to win us that base. On the other hand, it also freed us to go and chase that flying fortress."
"That is true... I guess the least we can do is to stop the project at all costs."
"That is right, that is why we are going as fast as we can to Misr's border."