Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Nana-ri no Kikōshi

Chapter 77: Launching Ceremony (part two)

When I noticed, I was a dragon.

……Or at least that was what I couldn’t help thinking from the view that was spreading before me.

 

Under the expanse of the sky which continued until the edge of horizon, ‘I’ turned swiftly while receiving the wind on ‘my’ wings.

It wasn’t only my sense of vision, but I could also feel the wind pressure struck my skin and wings, and hear the sound of the whirlwind.

Furthermore, I was still holding hands with Auguste on the deck of the aircraft carrier.

 

Surely, Auguste used the unusual power of Theurge, but—

What should I do, somehow the information flowing into my brain was too much for me to handle.

 

“Oops, sorry. I unintentionally transfer the entire thing.

I will reduce it a bit over to my direction.”

 

Along with Auguste’s words, the burden suddenly became lighter.

At the same time, the tactile and auditory senses of the dragon disappeared and only kept the visual information.

It felt like I was looking over the sky from a camera attached to a dragon.

In the meantime, the position of the camera gradually lowered backwards and became a viewpoint straddling the back of the dragon’s neck.

 

“How about now?”

“Waa……Auguste-sama!?”

 

In a position that embraced me from behind, Auguste was also sitting there.

It was like a two-seater ride on a horse.

I rode on top of the dragon unknowingly, but it didn’t feel like it, my hair and dress didn’t flutter at all.

Perhaps this ‘me’ and ‘Auguste’ were only images that were not substantive to make it easier for the senses to be muted.

 

“An ancient dragon in the sky above this city lent me his eyes.

It seems that he was the Throne of the King of the olden days, in other words my ancestor, and he missed that time terribly.

I cannot take you to ride on top of a dragon with the real body, but there is a method like this.”

“I think that this is very wonderful.”

“Let’s try to lower the altitude. Knot Reed seen from the sky is also beautiful.”

 

In the span of a few seconds, the dragon with our images on top rotated his body and moved in an inverted flight.

The dragon started a steep descent with a movement like diving into the sea of clouds through the back.

 

Piercing through a layer of thick clouds, the visibility became clear at once.

A beautiful jade-colored canal rings spread below us, forming a geometrical figure.

The irregularly arranged orange roofs, when viewed from above Knot Reed, seemed like crystals.

The way the large and small boats traveling through the canals and bays made me feel like I was currently looking into an elaborate machine.

The light of the lighthouse could be seen through the mist that was hanging over the sea in intervals.

Lots of wagons and people were crowding in the Town of All Kinds of Goods, and it seemed that it was also prospering today.

 

“Since this is a rare moment, take a look at whatever you like. I will focus it for you.”

“Yes.”

 

Prompted by Auguste, I concentrated on the visual information.

First of all, this.

Find a ship that stood out among the many ships floating in the bay.

The new aircraft carrier we were riding.

 

As if nestling close to the new aircraft carrier, another slightly smaller aircraft was beside it.

Compared to the old model, the new type seemed to be two or three times larger.

 

I could see myself and Auguste on the other side.

It was a strange feeling to see my own figure from the sky with my own eyes.

There were also the figures of Tirnanog and Palug at our feet.

I waved my hand reflexively, but when I thought about it carefully, the other side should only be able to see the dragon.

 

“Do you understand the trick?”

“Yes. Somehow.”

“That’s nice, so let’s try it quickly.”

 

I took a closer look at the city of Knot Reed as I was told.

After a few seconds of staring, the vision zoomed in to the distance at once as if I were right above the crowd of people.

Even if the time lag due to Auguste’s response was subtracted, the eyes of a dragon were frighteningly high-function.

 

I looked at Water Palace which was easy to find at the moment.

It was a beautiful building even from the sky.

Perhaps Harold’s father, Earl Nibelheim, was running around somewhere inside, but as expected I couldn’t see through the building.

In the square in front of the palace, the monks who seemed to live in the nearby church were playing with the neighborhood’s children.

 

I moved to the guild hall which was the next conspicuous building.

Bernhard, the notary public, was in the square in front of the guild hall and was stopping a horse-drawn carriage.

It seemed that the man who was steering the horse carriage was the elderly coachman who was said to be favored by Turm family.

When Bernhard got into the carriage, he removed his pince-nez and polished it with a cloth.

I couldn’t read the documents on his lap, but were they related to Earl Nibelheim as well?

 

As I kept following the canal, I arrived at Barker Street.

I saw a woman with red braid pursuing a barrel that seemed to have been thrown off balance.

She was the perfumer Bell that had scattered the bergamots before this.

The one that stopped the barrel was Gilbert who had something like a sandwich in one hand.

After the two gazed at each other for a while, Gilbert averted his eyes awkwardly.

I was somewhat curious about their speech, but as expected the dragon’s ears didn’t pick up voices.

 

At Crucible Street, I could see Harold who was in low spirits loitering in front of the wand store.

The store owner who was yawning as he came out to put up the sign while preparing found him.

The store owner pushed Harold’s back and invited him to the store with a somewhat gentle gesture even though he was frowning.

 

There were children meeting at the bridge between Crucible Street and Goblin Street.

Everyone had a fishing rod in their hands.

A lanky boy was waving his hand to get the others to come along, and they kept running while laughing.

 

In Crescent Moon Street two bridges away from Goblin Street.

Sergei, who was Harold’s acquaintance, was carrying a packed box of potions into a pharmacy-like store.

Speaking of which, he was a potion maker.

Sergei shrugged his shoulders with a strained laugh to the pharmacy’s shopkeeper’s gestures that looked as if he was gulping a beer mug.

 

Three girls in uniforms, who seemed to be the clerks of some sort of business, were buying some sweets by pooling their money together.

It seemed that the proprietress, who seemed to be a baked-confectionery seller, increased the number of the candies one for each of them as a service.

The girls were walking away while chatting after thanking the proprietress.

The cookies they got were in human shape, similar to the one I ate when I was given the magic lecture.

I wondered if that woman was the one called ‘Gizella-obasan’.

Gizella’s store seemed to be popular, and customers ranged from adults to children were constantly visiting.

 

In the miniature-like city, everybody’s livelihood was alive.

Since I was watching from the dragon’s point of view, everyone felt cute.

Just as I was thinking about such a thing, I could feel my head was becoming heavy again.

 

“……It seems that you will reach your limit soon. Take a deep breath.”

 

Auguste’s palm covered my eyes on the image.

In the darkness, I slowly took a deep breath.

I felt that I gradually returned to my own body, which felt far away.

I finally felt like I got my feet back on the ground.

 

When I opened my eyes, Auguste let me go in a relieved state.

The moment I was released, exhaustion suddenly washed over me.

Although I didn’t notice it when I was absorbed in the experience, it seemed that it was a considerable burden even when it was only the visual sense.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice that it was a burden on your body.”

“No, I’m happy that you have showed me something rare.

Auguste-sama always sees such a beautiful world, huh.”

 

When he heard my words, a proud smile showed on his face.

 

“Can you use this Theurge technique to be in complete control when you do it by yourself?”

“Well, if I am compatible with the dragon, I can share senses with them for hours.

It seems that I will be able to do something like what Professor did before long, but I haven’t actually experienced it personally.”

“Really.”

“But, it’s pretty difficult if it the other party is a human.

If the other party is not conscious of me, defenseless, and compatible—”

 

Auguste raised his right hand straight.

Then, ten people who were chatting on the deck raised their right hand at exactly the same timing.

 

“In this way, I can interfere with just a bit of action at a harmless level.

It’s difficult if the person is conscious of me or has a magic defense.

Since the compatibility is generally bad with the Visitor’s Clan, it seems that it is useless unless I use the power while in full contact with the person.

If even that doesn’t seem to work, I have to invite their spirit to my side.”

“I see……”

“It’s fine. You don’t need to worry, I won’t use this power for wrongdoings.”

“You don’t have the tendency to do such bad things.”

“Erica is kind, for you to have such faith in me.

Even if I look like this, I may be a devil, you know?”

“No, no, you’re a self-proclaimed angel, right?”

 

Towards my reply, Auguste burst out laughing.

While looking up at the cheerful prince, Palug who was at our feet looked happy.

 

“Oops, you must be tired, sorry for keeping you here for too long.

I will be the one to tell Sir Ernst, so you’d better take some rest in the cabin.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“You also come again~. Next time I’m going to pat you a lot, so prepare yourself, okay~?”

 

Auguste lifted Palug and tickled her under her chin.

Palug narrowed her eyes pleasantly in Auguste’s arms.

 

Auguste called a servant and asked him to guide us.

I took Tirnanog and Palug and left the deck behind.