Chapter 18

After writing a letter to explain the situation to her younger sister Emma and welcoming the next morning, Viela was to ride Albertina with Lukas...

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

In the air above the duke's mansion, Viela clung to Lukas's back and screamed.

Just a few seconds ago, she had believed him when he said, “Tina is strong, so she can fly steadily. Don’t worry,” and “The view from the sky is beautiful,” and was excited about being so close to a person of the opposite sex, but that feeling vanished in an instant.

Even though she was connected to both Lukas and Albertina with a belt, the seat was so unstable that she felt she would fall if she let go, and the height was so new and frightening that she couldn’t enjoy the scenery. The wind pressure from being behind Lukas was also incredibly strong. Viela could only cling to him desperately.

“Viela, do you want to land?”

“N-no, no! We should stay like this! We don’t have much time!”

Time was limited. She couldn’t afford to waste it and fail to meet her father.

With this resolve, she answered, her voice trembling.

“Then I’ll fly in a way that allows for more breaks. Tina!”

“Kyur!”

“L-let’s go—△〇×◇!?”

She couldn’t even scream anymore. Viela put all her strength into the arms she had wrapped around Lukas.

After a while, when her strength began to wane, the flight became smoother as if they had caught a stable air current. Viela finally had some breathing room and managed to reach the first rest point safely.

In the middle of the forest, supported by Lukas, Viela dismounted Albertina and sat down against a tree, exhausted.

“Are you okay, Viela?”

“Somehow... The divine beast knights who can ride calmly in the sky are truly amazing.”

In battle, they would also perform maneuvers and hold a sword in one hand. For Viela, who could barely manage to ride, the admiration was overwhelming. It was no wonder that divine beast knights were highly valued and revered.

“That’s true. I had forgotten how difficult it is for ordinary people. I’m sorry.”

Lukas’s brows drooped sadly. Viela felt even more apologetic towards her ever-so-kind fiancé.

“No! I’ve gotten used to it, so I think I’ll be fine now!”

“Your face says otherwise. How about riding in front of me next time? I can support your body with one arm, which should help you maintain your balance. The wind might be stronger, though...”

The casual suggestion of being held made Viela’s heart race, but the thought of stronger wind made her hesitate.

(Should I prioritize stability and endure the wind pressure, or reduce the wind pressure and endure the instability... I can’t compare without experiencing it, can I?)

Viela steeled herself and decided to go with Lukas’s suggestion.

When they mounted Albertina again, his arm wrapped around her stomach. She was pulled closer to fill the small gap, and her back pressed against Lukas’s chest. To keep her from sliding sideways, he also narrowed his legs, supporting her thighs from the outside. The closeness was more than she had imagined, and her mental stability plummeted in inverse proportion to her physical stability.

“Then, we’ll fly a bit longer this time.”

His good voice rang in her ear, adding to her tension. Before she could regret her choice, they were back in the sky. The strong sensation of floating made her flinch, and she wanted to reach out for something to hold onto, but there was no back to grab.

“Hii!”

A pitiful sound escaped her lips. In response, the arm around her stomach tightened.

“I won’t let you fall. Once we gain a bit more altitude, it will stabilize. Just hold on for ten seconds.”

“Y-yes!”

“Count slowly.”

She counted ten seconds in her mind to distract herself. As she counted, one, two, three—when she reached ten, Albertina’s wing movements became smoother, and she glided through the air like a paper airplane.

The wind was as strong as he had said. It was so strong that she couldn’t open her eyes without goggles, but with Lukas supporting her, she no longer felt anxious. She relaxed.

“You did well. How is it, front or back?”

“It’s much better this way!”

She turned her head to make herself heard, but their faces were closer than she had expected. She quickly turned back to face forward.

“Then, from now on, Viela will ride in front.”

It felt a bit embarrassing to turn her head again, so Viela nodded vigorously in response.

The fear of flying had subsided, but her newfound ease led her to think about other things. The strong arm around her stomach, the large hand on her side, the broad chest supporting her back, the long, toned legs pressed against her thighs, and the sweet, quality voice that made her eardrums tingle... Her heart beat wildly, not from fear but from tension.

(No... My heart is fluttering on its own! Am I too simple? The engagement is a contract, so I need to eliminate unnecessary emotions!)

She thought this, but there was no place to run in the sky. To prevent Lukas from tightening his arms and making her even more intimate, she focused on calmly looking at the scenery and distracting herself.

“We’ll stop moving for today. Tina’s stamina is also decreasing, and Viela needs to rest.”

As they approached the fourth rest stop just before evening, Lukas informed Viela. They were in the middle of the forest, and they would camp here.

“Please rest, Sir Lukas. Or take care of Lady Tina. I’ll prepare the camp.”

“Alright. If it gets too difficult, let me know.”

“Yes!”

Viela spread out the supplies she had prepared with Duchess Hermine and started preparing dinner. She set up a fire pit and used a magic tool to start the fire. She laid out a grate and placed a pot with pre-cut ingredients.

While the soup was simmering, she planted four magic stone-tipped staffs around the campsite, charged the magic stones with power, and cast a barrier. The barrier wasn’t very strong, but it would buy enough time to escape if wild animals or bandits attacked. With Lukas and Albertina, there was no need to worry, but she wanted to ensure they could rest as much as possible.

She then strung a rope between trees to create a simple roof, inflated a balloon bed under it, and activated a vibration device that emitted a sound only insects could hear, placing it next to the bed to complete the sleeping arrangements.

The soup was ready, and she called Lukas, who was giving Albertina water from a nearby stream, for dinner. He relaxed and looked around the small campsite as he ate the soup and bread.

“It didn’t take long, but the food is delicious, and the sleeping arrangements and barrier are perfect. You’re very efficient. Did you have some training somewhere?”

“From the Yubert territory to the capital, it usually takes a week by carriage. Since there are no inns in remote areas, camping is essential. My father taught my sister and me survival camping every year since we were young. We were poor, so we learned how to survive with minimal equipment.”

“Your education covers estate management, camping skills, and even admission to the capital’s magic academy. I shouldn’t underestimate the viscount’s family.”

“Hehe, it’s not that big of a deal. I have experience with night watch, so we should take turns. Which half of the night do you prefer?”

“You’re very reliable. I’ll take the second half. I’ll take a longer shift, so feel free to switch early. I’ll leave the first half to you.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of it.”

They decided on the night plan and resumed their meal. Lukas’s eating was pleasant to watch, and as the cook, it made her happy.

He asked, “Can I have seconds?” with a slightly upward glance, which made him look cute despite being older, and tugged at her eldest sister’s heart.

(Sir Lukas is amazing, but he’s kind of the youngest in some ways. I just want to take care of him.)

By thinking of him as a complete family member—like a younger brother—the lingering nervousness from earlier subsided.

Viela didn’t notice the slightly dissatisfied gaze and welcomed the rising moon.