Chapter 19

The night watch was set on a rotation, and Lucash, who was assigned to the shift from midnight to dawn, prepared to go to sleep first.

When he lay down on the balloon bed, Albertina snuggled up right next to the bed, resting only her chin on it, like a parent bird protecting its young.

Though Lucash was actually the one who had raised her, he found Albertina's earnestness endearing and stroked her head, which was covered in soft feathers.

"Kururu"

"Tina, I'm counting on you tomorrow too."

"Kururu"

"Viela, make sure to wake me up when it's time. Don't overexert yourself either."

He also addressed his other travel companion, who was adjusting the fire of the campfire.

"Yes. As agreed, I'll wake you in four hours. Good night, Master Lucash."

"Good night."

After returning the good night greeting, Viela turned her back, sat down, and started reading a book. Lucash lay down, gazing at her back, and reflected on the day's events.

(Her shoulders are so narrow... No, she was indeed petite. And she was thinner than she looked. Women are such delicate creatures.)

He recalled the feel of Viela in his arms.

He had suggested a way to fly that would be less burdensome, but he was surprised by how small she was, fitting perfectly in one arm. Her body was so light that it felt like she could be carried away by the wind, and he had to tighten his grip on her arms and legs.

(Why couldn't I suggest that she ride in front from the beginning? It was foolish to have her ride behind me like a training exercise for a new knight. With her thin arms, it must have been difficult to hold onto my back and maintain her balance.)

Most of the young ladies he had encountered before were calculating, which had led him to develop a dislike for women and avoid them. He felt the consequences of this now.

Even though he had little experience with women, he realized he had been too inconsiderate.

Regret weighed heavily on his heart.

(Now that I think about it, I approached her without clothes in the square the other day. Since she let me stay at her apartment, I thought it was fine. But she is a young woman... I was inconsiderate. I'm relieved she didn't seem disappointed, but that's also complicated.)

He knew Viela had a nurturing personality and would take care of him if she saw an opportunity. Unlike a servant, she never tried to flatter him, and her gentle actions were comforting.

But he realized that her actions were motivated by seeing him as a "younger brother," which made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

(I don't want to show her any more of my uncool sides.)

His feelings were changing rapidly, like the rapidly changing environment.

From an interesting woman to a contract partner with mutual interests, then to a friendly acquaintance, and now to a close relationship like siblings. He stopped his thoughts there.

If he started thinking, he wouldn't be able to sleep. His intuition told him so.

To support Viela's flight the next day and ensure she wasn't anxious, he needed to rest. He changed his position and fell asleep, snuggling up to Albertina.

And in the middle of the night, it was time to switch shifts as agreed.

When Lucash handed over the balloon bed, Viela, rubbing her eyes, lay down. When he said "good night," she gave a small nod and quickly fell into a dream.

Her curled-up body looked like a small animal, and her sleeping face was very peaceful.

(She doesn't seem to be on guard at all... No, she must be tired from being tense during her first flight. I need to lead with more confidence.)

As a leader of the Divine Beast Knights, he had trained to always remain calm, and he had learned enough to be recognized by the previous leader. Yet, a vague, immature feeling resurfaced when it came to Viela.

He couldn't help but act childishly around her.

When he was drunk, he had claimed that he preferred independent women, but he didn't mind that Viela was an exception. He wanted to be relied on, as she had offered to help with the return home.

Her vulnerability made him want to protect her.

(To think she's trying to shoulder the responsibility of the head of the family with such a small body. Her face, nose, and lips are small, and even her nails... Everything about her is small, yet she's bold and energetic—she's really cute. I never get tired of looking at her, and it's fun to be with her, and...)

He even felt a desire to touch her.

With such clear emotions, he couldn't help but realize it. Lucash let out a small, bitter laugh.

(So this is what it feels like to be attracted to someone. In just ten days, I've fallen for Viela. My intuition is usually right, and Clement's dislike and my desire to monopolize Viela's attention are all part of this. I want her, all of her.)

He gently reached out and stroked the yellow-blonde hair spread out on the balloon bed. Then—

"Kururuu"

Though the volume was low, Albertina firmly scolded him, "Don't touch a lady who's sleeping!"

His partner griffin was proud and didn't easily let others into his heart, but Viela was an exception. Perhaps she had seen through his true nature before he did, thanks to their divine beast contract, which connected their spirits.

"Sorry. I'll be more careful."

Lucash shrugged and apologized to his partner, then turned and sat by the campfire.

(If I don't propose a divorce, we can stay together, but I'm not satisfied with just a contractual relationship. It's obvious that I won't let Clement have her, and I need to work on making Viela turn to me. Titles and money won't be much of a weapon with her. What should I do?)

He wanted to be a genuine, mutual fiancé. He wanted to be the first person she sought out naturally.

A fire ignited in his heart, like the campfire in front of him.

At sunrise, Viela woke up before Lucash could wake her.

"Good morning—ouch!"

Viela pressed her arms to her body as if hugging herself.

Lucash quickly rushed over, put his hand on her shoulder, and helped her sit up.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, just muscle pain. I was prepared for it before going to bed, but I was half-asleep and startled by the pain. But it's not bad enough to hinder our travel, so I'm fine!"

"Good to hear."

"By the way, I made a magical device last night that I want to try!"

Ignoring Lucash's concern, Viela got out of bed with a light step and took out two brooches with green stones from the cargo.

"It reduces the wind pressure, or rather, it deflects the airflow. It's a wind shield. If it's not a problem for Lady Tina, I want to attach it to the reins and try it out. Is that okay?"

"Reducing the wind would make me happy too, but did you make this during your watch last night? That's impressive."

"I just adapted the magic formula used in the balloon bed. It's manual, not automatic."

Viela laughed it off, but Lucash wasn't convinced.

Developing a magical device wasn't that easy. It required not only the content of the magic formula but also the material of the object to which it was applied and the affinity with magic power. Balancing the magic formula was also crucial.

It required a high level of skill, technique, and experience.

Admiring Viela's talent, Lucash attached the wind shield to the reins before they set off.

He then carried Viela in front of him, as he had done the day before, and took off into the sky. She didn't scream this time and looked straight ahead, with a focused expression, like a technician.

It was the first time he had seen her with such a determined look, and her sharp, light pink eyes drew him in.

"I'm activating the wind shield. Let me know if you feel any changes. I'll stop it."

"Got it."

When Viela infused the wind shield with magic power, the wind pressure was instantly reduced by half.

The difference was like that between a gale and a gentle breeze. Breathing became easier, and the effort to maintain balance was significantly reduced. When he checked with Albertina, she said there was a slight resistance and a drop in speed, but it wasn't a problem for normal flight.

Hearing this, Viela smiled in relief.

"I'm glad it meets the minimum requirements. This will reduce the burden on Master Lucash."

"Burden?"

"Well, even though you're well-trained, carrying a person for hours must be difficult. I'm already a burden to you, so I wanted to make it a little easier for you."

Lucash didn't feel burdened by carrying Viela, but her pure kindness was genuinely touching.

For a top knight and the son of a noble family, sincere consideration without ulterior motives was very precious.

The small, reliable presence in his arms felt even more precious.

"Viela, can I keep this wind shield?"

Lucash couldn't use magic due to his contract with the griffin, and the magic power stored in the magic stone was limited, so he couldn't use magical devices all the time.

But he wanted it.

"Sure, if you want the prototype."

"Thank you."

It was the first thing she had made for him. Lucash looked toward the direction of her hometown, determined to cherish both Viela and her creation.