Chapter 9
ONCE ALL THE CHILDREN HAD gotten aboard and were accounted for, the spirit airship began to move.
The children all gathered on the observation deck of the airship, their spirits buoyed as the sky rose to meet them through the viewing windows.
Not long thereafter, the spirit airship reached an altitude of thirty-two hundred feet.
Having come from a sylvan village utterly surrounded by trees, the clear and unobstructed view from the observation deck looked as if it were a different world. The children took in the sight of the sky which stretched far and wide into the horizon.
Then something unexpected happened.
While Mira was gazing out at the view before her alongside the children, a spirit rushed over.
“Lady Uzume, everyone, there’s an emergency. Please hurry to the stern of the ship,” the spirit whispered, careful to not have the children hear.
From the way the spirit had said it, it seemed as if some huge problem had come up.
“Gotcha. We’ll head over ASAP,” Kagura replied, stealthily heading toward the stern.
“Hrmm, I’ll go to.”
“Same here. I told Artesia to look after the children.”
Mira and her companions hurried to the stern alongside Kagura.
As they did, one of the boys noticed them and turned around saying, “Where are big bro and big sis going?”
“Oh, them? I think they’ve been waiting to use the restroom.”
“Ah, okay. I already went to the bathroom before, so I’m fine.”
“That was smart of you,” Artesia said as she gently patted the smiling boy’s head.
“It looks like some pesky foes have decided to make an appearance.”
“Why are they chasing us? I can sense a ton of hostility coming from them.”
“Yeah… That must be why.”
Seeing the emergency with their own eyes, the three smiled bitterly. Even cruising at an altitude of thirty-two hundred feet in an airship, something was following them.
It was none other than a cursed legion. They weren’t monsters, nor were they fiends. What they were was a collection of evil spirits—an extremely dangerous group that spread curses. It would be an absolute catastrophe if they managed to catch up to the airship. To make matters worse, brute force didn’t have any effect on evil spirits like a cursed legion.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have enough [Repel Spirit] to do anything about them.”
“Even with my techniques, I couldn’t exorcise all of them before they caught up with us…”
There were spells and items that were effective against evil spirits, but Mira and Kagura groaned that they didn’t have enough to take on such an unprecedentedly large group. The Spirit King and Martel also appeared to be gobsmacked, as it was their first time seeing such a vast multitude of evil spirits.
The swarm was being kept at bay by the spirits, but it was only a matter of time until they broke through.
“But where could such a huge host even come from…?” Kagura asked as she produced all the talismans she had, looking puzzled.
It was common knowledge that a cursed legion generally never left the spot from which they’d emerged. Something very unusual was going on, given the size of the host and the fact that they were pursuing the airship.
“Ah, yeah… It’s probably because of us,” Lastrada said, as if confessing.
He said the cursed legion were evil spirits from the Black Forest of the Dead.
“The area where our village was situated was protected by a holy barrier that Artesia had set up after purifying the area. But just as we thought all along, a place like that will eventually revert, even if purified. I guess we now know what happened when the place reverted.”
In short, the evil spirits had burst forth after the barrier lost containment. Now those spirits, which had been long been confined beneath the surface of the lake, had congregated and become a cursed legion. They had so much built-up malice and resentment that they were coming after Artesia and her companions.
At least that was Lastrada’s opinion.
“Oh dear. In that case, then I’ll have to take care of them.”
Mira and the others heard a voice from behind them say this as they wondered what to do. Turning around, they found Artesia.
“So you’re the ones I felt coming after the children, hmm?” she murmured.
The maternal kindness was all but gone from her eyes. In its place flickered a baleful light that reminded one of an angry mother bear. Artesia walked slowly toward the stern of the airship as Mira and her companions quietly huddled in the corner not to provoke her.
“In my left hand, behold love. And in my right, behold mercy. May the lost and wretched souls that I see feel my embrace.”
[Holy Arts: Luminous Current]
A light that seemed to blaze ten times brighter than the sun lit up the area behind the ship. Mira and the others squinted at first, then smiled grimly as they fully opened their eyes.
Even if Mira, Kagura, and Lastrada had put their powers together, it would likely have taken them several hours to completely exorcise the cursed legion. Artesia had completely eradicated the dangerous host of evil spirits with a single blow.
“Never should have targeted the children…”
“If they hadn’t done so, then Artesia never would’ve left the children’s side.”
Once again reaffirming what Artesia was capable of, Mira and Kagura looked out over the now cloudless stern, smiling at the reminder of just how dreadful she could be.
With the business with the cursed legion concluded, the spirit airship sailed smoothly through the sky. Unsure of who was navigating, Mira noticed that the airship wasn’t on a straight course for the Kingdom of Alcait.
Looking down at the changing scenery from above, the children excitedly asked about everything they were seeing. As this was happening, the airship slowed, and the children then all collectively raised their voices.
In front of the observation deck, they beheld the greatest waterfall on the continent.
“It is incredible, isn’t it?” Mira murmured while surrounded by the junior class as she looked out onto one of the foremost sightseeing spots on the continent.
The trip was supposed to be a simple flight to the Kingdom of Alcait, but it had become a sightseeing tour that included visits to several famous sites. They had wanted to show the children, who’d been secluded in a village deep in the forest, a glimpse of the wider world. Kagura had come up with this itinerary after hearing some suggestions from her comrades.
“And some of the sights seem to be ones we wanted to see as well.”
The spirit airship had only ever been used when they urgently needed to transport people or goods, but this time was different. The members of the Isuzu Alliance were now using this as an excuse to thoroughly enjoy themselves as well.
“And so, we’ll be arriving tomorrow afternoon.”
“Gotcha. All right then. We’ll get ready and await your arrival.”
Having used the communication device to let Solomon know when they’d be arriving, Mira headed to one of the rooms on the spirit airship. There she found Artesia, Lastrada, and Kagura already assembled.
It was late at night, and the children were exhausted after the excitement of the sightseeing tour and quickly fell asleep. Leaving the children in the care of the teachers and spirits, Mira and her companions reminisced and chatted fondly about old memories. The four talked long into the night about what they’d been up to and what they’d do from there on out. There was certainly a lot they wanted to discuss.
After a short rest, Mira awoke early and basked in the morning sun on the deck while she enjoyed a summer fruit au lait—a fruit-filled delicacy that’d been freshly harvested from the Forest of Four Seasons. It also had just the right amount of acidity for someone just waking up.
Still a touch groggy, Mira was greeted by a visitor as she gazed at the scenery.
“Miss Mira, could I have a moment of your time?!”
Turning around, she saw that it was one of the spirits working alongside the Isuzu Alliance. And there wasn’t just one. There was a whole crowd.
“Wh-what is it?” Mira answered a tad nervously, having been confronted by the intense-looking spirits.
A spirit stepped forward who represented the group and asked, “Would you be willing to allow us to speak with the Spirit King?”
As she’d observed the other day with Anrutine, the Spirit King occupied a special place among spirits. The spirits imploring her all wore radiant and hopeful expressions.
What did the Spirit King think of this request? She took the opportunity to ask if he’d heard everything, and the Spirit King answered, “Hmm, what is it?”
He wasn’t always watching things from Mira’s perspective, and he hadn’t been paying attention. But at least the connection they shared was such that if she asked him a question, she’d quickly get an answer.
Mira explained the situation to him, to which he happily replied, “I apologize for them pestering you, Lady Mira.”
The conversation between the spirits and the Spirit King continued until breakfast. They adored the Spirit King as one might their father, and he treated the spirits as if they were his children. The relationship between them was both broader and deeper than that of any human equivalent but had a warmth like the one that existed between parents and their children.
Perhaps unable to hold herself back, Martel jumped into the conversation. Soon, there was a noticeable change in the tone. To the spirits, progenitor spirits were something akin to big sisters or big brothers. And there was a spirit who’d fallen in love with a human, so dating talk made its way into the family chat.
Casually listening as the spirits talked about their daily lives and their thoughts on love, Mira looked up at the sky and thought about how they’d have nice weather that day as well.
Having finished breakfast, they would now spend the day stopping by sightseeing spots while making their way to the Kingdom of Alcait. Mira spoke about the morning’s events, and Kagura smiled as if it all made sense to her.
“I see. So that’s why they all volunteered, huh?”
Upon hearing that she’d be taking off in the spirit airship to ferry Mira and the children back to Alcait, all the spirits at Isuzu Headquarters had requested to go along as well. She thought they’d just loved children, but after hearing what Mira had said, another potential explanation became clear. Everything now made more sense.
Despite their stoic nature, the spirits were someone’s children, too.
Seeing how content the spirits now looked, compared to the day before, Kagura chuckled quietly to herself.
Despite making detours, the spirit airship continued on smoothly. Around noon, they finally made their way into the realm of the Kingdom of Alcait. The plan was to take some time to sightsee while making their way to the capital of Lunatic Lake.
Shortly after going over a small mountain range, their destination came into view from the windows of the observation deck. Nine towers stood tall against the sky—the Silver Linked Towers, which were used as headquarters by the most powerful mages in existence, the Nine Wise Men. The Silver Linked Towers held a very special place in the hearts of mages.
Like with all the sightseeing spots they’d seen before, the children excitedly talked about whether or not they were familiar with what they were seeing and how impressive it was or wasn’t. The members of the airship’s crew who were mages were so happy to see the towers that they forgot the children were even there.
Once the children were delivered to their final destination, the crew of the spirit airship would be given some shore leave. The mages were making plans to take a proper tour of the Sacred City Silverhorn.
“It really brings you back, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah, it does.”
“It hasn’t changed at all, huh?”
How many years had it been? Lastrada, Artesia, and Kagura looked out the window and reminisced, their voices thick with emotion.
“You aren’t wrong,” Mira said, laughing softly as she looked at their relieved faces. She prayed that one day they’d all be back there once again, just as they once had been.
With their sightseeing tour about to end, the group finally arrived at Lunatic Lake.
Per Solomon’s instructions, they brought the airship down at the edge of Alcait Academy’s courtyard. They saw staff awaiting them. As soon as they touched down, the workers deftly moored the spirit airship while getting the gangway lowered into position.
The sprawling courtyard was also a brand-new sight for the children. Happily alighting from the airship, they voiced their astonishment at the size of the school building.
“Welcome to the Kingdom of Alcait,” said Suleiman, who was there to show them around in Solomon’s stead.
“Thank you for having us. I look forward to settling in.”
“Yeah, thanks!”
Hearing Lastrada and Artesia’s answers, Suleiman deferentially replied, “I am delighted beyond words to receive you like this,” before bowing.
He seemed truly overjoyed to be welcoming back two of the Nine Wise Men.
Come to think of it, they’re the first ones to formally return.
It was refreshing to see Suleiman displaying joy since he was usually so calm and composed. Thinking that she’d done well this time, Mira smiled to herself.
With the introductions concluded, they all followed Suleiman as he led them to the new orphanage. The Isuzu Alliance, their mission now finished, all went off into the city. The mages among them left to rent carriages so they might get to Silverhorn.
Meanwhile, Mira’s wagon was taken to the castle’s technology department. The engineers responsible for crafting the vehicle said that it was time for a maintenance check and had been anxiously waiting for her to arrive. They undoubtedly wanted to get a look at the data it had collected, too. They planned on being finished with it by the end of the day.
Since the new orphanage was situated right behind Alcait Academy, the sights they took in as they made their way across the campus ground must’ve been extraordinary. The children gasped, just as they had while sightseeing on the airship. The teachers’ eyes shined brightly as they took in the sheer size of the academy and how well-furnished its facilities were. They even began formulating plans on how to ask to use those facilities, seeing as they’d be neighbors and all.
Since it was unusual to get a visit from such a large group, several students poked their heads out to see what was going on.
“Hrmm, that right over there is…”
The window she’d seen was about thirty feet in the distance. Among the faces she saw looking at them was one Mira recognized. It was the evocation professor, Hinata. It was likely that the students looking out the same window were all evocation students.
Since evocation was just beginning to take off, the students there weren’t all the same age, despite all being first-year students. Sure enough, the faces she saw peeking out confirmed that.
Hmm… I feel like I know her from somewhere…
Among the students in the window, Mira noticed a young girl with blonde hair and pigtails. Mira remembered someone who had a bit of a perky look and gave off a very strong princess vibe. However, unable to put her finger on where she recognized her from, she decided it wasn’t that important for now.
But this was not the case for the girl.
Recognizing Mira, Hinata began waving happily at her. Mira waved back. Seeing this, the pigtailed girl seemed to realize that they were acquaintances, for she began saying something to Hinata. Then the children in the classroom all fixed their attention on Mira.
Judging from the incredibly confident look on Hinata’s face, she had likely said something about Mira. Like how she was Danblf’s pupil or about her involvement at the Spell Symposium.
Looks of surprise and envy began appearing on the students’ faces. But this wasn’t the case with the pigtailed girl. She just stood there dumbfounded, as if in shock.
After walking a short while with all eyes on her, they finished cutting across the campus and finally arrived at the new orphanage.
“This looks like a pretty nice place.”
The building had been used as a temporary schoolhouse before Alcait Academy had been completed and was far more impressive than she’d expected. The sturdy stone structure had three floors and was about twice as big as any other mansions there—more like a hotel than an orphanage.
“It’s incredible…” one of the professors murmured. All the facilities they’d used in the forest had been made on the fly with whatever was available, but now they were in an exceptional building that’d been built by expert craftsmen. It was a dramatic change, as was evident from the hopeful looks that blossomed on their faces.
“I’m going in first!” said a voice, belonging to one of the senior boys.
He dashed forward the moment Suleiman told them that they’d be living there from that day forward. As he ran, a dazzling smile on his face, the other children figured they might as well do the same. They all rushed into the building, laughing happily. They simply weren’t able to stay put.
“Aaah, hey! Jeez, I’m sorry they’re so impatient,” one of the female teachers said, apologizing to Suleiman and then chasing after the children. Several more teachers followed after her.
Mira felt a tug on the bottom of her skirt and beheld the shining faces of the junior class looking up at her when she turned. The junior class hadn’t all followed suit and dashed off. Perhaps Mira’s attentive lessons over the past couple of days caused them to follow Mira’s instructions instead of getting swept up by the other children’s fervor.
But it looked like they were fast approaching their limit. They were fidgeting restlessly while looking intently at the school building.
“Yeah, I get it. Hey, go inside. But don’t run. It’s dangerous.”
Having been given permission, the students all enthusiastically exclaimed, “Okay!” and made their way into the schoolhouse as quickly as they could walk.
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