We're Blasting Off Again!

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It was another bright and sunny day in Reflet.

It was a day that found me with Charlotte clutching at my pant legs and crying out "You won't have to waste your time with unimportant things! I'll cook for you! I'll wash your clothes! I'll even give you most of my salary! PLEASE DON'T ABANDON MEEE!"

We were inside the Silver Moon Inn. Micah and Aer were at the desk and stared at us with dull judging eyes.

"This man is scum," said Micah.

"Total scum," agreed Aer.

"THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIIIIKE!" I screamed out desperately. All the while Charlotte even more hysterically wrapped her voluptuous body around my leg and sobbed piteously.

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All right, so let's backtrack. Back to the start of this week.

Journeying back to Alephis over the weekend was necessary because we promised to tutor Sue. But if it takes five days just to get there, and another five days back, then what was the point? We might as well just stay there and take missions from the kingdom capital's Adventurer Guild.

But that was for normal people with normal horses. We could cut the journey to two days – in total four days travel and two days residence – six days. That's still most of a week. But by myself I could probably rocket-boost my way over there in half a day.

With some spars of wood and sheets of leather and some help from some carpenters it was perfectly conceivable to build a glider. Monika had many examples of working designs. Now we just needed a sufficiently high place to throw myself off. There was room enough for two to hang under the glider, but Linze literally laughed in my face when I asked her if she wanted to come along.

"No. No, thank you, Mister Zah… but no. No way." She shook her head and shivered, hugging herself. "While you learning alone with Miss Charlotte... it's scary. Still too scary."

So we split the party. The girls would take missions in Reflet and get to bumping up Yae's Guild card rating. I would be away for around four days.

It was the first time in this other world that I would be by myself for so long. Monika looked a bit worried.

"Are… are you sure about this?" Elze asked. She peered over the sheer cliff and sputtered again as a strong mountain wind blew her long silver hair onto her own face. Yae yelped and braced herself, keeping the glider from being blown away too early.

"Sure I'm sure. What's the worst that could happen?"

/"… Player, no."/

"You fail and you die?" she retorted dryly. "Although I guess this is part of why I don't mind how much your magic is so unfair. You have this one thing you really like and then you put all your heart into it. But what do you love more – flight or making money?"

"JUST MONEYKA-"

/"Ouch. That pun literally hurt me. Right here. In the memory controllers."/

I grinned. "But really, there's a saying that goes: [Do what you love and it doesn't feel like work.]" Unless what you love is something like gambling or something, "In fact, if you get good enough at what you do, people might pay you just to see you do what you do best. Both flight and making money with franchises complement each other. There's a lot of traveling involved.

"And the dream of flight… Elze, I don't just want to fly – I want everybody to fly! Someday, heavier than air flight would be so commonplace, it wouldn't even need magic! Freedom to go wherever we want, it's not enough for one person – it's all the differences that make the world interesting! The more we interact with each other, the more we change, the more the world of yesterday is a stranger to the world of tomorrow! A man who wishes to be free doesn't just need to be free in space, but in time as well!"

Elze just looked back at me doubtfully.

"Follow me and become a Fallschirmjäger, Elze Silhoueska!" I declared with a dramatic sweep.

Elze stared down at my open hand, and raised her own white-gloved hand up to her face. "I'd really just like to throw you off this cliff now."

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And then it was time.

"Hut! Hut! Hut! Hut!" Elze and Yae grunted together while holding the left and right wings of the glider. They helped to push the glider until closer to the edge they let go and the wind threatened to lift up and tumble over the glider as it had done so in prior tests.

But I fired air jets from under my boots for force the glider's tail to lift, and as soon as I crossed the cliff's drop the air slamming against the rock face created a lifting force to raise the whole thing to the sky. "Wahoooo!" I couldn't help but to scream out in glee.

The glider had no control surfaces, but with manual magical adjustment of incoming air pressure walls, I was able make the glider bank around and overfly the girls. Elze raised a celebratory fist to the air. Despite her taunts, seeing this was possible excited her too.

Linze cupped her palms and shouted up at me "CONGRATULATIONS! PLEASE BE SAFE, MISTER ZAH!"

"SAME TO YOUUU!" I shouted back. "SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOON!"

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Since I was strapped in belly-down, I was flying and feeling like Superman. I was Jetman. No feeling like it in the world! Monika laid a HUD over my vision, showing my speed, heading, altitude.

/"Congratulations indeed, Player. You're one for the history books."/

"I'm almost certain someone's done actual magical flight before. Now if we could just figure out magic to electricity and an electromotor engine…" I whispered back. "Monika… this is amazing."

/"Yes, yes it is. Thank you for this, Player. Even if I were a real girl, this isn't something I would have imagined I'd experience. There's certainly a difference between flying inside an aircraft cabin and flying like this, exposed to the elements.

/"But are you all right? Aren't you too cold?"/

"I'm fine. This… this is everything I ever wanted. And now… even though I'm so happy, it... for some reason it doesn't feel enough. I just wish… that I could share it with someone else. I mean, I am sharing it with you, but I wish I could share the experience of flight with other people - that's the thing that would give it real meaning. You know what I mean?"

/"I understand. You have a pioneer's heart, Player, and that's another thing I love about you. Some people like to be the first simply to be able to brag about it, but you want to be the first so that there could be a second.

/"Unfortunately, you can't. It's too dangerous without your utter mastery of Wind Magic. I suppose this glider could fit two, but not everyone is so eager to risk their lives as you. If we just had Teleport magic, none of this would be necessary."/

"I suppose if there's teleport magic or anti-gravity float magic, aerodynamic research isn't really needed. That really just makes me sad," I sighed. Magic retarding technological development because there was more convenient solutions was something we expected, but it was not quite true.

I flew. I watched the country pass by underneath, my flight speed was about 47 km/h, pushed forward by the jets coming out my boots. This joy, this feeling of utter freedom, this triumph at defying common sense by using the laws of nature to work for me, a feeling almost godlike and sublime…

It was a feeling I really didn't want to keep for myself. Every person had a right to be happy, and this happiness I wanted to share with others. To conquer the skies was a power given to every human being! We just needed tools, dedication, courage! It took us thousands of years, and thousands upon thousands of deaths, but our souls could no longer be weighed down by gravity.

I wondered who could be brave enough and light enough to accompany me in flight.

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Obviously not Sue, because totally no way would I dare any harm to my little sisteru.

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"Sir Zaaaaaah!"

"Mah Sueeeee!"

I knelt down on one knee and opened my arms. Sue happily barreled into my chest. I swept her up into a hug and stood up, swinging around joyfully. "Ahahahahaha!" we both laughed as we danced around in front of the Ducal mansion.

I hugged Sue tight and rubbed at the top of hair, inhaling the rose scent. That was one difference between this world and the 17th century on Earth; at least here people like to take baths. When many could draw themselves clean water or fire whenever they wanted, it seemed it was easy to dismiss the idea of the 'chill' leading to disease. They still had the miasma theory though, but coincidentally a lot of aromatics are also antibacterial.

And there were of course various magic-based diseases and illnesses.

/"You're lingering a bit long on that hug, Player. Suspiciously long. In the end, would you Marry Sue*?"/

I snorted. Monika, no, for then they would rip me apart into a Marty Stew*.

Although that pun doesn't quite work because Sue's name isn't pronounced like 'soo' but more like 'suh'. 'Suh-chee Ort-leen-di'.

I put down Sue. She put her hands behind her back, pirouetted in place, bowed and then beamed up at me again. Ah! So bright! So cute, Sue! This smile must be protected!

Behind me, servants discreetly put away the folded glider. I landed at the outskirts of Alephis and it had been somewhat a hassle dragging it to town until I could hire a wagon. Leather and wood were still valuable. Just because I liked to spend money didn't mean I liked to just throw away things. That sort of nonchalance for planned obsolescence is why many people don't accrue savings.

"Thank you again, Sir Zah! I'm so happy that you're back!" Sue chirped out.

"Indeed, we are most grateful, Sir von Chara."

I looked up to see the Duke Ortlinde descending down the staircase, accompanied by the Duchess Ellen. He carefully held her hand as they slowly walked down the steps, but the Duchess unlike most people didn't even need to look down. She stared at me, and were it not for the care of her husband's hand she would have tried to rush downstairs.

Now that she no longer felt like an invalid, she displayed the strength and beauty that Sushie could someday claim. The Duchess Ellen was no delectable waif, chosen for her beauty and breeding, but a daughter of a long line of nobles and healers. When her illness and resulting disability removed her from the court, the country as a whole weakened. Petty nobles tittered over how ironic it was, and perhaps that said something about the fortunes of the dynasty.

As soon as the pair reach the entryway, Ellen bowed deeply to me in defiance of her aristocratic station. "You left too quickly the last time, my lord. Thank you very much for saving my daughter."

"Um. I won't say 'it's nothing' because Sue is certainly not nothing and I'm happy to have helped. You're welcome. But still not a noble, please do not call me a lord."

"Ahahaha. Do you really think anyone believes that?!" the Duke laughed and slapped my shoulders. He leaned in close and whispered "Just say the word and you'll get a title."

"Just because I'd be willing to burn down half a kingdom for Sue's smile doesn't mean I'd be willing to allow someone authority over my family, sorry."

"Fair enough."

Sue covered her face and squeaked "... you… you like me that much, really?"

"I'd burn down half because Monika would be burning down the other half," I grinned and patted her head again. "We like not just because you're cute on the outside, but you shine on the inside. To protect one little girl's smile… is not nearly enough to make up for all those smiles we failed to protect before. But you give us hope, dear girl, and that's worth living for."

Then I booped her nose with my index finger. "But not valuing study, that would be just disappointing."

She puffed her cheeks, glanced back to her mother's eyes and then back at me. "I will! I'm going to study hard! I'll be the best healer ever!"

She was lucky to be born with loving parents, she was born wealthy and powerful, but that merely meant that she had a greater power to help others and greater potential to live up to.

/"Player, I really hope you understand what that means and don't accidentally make a Panacea or a Bonesaw."/(1)

She would still be terrifyingly adorable.

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We were inside a dimmed library. Before we get into Sue's studies, first we had to check up on Duchess Ellen's eyes. "Gwah!" I cried out upon seeing them.

"Is something wrong?!" Sue asked, panicking.

I coughed into my fists, embarrassed. "No. I think? I hope not? That's not what her eyes looked like before we left. Your eyes are glowing in the dark, Lady Ellen. Did you know about this?" Her irises were glowing green like night vision lenses. And her pupils were W-shaped now.

/"Is that a Geass?!"/ Monika gasped.(2)

"No, it's more like the pupils of octopi or dolphins." Freaking magic. Can't predict side effects. "Does it hurt anywhere, milady? Do you feel any discomfort?" Monikaaa did we just create a permanent mutation?

What did this mean for other people we we were boosting for extended periods of time?! [Amplify] and [Supercharge] were just too useful not to stop using.

Duchess Ellen shook her head. "It is all still a bit disconcerting, but none of it hurts. I truly appreciate all that you've done, this… is sufficient. I'm happy enough just to be able to see my family again."

I made a noncommittal noise. "But unfortunately, you /are/ still blind. [Blind Sight] is a magical effect that we are maintaining. And it is too politically awkward that someone else is responsible for your medical needs. It even sounds like we might hold your sight hostage. It would be too dangerous if it cut out just suddenly." She could go blind while going down a staircase or near a balcony and then just fall over and die or something.

"Oh. I understand." She turned towards where the Duke Ortlinde was sitting at a nearby sofa. "It is quite interesting to see the world this way though." Oddly shaped as they might be, relief was clear in those eyes. She had long been the weakness of the family. Unfortunately, going out in public with animal eyes might still provoke even more unsavory rumors.

"Could you teach this spell?" the Duke asked. "There is a sizable bounty for new spells, you know?"

"This spell is just an interim solution. Our goal is still a full cure of Duchess Ellen's eyesight, remember?" I shrugged. "Although I am somewhat proud of this spell. For example… milady, could you please point north?"

Duchess Ellen blinked, and then pointed to her left.

"Now could you please point to where the sun is right now?"

She pointed up and slightly over to the right.

"[Blind Sight] not only allows for vision without light, but also an intuitive grasp of direction. It's little compensation for not being able to see true colors or read flat text on a page, I admit. But it's even the basis for my predictive combat sense magic."

"Should you be telling us that?" the Duke asked.

"I'm bragging. And if I do manage to make it teachable, I'm not turning down free money."

"There /are/ existing dark vision spells…" he objected. "It is not that special. The intuitive grasp of direction would be immensely useful though."

I snapped my fingers and caused a painfully bright flash of light to appear. Everyone flinched. Except the Duchess Ellen. "How many of them are not affected by flashbangs? [Blind Sight] is immune to sensory overload. I'm really quite proud of this spell, because while the first power is always willpower, the second power is awareness."

Please don't execute me if we accidentally created a Kekkei Genkai.(3)

/"You know, it's a good thing Elze and Linze aren't here, because then they'd be asking - wait, if you come from a place without magic, HOW are you so absurdly good at constructing new spells?"/ Monika muttered privately.

I covered my mouth and whispered soundlessly /'Magic is just science without having to use tools.'/

"Impressive indeed!" said the Duke. "It truly is a pity that it is not teachable." And then under his breath "Being able to see behind my back would sure be so useful in that nest of backstabbers."

Duchess Ellen frowned slightly. "Dear, that's not a nice thing to call the palace. Our relatives live there."

"That doesn't make it not true," he continued churlishly and sank into his seat, a grown man crossing his arms and boxing in his shoulders like a disgruntled little boy. "Tristwin needs more help than what we can give."

To their credit, neither turned to look at me. They didn't want to place their burdens on some random stranger. This day was all about Sue.

And then the library doors forcefully banged open.

"Zah Playah! Zah Playah von Chara! IS HE HEEEERE?!" Charlotte yelled piercingly into the room.

"Show me this man, that I might kill him!" someone moaned from behind her. "Or ask him to slay me to end my suffering…!"

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AN:

(1) A reference to the superhero web serial WORM by Wildbow.

(2) From Code Geass, of course.

(3) And Naruto.

Also:

(*) wikipedia/Mary_Sue

And, for further reference, here are everyone's Affinities.

Playa: Wind, Water, Fire, Earth, Light, Dark, Null* (Monika Sense, Auto Translation)
*conditional, not reactive to magic stones

Monika: Null (All; Compile, Stack, Apply, Amplify, Translate, etc.)
*battery pack acts as a magic stone amplifier

Elze: Null (Boost)

Linze: Fire, Water, Light

Yae: none

Sue: Light

Charlotte: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light