21st Century Archmage

Translator: Lei

‘This is KILLER!

The spell, Fly, could not possibly compare to this high-altitude flight.

The sound of rushing wind filled my ears and the view of the earth was spread out far underneath us. As we flew, clouds grazed past our heads. To top it off, Irenes faint scent was permeating into my helmet. In short, it was the flight of my dreams.

‘Its so free. And fast.

Our speed didnt match a 21st century fighter jet, but wyvern-flight was still pretty fast. As the ground beneath us melted away, I felt one with the wind; both my body and mind grew lighter. And deep within my heart, a single passionate emotion blossomed. It was a bit much to say this after riding a wyvern once, but a manly exhilaration akin to conquering the world was bubbling up within me.

On this huge body, accompanied by the powerful wingbeats of the wyvern, there was absolutely nothing to fear.

“Hold on tight!”

‘Tight?

Irenes mana-charged cry came whistling all of a sudden into my ear.

With a great woosh, the wyvern accelerated high into the sky, as if charging towards the sun.

‘Woohoo! A roller coaster cant even compare!

I thought of the various Disneyland roller coasters I had enjoyed quite a lot back in the day. Riding one of those didnt give me anything close to the electrifying excitement I was feeling now.

‘Hm?

The moment my excitement was filling me from head to toe and trembling at its peak, the wyvern suddenly halted its ascent.

And then, with surprising agility belying its huge size, the wyvern twisted and plunged head-first.

“UWAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wind rushed madly in our rapid descent. Despite wearing the magically enspelled trainee airplate, I felt the G-forces down to my very cells. It was a terrifying feeling that even Koreas most thrilling ride, the Wolmido Viking, could never deliver.

‘Are you trying to kill someone here! Aaaahh!

Thanks to the sudden rush of atmospheric forces, I threw all my strength into grabbing Irenes chest waist. This feeling of falling in midair hundreds of kilometers above the earth was as terrifying as Chucky from the horror stories that used to make me piss a little in fear as a kid.

After falling to the earth like that for a while, the wyvern rapidly turned and leveled off.

‘Oh…

Atop her leisurely flying wyvern, Irene removed her helmet with a click. Her hair flowed out behind her in the wind and tickled my nose.

“Take a deep breath. Really deep, until you feel your chest bursting…” she whispered.

As if hypnotized by a command, I also took off my helmet.

A fresh spring day, ensconced in the warm sun of the afternoon. The blue sky dotted with white clouds all around us…

“Ah…”

The air filling my lungs seemed to cleanse out all of the dirt lodged in my system from living and breathing polluted air. I closed my eyes. Then, I drew a deep breath of the skys air, like a baby sucking on his mothers teat.

“Good. For me… I yearn and wish for the sky. One day, well fly towards the sun, endlessly…” Irenes quiet voice billowed away from her like silk threads.

She looked different. She wasnt the smart and beautiful countess of the Bajran Empire that I knew, but a girl holding onto a dream that was somehow very precious to her, a girl untouched by the darkness of the world.

“UWAAAAAHHH!”

“Hohoho, hohohoho!

‘This voice is—! I turned my head.My god, Im gonna go crazy.

Then I saw it. With her helmet thrown away to who-knows-where, Hyneth had at some point pushed her Skyknight to the back and was confidently occupying the front seat. Under Hyneths rough whip(?), the wyvern and owner were completely unable to gather their bearings and were flying in disordered circles. I fervently wished she wouldnt go and introduce herself as my little sister anywhere.

‘There are also people who cant adjust. Unlike Hyneth, who had adjusted perfectly and was already madly scampering around, there were several cadets who were either completely exhausted or trembling uncontrollably with their heads down.

‘Russell… One of those cadets was someone I knew.If he cant adjust by the third chance they give, then hes out.

I already knew the purpose of this flight practice.

Its primary motive was to screen out the ones who didnt fit the bill.

“Were returning to the covert!” Irenes clear voice rang out so loudly it seemed to shake the sky. Vivirian folded one wing halfway and changed directions.

‘Bebeto.

Suddenly, my thoughts shifted to the wyvern trapped in the darkness, Bebeto. It occurred to me that I wanted to gift him this incredible sky.

In a flight with me, that is.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

“Its none of your business! Go away!”

‘Oi, take a look at this guy?

Russells face was completely pale. Filled with rage towards himself for not being able to adjust to the wyvern, he was lashing out at the world.

“Is that so? Then good luck.”