Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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After boarding the airship, the sun repetitively rose and set. It’s not like I could just stare blankly at the endless expanse of the vast sky for hours on the first day.

Not long after we started sailing, the winter whale that had appeared was soon forgotten. Some wizards insisted we should turn the airship around to chase after the giant whale. Of course, that was dismissed for being too dangerous.

Humans fear uncertainty. Therefore, they strive to clearly reveal the unknown. The wizards who spoke of chasing after the whale that had vanished between the clouds were merely trying to follow this instinct.

“Are you still looking for the whale today?”

“Oh, Sena.”

I turned my head at the voice that came from beside me. There stood a tired-looking female wizard, clutching a thick book as she gazed at me.

Sena was the first person to strike up a conversation with me on this airship. She was knowledgeable and had a nice personality, so we had grown relatively close during the voyage.

“No, rather than looking for a whale…”

I trailed off while casting my gaze toward the edge of the blue sky. The pure white clouds rippled away as the airship moved. Frowning, I continued speaking.

“I just came out because I was bored.”

“You seem to be a bit bored with the voyage. But we should be arriving soon, right?”

“Really? Is it that soon?”

“Yes. The airship is very fast. It doesn’t stop even while you sleep, so you’ll see the Mage Tower’s dock soon.”

Sena’s words were true. After about another hour passed, the silhouette of a giant dock appeared in the distance.

At the dock, wrapped in white clouds, several smaller airships were anchored. As I gazed at the sight, Sena continued to explain.

“It seems the exploration ships have returned.”

“Exploration ships?”

“They are the vessels that adventure this vast sky. The land known as Janghon, the territory of the Beastmen, was discovered by those exploration ships too.”

“Oh…”

“Perhaps new lands have been discovered.”

A massive airship docked at one side of the dock. Numerous wizards began to disembark, laden with items they had brought from Janghon.

Sena and I, riding on Nightmare, followed suit.

After getting off the airship, we immediately sought out the dock management center to hear the information brought back by the exploration ships.

Unfortunately, there was nothing to report. They had merely drifted around the empty blue sky for several days before returning.

After disembarking from the warp, Sena and I exchanged farewells.

“It looks like we must part ways here.”

“Aren’t you returning to the Mage Tower, Seris?”

“I still have some time left in my mission.”

Sena’s eyes widened in surprise as she nodded in response to my answer. Her round face made her look quite cute when her eyes widened like that. It was certainly better than the half-closed eyes she usually had while looking exhausted.

After parting ways with Sena, I rode on Nightmare, wandering down the road in a daze. While it was another journey alone, my heart wasn’t empty.

Because I still had the peaches that the golden monkey had shared with me. I headed towards Hafen, the largest port city of the Aben Kingdom, sharing the peaches with Nightmare.

The Mage Tower and the port city were close together. Even walking slowly, it was only a two-day journey, so when Nightmare set its mind to run, we arrived before the sun set.

With this timing, I should be able to catch a ship heading to the Karma Empire. As I headed toward the dock, memories of the Karma Empire came to mind. As I remembered, the Karma Empire was always a cold land where icy winds blew fiercely.

But it would be different now. The mana of Kashpa that had once covered the entire Karma Empire had disappeared, and warm spring should have arrived.

While lost in memories, trying to find a passage, my gaze fell on the Ice Dragon Sword hanging at my waist.

Why was I searching for a ship? I had another way to cross the sea.

“Nightmare.”

With a whoosh—

The creature perked its head at my call. It was drooling, clearly wanting more peaches. I took out the remaining peaches and fed them to it while continuing to speak.

“How about we take a run across the sea?”

Pheeheeeng—

Running across the frozen sea. I had already experienced it once while fighting the Sea God. It wasn’t difficult at all. There was no concern about running out of mana either. Even while dashing across the sea while battling the Sea God, I hadn’t felt a lack of mana.

I drew my Ice Dragon Sword and swung it towards the sea.

Saaaa— the chill emanating from the Ice Dragon Sword spread forward, freezing the blue sea. Nightmare jumped boldly onto the frozen expanse.

Clack—

Pheeheeeng-!

If there is no path, then I shall create one. I had the ability to do so now.

-Th-the sea has frozen!

-Is that a wizard…? A wizard?

The moment I pulled the reins, Nightmare’s sprint began. The whispers of the people behind me faded into the distance as the scenery around us stretched long.

Nightmare charged at full speed. The speed at which the Ice Dragon Sword was creating a path across the ice was on par with that of Nightmare. Just before Nightmare’s long legs could touch the sea, an ice path was laid down over it.

Swoosh-!

Nightmare’s speed was incomparably faster than that of an ordinary ship. The distance that would have taken days with a regular vessel was crossed in an instant. At this speed, I felt we might reach the Karma Empire by tomorrow morning.

In that moment, I felt something odd. Watching the ice path form due to the Ice Dragon Sword, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was wasting my power for some reason.

Humans instinctively gauge what they can and cannot do. And now, I felt a strange confidence that I could run across the sea without freezing it.

Confidence soon turned into certainty. I cut off the supply of mana to the Ice Dragon Sword.

As the chill from the Ice Dragon Sword vanished, naturally, an ice path no longer formed. This was the moment when Nightmare’s feet were about to touch the sea.

Splash-!

An astonishing thing occurred. Yet, it was also quite expected. At least, that was how it felt to me.

Nightmare did not sink into the sea. Its legs firmly stomped on the blue seawater as it advanced.

At the same time, I realized why Nightmare was able to run atop the sea. The twisted sanctity of the creature known as the Sea God had become possible the moment it was infused into the two swords.

And so, Nightmare raced across the blue sea without hesitation.

*

The sun that hung high in the sky began to set, and the moon rose. A pale light of the moon rose over the sea. Yet, Nightmare did not stop.

It galloped relentlessly, following the Guiding Star that shone ahead.

Nightmare was originally a horse endowed with tremendous stamina. With the heart of the Crystal Stone Wyvern consumed, it had achieved complete monster transformation, so it showed no signs of tiring.

When the moon floating in the sky began to gradually blur, the port of the Karma Empire came into sight. Despite hours of continuous running, Nightmare’s breath remained calm.

As Nightmare reached the dock where large ships were anchored, it sprang up with a boisterous leap.

Thud-!

A surprisingly light landing befitting its massive form. Nightmare was able to quietly descend onto the dock.

“Huff…!”

“What, what just happened…? Did a horse just jump down?”

“Hey, be careful. If that big horse had bumped into someone, they would’ve been dead.”

Even though it was early morning, many people were wandering near the dock. From their reactions, none of them seemed to have witnessed me and Nightmare crossing the sea.

I quickly apologized to those who fell from the surprise and headed toward the morning streets.

The dawn streets of the Karma Empire were enveloped in deep silence. It was a time when even adventurers had yet to rise. While I was wandering around looking for a decent inn, I stumbled upon an unexpected encounter.

“Are you really going to accept it? In the ruins underwater… that’s such nonsense…”

“Shu. Be quiet.”

I stared blankly, blinking as I watched the two kids who had just emerged from an alleyway. They were exceptionally tall, but they were undoubtedly familiar faces. The twin siblings with water-colored hair. Shu and Su.

“Uh…”

“Oh…”

Just as I froze upon discovering Shu and Su, the two children also stopped in their tracks upon seeing me. I furrowed my brow. There had undoubtedly been little difference in height before leaving my hometown, yet how had they grown to look like this?

Even just glancing, it seemed like both of them had grown at least 20 centimeters.

If I descended from Nightmare, the height difference would become even more pronounced. Firmly gripping the reins, I waved my other hand.

“It’s been a while.”

“Emily!”

The boy among the twins, Shu, ran towards me with a bright smile. However, his advance was inevitably blocked by the cloud of dust kicked up by Nightmare’s hooves.

Thud-!

With a strong tremor, a small crystal rose up from the ground. Its sharp point was aimed at Shu.

“Ouch…”

Shu awkwardly smiled and took a step back. Then he spoke to me.

“Is this the Nightmare you mentioned? What an impressive horse…”

“Do you know about Nightmare?”

“I heard it from Celyon.”

“Celyon knows about it…?”

At that moment, Su, who had been quietly silent, approached slowly. Always quiet, she had transformed into a cold-looking woman whose water-colored hair suited her well.

“Hey, be careful…!”

However, unlike Shu, Nightmare did not reject Su’s approach. As she walked slowly, Su gently stroked Nightmare’s face and spoke to me.

“Emily.”

“Yeah.”

Emily. It had been a long time since I heard that name. I never imagined I would run into the two kids here. I smiled faintly as I looked down at Su.

“You’re still small.”

Su’s gaze lightly scanned my body. I furrowed my brow at her words. Su, who had taken a step back from stroking Nightmare, continued.

“Are you eating well?”

“I’m keeping up with my meals.”

“Hmm…”

Su frowned at my answer. She glanced at her waist and then confidently puffed out her chest.

“I’ll buy you a meal.”

Shu and Su hadn’t changed much. Even with their appearance altered, they were still the same. I looked down at the two kids and couldn’t help but smile.