“Aah! Quickly, get away from me! We will get killed! Flying too fast!”
“It can’t fly.”
“Isn’t this a wind dragon?!”
“Nope, my salamander, Flame-chan.”
Unnoticed by Saito, it was indeed Kirche’s salamander Flame.
“Whaat?!!”
The salamander went down like a rock. Saito tried to grab Derflinger. Using my Gandálfr's power, I’ll jump onto the Zero Fighter and save myself!
“Awa! Why doesn't my body feel lighter?!”
Looking at his left hand, he saw the runes disappear.
“Wa! Uwa! Waah!”
He steadily approached the ground.
“Falling! Falling! N? What’s this?!”
He saw something.
Light.
“…it shines. Gold?”
On the moment of the crash, dazzled, Saito was wrapped up by the golden light.
“Falling!”
Screamed Saito, waking up.
He was breathing heavily for a while, before muttering to himself.
“A dream…”
Fuzzy-headed, he reviewed the clattery drama.
He was chased by Siesta and Louise, and was urged by Henrietta, Jessica, dogs and Tabitha – what an absurd hubbub and mess.
If it’s not a dream then why were Louise and Siesta in school uniforms from Saito’s Japan or Tabitha dressed up as stewardess? But why would I be having such dream…
“Such strong desire, I…” he writhed in embarrassment for a moment. He grew worried – what if anyone saw him now? He looked around in fear.
“Uh.”
Indeed, there was an audience.
In front of Saito’s eyes, there were faces of children watching him.
There were various faces - big and small, boys and girls. Golden hair, red hair, brunette…, there were various other hair colors too. Some were hesitant, embarrassed, relieved or worried watching Saito’s suspicious behavior. Though the children clothes were a little dirty, their eyes sparkled.
A single boy with blond hair, leaned towards Saito and quietly looked into his face.
“Well… did you see me just now?” Saito asked, for some reason the boy jumped back in fear.
“Weird person! Suspicious person!” he ran away shouting.
“H-hey… it's a misunderstanding, misunderstanding!”
“Freak! Someone people should avoid!”
Others joined in.
“Wa-wait a minute! I am not a strange person!”
However, Saito’s excuse didn't reach them, and all of the children rushed out of the room like lightning.
“Wha-what… they. A while ago, I was having this embarrassing dream… Anyway, where am I?”
Saito looked around the room where he was in.
It was a cozy room. A window on one side of the bed, and a door on the other side. A small round table was placed in the center of the room, two wooden chairs near it.
Though the bed that Saito slept in was coarse, it was clean, with white sheets and a soft blanket pulled over.
“Must be some kind of inn… But, why am I here… I mean. I was heavily injured…”
Saito in a hurry looked down at his body. He was covered with bandages. At that time, in a fierce battle, he was definitely driven to the point of death.
So.
I… let Louise and others leave and went against 70,000 alone. He shuddered remembering the fierce battle.
After he clashed with the 70,000 army, following Derflinger’s advice he aimed at the commanders.
He attacked a fair amount of mages, but due to spell hits, he started loosing consciousness. Starting to stagger, he saw a general surrounded by mages and knights, and leaped at him.
After that, he couldn't remember anything…
“…Anyway, seems like I survived.”
Feeling relieved, Saito whispered in a discouraged voice.
At the same time with a relief, various doubts crept in.
Spell arrows and fireballs hit him, or was it, but there were no deep wounds. Then an explosion hit at close range, and he remembered his left-hand becoming like a charcoal. It was nothing. He felt blood running out in streams from his body. There was a gaping wound in his belly. His bones were broken like sticks and his inner organs torn. In other words, he was close to death.
Yet, looking at my body now…
The vicious burns on his left arm had disappeared, the pink skin showing through the cracks between the bandages. The body wounds did not hurt for the time being either.
Saito looked doubtful.
What on earth happened to my body?
“Well, it’s a wizard world after all, so some miracles do happen…” showing his inborn optimism, Saito said to himself.
For now, the only thing known was that he ‘survived’, and other things did not matter all that much. Once feeling relieved, he was reminded of other things.
That’s right, there are more important concerns than my body.
My clash with the army of 70,000…
Were the enemy forces confused enough?
Did it buy enough time for our allies to withdraw?
Did Louise and everyone else escape safely?
“Uuuh… what’s true? Now I’ll worry. Aaah, I’ll ask Derf.”
Saito looked around, searching for Derflinger.
However, the wise sword was nowhere to be found in the room. I’ll look for him, I cannot learn anything this way, Saito thought and tried to stand up…
“Auch!”
A frog-like voice leaked from his throat.
The acute cramping pain pierced through his sides, feet, arms, ankles and neck. The pain covered his whole body and did not stop making Saito see black and white. Though his life was saved, he still might be badly injured.
That fierce battle that felt like a dream since he woke up was now rapidly gaining real outlines. Saito shook and started to tremble. Even though he tried to suppress it, it didn’t stop.
One wrong step and he would have been dead. He had definitely escaped death by a hair.
Until the trembling settled, he decided to lie back in bed.
“But… I may still be asleep.”
He needed to confirm it.
I want to know precisely how I was brought back to life.
Therefore, he tried to get up many times.
Tch! Ouch! He shouted, whenever he tried to stand up he was instantly taken over by pain…
“You should not move.”
From the door where the children ran to… a smooth smell flowed and a cool, sweet voice spoke.
Ah, when he turned towards the open door, he saw a girl, with fair, river-like flowing hair, standing.
Chapter Three: The Golden Elf
The first thought that crossed Saito’s mind after seeing the girl was…
Golden light.
During the dream before, he had seen the golden light at the end.
That light became reality, blinding Saito’s eyes.
He hastily squinted. Once he got used to it, he saw that she wasn't really shining. However, the girl's presence was so strong it felt like an illusory light.
The girl who showed up was beautiful. No, the word beautiful was too trite, she had a divine, pretty face. When she moved, one wanted to kneel down and worship her.
“Hada, wada, howada” For the time being Saito had trouble finding any words.
“What's wrong?” The girl was obviously confused enough to need to ask the question.
“No-that-nothing-this.”
The girl looked hesitant for a moment. Then, after deciding something, took a deep breath and approached Saito. She wore a green, crude, short, one-piece dress, but rather than damaging her beauty it complimented her nicely. Slender lovely legs ran down her short skirt with white sandals framing her pretty feet.