To the Holy City

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 When we arrived in the suburbs of the border town Telun, the sky was beginning to be dyed a vivid red.
 
 “Well then. I think it’s nearly time…”
 
 It happened right as I was about to check my pocket watch while flying.
 
 Ping…… Ping……
 
 A glowing arrow appeared in our direction of travel.
 
 “Ah, it came. Seems we’re relatively close.”
 
 “That’s a relief. I made this navigation device myself, but since it’s the first time it’s been used for a long-distance flight, I wasn’t sure how much of a deviation there would be.”
 
 Having personally felt the necessity for a navigation system device when I made my round trip from the royal capital before and after the monster assault incident, I promptly set about developing it.
 
 Suddenly creating something on the level of an Earth GPS would be difficult as expected, so it’s a very simple thing.
 
 
 
 Based on inputs from a compass and a speedometer, it is a primitive navigation device that guides one on an established bearing and distance.
 
 The compass is able to output changes in the direction it’s pointed as changes in magic power wavelength.
 The speedometer outputs the speed as the difference in air impact pressure and the surrounding atmospheric pressure.
 And a basic arithmetic unit, which takes the inputted parameters and compares them with the designated destination’s position and distance, correcting for any deviations.^[1]
 
 It incorporates these magic circuits into mel such that it displayed guidance information right in front of me.
 As the altitude can also be expressed as a change in atmospheric pressure, the view when flying has become just like a flight simulator.
 
 
 
 “Over there?”
 
 As we descended, as guided by the beacon projected ahead, the heads of a figure in traveller’s clothes and the horse he was leading came into view.
 
 One was holding up what looked like the dryer I’m familiar with.
 
 It was a 『beacon transmitter』.
 
 Something improvised from the 『box that emits magic power invisible to people』 that was used during the royal castle assault incident, it is capable of circulating magic power waves possessing directionality round and round, making its position known over a large area.
 
 You could maybe say it’s close to the 『portable handy lighthouse』.^[2]
 
 The Unified Knights Order has been introduced to the flying boots for over half a year now, and I developed this in order to assist in its application.
 
 “——— seems he really is the one who’s meant to meet up with us.”
 
 “Precisely right on time. As expected of Onii-sama’s colleague.”
 
 Anna and I continued descending as we had that conversation, and alighted before that person.
 
 The young man saluted with a whooshing sound.
 
 “I have been awaiting you, Your Excellency Count Ainsworth! Thank you for your assistance during the royal castle assault incident. It is an honour to meet once again!!”
 
 Seeing this kingdom knight dressed up as a traveller with a beaming smile on his face, I responded with a smile of my own.
 
 “From us as well, thank you for coming out to meet up with us. Did we perhaps keep you waiting?”
 
 “No, I arrived only a short while ago. ——— By the way, I prepared a single horse as instructed, but is that really fine?”
 
 “Yes. She and I both have riding experience.”
 
 “Understood! As expected of the deputy commander’s younger sister. Then let me show you to the town at once.”
 
 Thus, the kingdom knight who came to pick us up as His Majesty’s consideration guided us to an inn in the town of Telun.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “Then, I will be in the next room, so if you need anything, please call me. I’ve also brought a magic communications device, so it is also possible to contact home.”
 
 “That helps. I’ll rely on you without hesitation.”
 
 “Yes, definitely!”
 
 The young knight’s eyes sparkled at my words, clenching his fists tightly.
 
 (I wonder… would it be better to ask something of him now?)
 
 “Then without any delay———”
 
 When I asked him to let Otou-sama and Sofia know of my arrival, he gave a high-spirited 『Please leave it to me!!』 and returned to his own room.
 
 
 
 “Haaaaaahhhh.”
 
 Confirming that the knight’s footsteps had faded away, I let out a huge sigh.
 
 “Thank you for holding out during the long flight.”
 
 Saying so, my attendant took my jacket.
 
 “Annaaa, I’m tiiirreeed…”
 
 “I’ll make you some tea, so please rest for a bit.”
 
 “I’ll do that—”
 
 I had no energy to change into loungewear, and just fell down face first onto the bed.
 
 It had been just under 3 hours since departing from Cocomel.
 The long-distance flight without rest had indeed tired me out.
 
 
 
 “Sooo tiiirreeeeddd.”
 
 I was flailing my legs.
 Then Anna, who had made me tea, said this.
 
 “But when we cross the Northern Sea, we’ll have to fly a distance double what we did to day, won’t we? And we’ll be flying over the sea without any signs at that. Won’t we run out of magic and fall when we’re lost?”
 
 “Yeeeaaahhh…”
 
 It’s true that if we were to fly carelessly, there’s enough of a chance that we could get lost.
 
 But based just on today’s flight, the navigation device I made functioned more satisfactorily than I expected.
 If it can produce that much accuracy then it probably won’t deviate largely even if the flight distance doubles.
 
 “From how I felt today I don’t think we’ll get lost. There’s also the 『secret weapon』 I got from Theo, so it’s probably fine.”
 
 “… it’s His Highness the Meddling Worm again, huh.”
 
 “Meddling Worm, you say.”
 
 I smiled wryly.
 Anna’s dislike of Theo is as strong as ever.
 
 In truth, when I sent him a letter about going abroad to study now, Theo sent me a certain something secretly.
 
 Even though its something that should originally have definitely been impossible for me to get, Theo worked hard to send that to me.
 
 It’s no exaggeration to say that it was because I had that thing that I decided to take a cross flight over the Northern Sea.
 
 I’m truly grateful for his kindness.
 I’ll make good use of it this trip.
 
 
 
 “Well, the gift aside, if we have Ojou-sama’s invention then I think we’ll be fine… Setting aside that we’d have to fly double what we did today.”
 
 “If I fly at double the speed then we’ll arrive in the same amount of time.”
 
 “Yeah, yeah. That’s true.”
 
 My attendant scoffed at me.
 
 “Uuu, Anna’s so cold…”
 
 “Ah, it’s done! This cold Anna has made some warm tea for you. It’s before dinner, but for the hard working Ojou-sama I’ll even add a bit of cookies.”
 
 “Yay! That’s why I love Anna———”
 
 “Fufu.”
 
 Anna smiled with a slightly evil expression.
 
 Thus the first night of our itinerary wore on.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The next day.
 Having moved to the forest of Telun’s suburbs, we departed north while the knight saw us off.
 
 The Dalis Religion is the state religion of nearly all the countries on the Northern Continent.
 It is approximately a two hour flight to the main village and holy city Dilith of the 『Holy Country』 where the main temple that the archbishop resides in is.
 
 Flying over a mountain range that stretched on like a wall, we headed straight for Dilith while looking at several towns and villages in the distance.
 
 On the way, we saw carriages and people in travelling clothes going on the path of pilgrimage.
 Although it snows deeply in winter, during the seasons for the rest of the year, the pilgrimage journey has become a bit of a standard tourism scene on the Northern Continent in surrounding countries they pass through.
 
 As for Heielland, it would take about five days from Telun, where we departed a short while ago from, to the holy city.
 
 Having never been to a foreign country since I was born, this is my first experience overseas.
 
 
 
 “Ah, Ojou-sama. Isn’t that by any chance the famous cathedral?!”
 
 Seeing the giant steeples of the cathedral that’s the symbol of the holy city far off in the distance, Anna shouted out, when it happened.
 
 Ping…… Ping……
 
 The mels caught the guiding magic waves of a beacon.^[3]
 
 “Seems like it… Also, it seems like we’re being guided quite a distance from the town this time.”
 
 “Do you think there’s a reason for that?”
 
 “It’s probably so that we aren’t by some chance seen flying in a foreign country. Politically too, it’s the correct decision from a secrecy point of view.”
 
 While talking about such things, we descended in the dead-centre of the forest where the beacon guided us to.