It was noon, so I left the library and had lunch with Rielle.

　Afterwards, she wanted to do some shopping, so I wandered around the shopping district of King's Landing and kept Rielle company as she shopped.


　Evening.

　The sun is setting.

　Is it time to go?

　I think I'm going to start the main event of this date.

"Rielle, there's a place I want to go but is it time yet?

Is it time?　

　Huh.

　I mean, that's...

So it's okay for you to spend the night with me?

　Rielle, who turned over with a bright red face, nodded silently while squeezing the hem of my clothes.

　Seriously.........

　Eh, seriously?

　Apparently there is a curfew at Rielle's house, and in the past, if it was a date, you always had to say goodbye to Rielle by eight o'clock at night.

　But today, it seems we can even have a sleepover.

　What timing.
　God.

　Is it because I've been doing a good job of it?

　No, don't be in a hurry yet, Luke.
　You won't be happy until you hear Rielle's reply.


'Then follow me wherever I want to go.

　I shook Rielle's hand and started to walk away.

　She still looked down, but she followed me firmly.


　─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─

Is this where you wanted to come, Luke?

Yes.

　The place where I brought Rielle, the place where I brought her, is the base of the giant tree that towers in the heart of Alheime- the World Tree.

I think it's time to...

　As I waited there for a bit, the wind began to swirl in front of me and Rielle.

　In the center of that wind...

Yoo-hoo!　Luke, it's been a while. I've been waiting for you.

　The incarnation of the World Tree, Lord Sylph, the Spiritual King of the Wind, appeared.

''Master Sylph!
Oh, that's okay. If you kneel down, your clothes will get dirty.　So you can stay standing.

　Rielle tried to kneel in front of Sylph-sama, but Sylph-sama stopped her from doing so.

''........Is it alright?''
'Yes!　Don't worry about it.

　For Rielle and the other elven tribes, the World Tree that protects and gives grace to Alheimers is an absolute presence.

　Its incarnation, Sylph-sama, is also an existence that Rielle and the others should treat with the highest level of respect.

''Um, why is Silf-sama here?''

Luke asked me for help.

''What?!''

　Rielle looked back at me with a look of disbelief.

'Precisely because Luke asked my contractor, Hurt, to bring me out here. Rielle knows about Hurt, too, right?

'Yes, of course!　He's a great benefactor of this country, so there's no way he wouldn't know.

　My best friend Halt is a contractor of the Wind Spirit King, Silf-sama. Moreover, he's also contracted with the Spirit King of the three remaining attributes, I can't help but laugh beyond amazement.


''Luke would be able to make it to the top on his own, right?

Yes, sir. No problem.

Isn't it possible that the...

"Top of the World Tree.

　Hearing my words, Riel froze.

　To the elves, the World Tree was a sacred thing, and it was forbidden for them to even touch it, let alone climb it.

　Normally, even if I asked him to join me, he would refuse to even touch the World Tree.

　But today, I really wanted to bring Rielle to the top of the World Tree.

　That's why I asked Silph-sama to manifest himself through Halt like this.


"Rielle, I'll give you permission. So you and Luke can climb the World Tree together.

Oh, are you sure you want to do this?

'Yeah. I'll put my blessing on Rielle as well, so that the World Tree's mana doesn't overinterfere.

　Fluffy Sylph-sama flew over and touched Rielle's head.

　The high concentration of mana that fills the interior of the World Tree is apparently too fond of the elves, so when the elves enter the interior of the World Tree, it surrounds them.

　The concentration is so dense that the elves get symptoms of magic sickness.

　After Sylph-sama touched him, Rielle's body was glowing vaguely.

　It seems that she received the Spirit King's blessing.

''Wha, I........what should I say.......''

　Rielle was so moved that she was on the verge of tears.

'If you want to thank me, tell Luke. I'll take it then.

　With that, Master Sylph disappeared from the scene.


''Alright then, let's go!
'What, Luke?　─ Kyaah!

　He took Rielle in his arms and jumped up with magic.

　Did I scare you a bit?
　Come to think of it, I hadn't yet flown with Rielle in my arms.

　Rielle clings to me desperately, as if she's afraid of flying in the sky.

'Did I scare you?　Sorry. But I would never drop Rielle.

I trust you, Mr. Luke.

　She looked up, as if she was afraid. But she still can't seem to look around, and she gazes at my face.

　That's all I need to know for now.


　Oops, the sun is about to set.

　I need to speed things up a bit.

"Rielle, just keep looking at me. I'm gonna give you a little boost.

Yes!

　I increased my flight speed just in time for nightfall.



　I managed to get there in time.

You can open your eyes now.

　He was still scared, and Rielle had squeezed her eyes tightly shut halfway through.

　Me and Rielle are now standing on a branch at the top of the World Tree.

'Mr. Luke,'

'Can you see your surroundings?　I'll hold you steady. Slowly, look around.

　I guess he trusted me.

　As if afraid, Rielle turns her gaze to the landscape behind her.


''It's ... beautiful.''

　The words spontaneously escaped her mouth.

　In Rielle's eyes, I could see the unobstructed sunset, turning the distant ocean, the land, and Alheimu red in the distance.

　I wanted to show her this scenery.


　A few minutes later──.

　The sunset was setting and the area was getting darker.

　Then I could see a fire lighting up the city of Alheim from the gap in the branches of the World Tree.

　The World Tree is dimly lit from below. The World Tree itself was also glowing faintly.

　With the light from the city below and the luminescence of the World Tree, a fantastic landscape spread out around us.


'Luke-san, it's amazing. It's so, so beautiful. Was this what you wanted me to see?

Yeah. I know it's a little late, but it's just an apology for the school festival.