The results of the flying show were successful.
I’m not sure if I should really call this a flying show.
In shows commonly referred to as air shows, planes usually leave colorful smoke trails behind them or perform all sorts of weird aerial maneuvers, but since the gryphon I’m riding is a living creature, it’s kind of hard to do that.
Moreover, the gryphon really hated having a saddle on its back or a bridle in its mouth, so there were many restrictions on its flying movements. If I were strapped tightly into a plane, I wouldn’t fly out even if it did a 360-degree spin, but just a 90-degree turn from the gryphon could send me flying off.
I only thought about this after the flight, but it might have been unnecessary for me to ride on the gryphon’s back. I’m not the one controlling or giving commands, anyway. It could have performed a more spectacular show all by itself if it had just flown solo.
Fwoosh!
But since the gryphon’s face looked extremely satisfied as it landed on the rooftop, I decided not to say anything like that.
Though I feel like I’m thinking ahead a bit too much, the fact that the gryphon trusts me enough to let me ride on its back speaks volumes. If I were to tell it to fly solo, it might not have done it.
Before we took off, there was Jennifer, but now it seems she’s gone down as well, leaving the rooftop empty.
This was my request. I didn’t want some random person the gryphon didn’t know to be up here and possibly cause an accident by touching it without permission.
I thought we had built some trust based on our previous conversation, but no matter how it is, I can’t know all its thoughts since I’m not the gryphon. The people around me are sensible, but among the noble guests sitting over there, there could be someone who treats the gryphon as mere livestock.
If the proud gryphon’s feelings were hurt… well, it won’t kill me, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful.
“Excellent job!”
I pat the gryphon’s back gently as I get off.
Having flown down from the cold winter sky, my body had frozen up. Plus, I had tightly gripped its feathers to avoid falling off, so my hands felt stiff.
I shook my hands a few times without taking off my gloves and looked up at the gryphon.
As I confirmed a moment ago, the gryphon’s face looked really pleased. It seems like it enjoys showing off its own body in front of people.
Despite living so lazily, the gryphon’s body was in great shape. No, in fact, its feathers were shinier than when I first saw it. It looked like the effect of having expensive trainers who are renowned for breeding birds in the Imperial Capital was showing.
Well, having a prominent belly would be odd for a gryphon too.
… I should probably think about the fact that it’s not really gaining weight too. It might be a good idea to investigate how much a gryphon typically eats.
“If you want, you can go back and wait. It’s just going to be cold here.”
Considering the gryphon’s feathers, it shouldn’t be cold, but then again, sitting on that hard, chilly floor might not be very comfortable.
Upon hearing my words, the gryphon nodded once and took off.
Despite its size and wing span, there wasn’t a strong gust of wind as it lifted off, unlike a helicopter. With every flight, it seemed to be quieter and quieter.
Does using magic become more natural with experience?
If the gryphon is still growing, it’ll probably reach a level in a few years that I can barely imagine right now.
I’m not sure if I will still view the Imperial Palace as home by then.
*
After doing some stretches and confirming my body had warmed up a bit, I took off my fur hat.
I combed my hair, which was frizzing from static electricity, with my fingers to make it look decent, and after taking off my thick gloves, I opened the rooftop door and headed into the hallway.
The hallway was bustling with people.
Of course, the academy building is huge. Even with a few people, it doesn’t get crowded to the point that it’s hard to move forward. Moreover, only those certified can enter this space. Even if there are more people than usual, it won’t get as loud as a market.
Still, I have to admit that there was a much livelier atmosphere compared to usual.
No matter how many aristocratic kids and upper-class commoner kids gather, they are still kids. The first-year students had just turned 16, and even the fourth-year students are still only 19. Since it’s the end of the year, that age is accurate, but usually, the youngest students are 15. If you think of it as a mix from middle school to high school, it’s just a bunch of kids hanging out.
In keeping with the festive atmosphere, the classrooms had various decorations and things stuck up, but it still looked pretty childish, like it was made entirely by kids.
Using desks as stalls, and under those, hand-painted signs hanging from cloth.
… I don’t remember school festivals feeling this much like a ‘cultural festival’ when I was in high school. Of course, since this is a world with an original game, it makes sense that school culture festivals have a bit of ‘subculture’ vibe to them.
The top floor of the main building is occupied by fourth-years. Many students from the academy leave midway through the semester, so naturally, the number of fourth-years is the least among the grades.
But still, with four years of experience at the academy, you could see decorations that were relatively orderly and well-done.
Some of the students politely bowed when our eyes met.
These kids are going to enter society next year. Whether they are from noble families or the upper class of commoners, there’s no harm in making a good impression on someone like me, a member of the royal family.
I lightly nodded back and moved on.
As I went down each floor, the hallway got progressively louder. Naturally, it was to be expected since these were kids who’d have to wait many years before facing that reality.
A bit noisier, a bit more naive, a bit more… fun.
Oh right, even with all the events I’ve been through, I hadn’t really remembered that I’m now 16. I still have three more years to be here.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that nothing big will happen, but conversely, as long as nothing major happens, I can certainly afford to take it a bit easy.
Of course, my lack of ability means that studying will be much tougher, but… well, with everything else, I’ll end up worrying too much about grades anyway.
“Sister!”
As soon as I stepped into the first-floor hallway for first-year students, I heard a voice from afar.
It was Claire calling for me.
Feeling a bit lighter as I walked down the hallway, I turned around to face Claire and—
—froze.
Claire was running toward me, smiling brightly, and she looked really pretty. Well, that’s only natural. Besides Claire, all the heroines are beautiful too. Even the passerby extras in this game usually look pretty.
But the reason I froze wasn’t because of Claire’s beauty.
It was because of what Claire was wearing.
Claire was in a maid outfit.
“………………What is that outfit?”
When I asked, Claire twirled around cheerfully in front of me, the wide, long skirt of the maid outfit elegantly flared out.
But my heart wasn’t at ease watching it.
Ah, right.
It’s the ‘festival’ in the game.
This is a cultural festival that features a bunch of cute female characters and even has romantic elements involved.
While it’s rare to see maid cafés in real school festivals, strangely enough, they are a staple in cultural festivals in subculture content.
And it was the same in the Chronicles of Aetherna that I played.
“It’s a maid outfit!”
Well, I know it’s a maid outfit.
“By the way, all the girls in our class are wearing them. The shop hasn’t opened yet, but we need to prepare ahead of time, right?”
“Is that so?”
“……Huh? Why do you sound like you’re talking about someone else?”
At my reply, Claire tilted her head while speaking.
“I told you, all the girls in our class are wearing them!”
“……Even Alice?”
“Of course!”
She had a look that seemed to say I was asking a silly question.
“So, you should wear one too.”
“…….”
Hmm.
Thinking back, maids still exist in this world. And those are the kind of maids that die-hard fans picture when they think of maid outfits.
So, from the perspective of living in this world, wearing a maid outfit might not be much different from wearing clothes from other professions.
… It’s not really cosplaying in my opinion, but that’s what it is.
“C’mon, c’mon, this way! I have one ready for you too!”
Claire hooked her arm through mine and pulled me along while exclaiming.
Ah, now that I think about it, I haven’t given any opinion about the cultural festival to Claire or Alice.
… It might have been a good idea to express some thoughts? If I could avoid the maid outfit, I guess I could put up with looking a little out of place.
It’s not like I can say much after wearing a bunny girl costume before, though.
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