Hoo~
Da-eun nodded her head in time with the music flowing from the speaker.
According to her, it was a song from some drama’s OST or something.
Not that I’ve seen the drama or even heard of it, so all I could think was, ‘Oh, I see,’ but it was clear why Da-eun was in such a good mood.
Even I, who knows nothing, found the song quite exciting.
That said, I wasn’t bobbing my head or tapping my fingers like the person next to me.
‘Isn’t she going to bump her head at this rate?’
Unable to stand Da-eun’s increasingly intense movements, I spoke up.
“Is that safe? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“I have the auto-driving feature on, so it’s fine!”
She added.
“In the past, you had to keep your hands on the wheel even with that feature enabled, but nowadays, technology has improved so much that you don’t even need to sit in the driver’s seat. It’s legally okay!”
“Really…?”
Huh?
I tilted my head.
Then wouldn’t there be no need for a driver’s seat at all?
“There are situations the auto-drive can’t handle, like emergencies or when you have to get somewhere fast?”
“Hmm.”
“Anyway, this feature has been proven safe. Ever since it was introduced, the frequency of traffic accidents has drastically decreased. If it wasn’t safe, the government wouldn’t have approved it, right?”
“If it’s that safe, then accidents shouldn’t happen at all, right?”
“Eh, that’s a bit hard to guarantee. You can’t avoid getting slammed by a crazy driver coming from behind. That’d be tough even for a human! So don’t be scared, just relax.”
“I’m not particularly scared…”
Snicker.
Hearing my words, Da-eun curled her lips upward.
From her smug expression, it seemed she found it cute that I pretended I wasn’t scared, even though just moments ago I had been.
But I really wasn’t scared at all.
I had no reason to be scared in the first place.
“If there’s an accident, I won’t get hurt. Do you think I learned mana for show?”
Of course, it would depend on the severity of the accident, but if I got hurt in a typical car accident, even the snake that went to Edel would mock me.
Besides, it wasn’t even my car, so I had no financial worries either.
There’s a saying that those who have nothing to lose fear nothing, and I guess it applies here too.
Though the context is a bit different, it’s still the same notion, right?
Da-eun’s eyes widened as she heard my words.
“…What do you mean?”
Her voice trembled, as if she had received a major shock.
“You weren’t scared, but were worried about your sister…?”
“…Huh?”
At her sudden statement, I tilted my head again.
Regardless, Da-eun spoke in a mockingly tearful voice.
“Kana is fine, but you were worried I might get hurt in an accident, right? Am I right?”
“…Not at all.”
Sniffle…! Kana’s heart is so kind, I feel like crying…!
“That’s not what I meant!”
Da-eun raised her hand and wiped away any nonexistent tears from her eyes.
She had no intention of listening to what I had to say at all.
I couldn’t even fathom what kind of convoluted thought process led to her conclusion, so I gave up on understanding Da-eun.
“All that matters is that Da-eun is happy.”
Thoughts are free, after all.
And a traveler shedding their coat is always met with warm sunlight, not a biting cold wind.
The corners of Da-eun’s mouth drooped.
“…Your gaze hurts.”
I was clearly sending her a warm gaze like sunlight, but Da-eun, lost in her imagination, fell back into cold reality.
This is really strange.
Da-eun’s rampage finally came to a stop, and the car quieted down.
As if it had sensed our mood, a calmer tune flowed from the speakers, different from before.
As I gazed blankly at the scenery sliding by outside, Da-eun, who had been silent for a while, began to speak.
“By the way, Kana.”
“Yeah?”
“That mana thing… Can I use it too?”
“…Mana? You mean this?”
“Yeah! That!”
When I flicked a tiny bit of mana from my fingertips, Da-eun eagerly nodded.
“Why do you want mana?”
“Looks cool! It seems really useful… And like you said earlier, if there’s an accident, I might not get hurt!”
“Yep, it is useful.”
After all, just being able to keep myself safe is appealing all on its own.
Though, to reach that level would take quite some time.
I slowly nodded back at Da-eun, who looked at me with expectation.
This Earth originally had no mana, but ever since Silia came under its influence, mana has begun to emerge.
It’s just that people hadn’t noticed yet.
“You probably can use it if you try hard enough.”
“Really?! Then can you teach me?!”
“Teaching isn’t hard, but do you think you can do it? You couldn’t grasp it while we were in Silia either.”
“…Ah.”
Of course, it’s different since being in Silia wasn’t with my real body, but…
Considering the system’s assistance, I wondered if it would hold the same difficulty.
It would be quite a challenge.
“Do you still want to learn?”
I asked with that meaning in mind, and after a moment’s hesitation, Da-eun nodded with determination.
“If you’re okay with it, I want to learn!”
“Sure. I got it.”
“Really?! Is it a promise?!”
“I said I’d teach you. Even if you cry later and say you don’t want to, I won’t let you off.”
“That sounds scary…”
There was no reason to refuse since it wouldn’t be hard for me either.
…Though who knows what might happen in the future.
‘I hope nothing bad happens.’
The wind is just wind, and I can’t guarantee that things I’m worried about won’t come true.
I spoke to Da-eun, who was looking at me with a mix of fear and anticipation in her eyes.
“I’ll start as soon as we arrive.”
“Can we do it after we go home…?”
“Nope.”
“Sniffle….”
Da-eun made a crying face.
*
Creeeak.
After hours of driving, the car finally came to a stop.
Just as Da-eun said, the auto-drive feature had brought us to our destination without a hitch.
“Ugh…! Finally feel alive again.”
As soon as we arrived, Da-eun flung the car door wide open and stretched.
She must have felt quite stiff from being cooped up in the car, as her expression was extremely refreshed.
“Haa…”
I felt the same way, instantly stepping out of the car as I saw Da-eun getting out and stretching.
It was quick and convenient, but the stiffness was unavoidable.
Still, it was way better than riding a carriage.
Grab!
“Huh?!”
While I was lost in thought stretching my arms toward the sky, I felt something strange touch my outstretched hand.
A little startled, I briefly tried to pull away.
“Ahahaha! Were you surprised? Sorry~”
“…What are you doing?”
Realizing that what I caught was Da-eun’s hand, I raised an eyebrow.
“If you’re going to stretch, do it properly! You have to stand on your tiptoes like this! That’s how you grow taller.”
“That’s not stretching, that’s just a yawn!”
Is she really toying with my height again?
Does she even realize how much pain awaits her in the future?
‘Then again…she probably doesn’t.’
Looking at Da-eun, who seems to enjoy tormenting me, I twisted my hand free from hers.
As if to celebrate my newfound freedom, the cool breeze brushed over my cheeks.
“The air is nice~ Isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It definitely is.”
The air in Seoul couldn’t even be called nice as a token saying.
It felt stale and suffocating.
Almost like breathing in magical energy.
In contrast, this place was at the foot of a mountain, far from the city, so the air that wafted deeply into my lungs felt incredibly refreshing.
“I really like experiencing the air like this. It makes me feel like I’ve escaped everyday life and come to a different place. Someone might say, ‘It’s the same air, you’re being overdramatic,’ but…”
“…”
“Kana? Why are you so quiet? Is something wrong?”
“…N-not really. That’s not it.”
I wasn’t keeping quiet because Da-eun’s words stung me.
…Really, it wasn’t that severe.
I was just thinking, ‘Does it really feel that different?’ while I breathed in the air.
I deliberately changed the subject.
“Is that why Da-eun likes to travel?”
“Hmm… That’s one of the reasons. As I mentioned before, I spent a lot of my childhood in hospitals, so I have this longing to travel freely.”
And.
As she continued, Da-eun smiled sweetly.
“When you encounter diverse cultures and lifestyles, you realize that the life you’ve lived isn’t the only way to live, and things you once thought were trivial gain new meaning. That kind of expansion in perspective, it feels so good!”
Once Da-eun finished speaking, a brief silence fell over us.
I couldn’t help but recall her excited expression every time we arrived at a new city.
Was she thinking those thoughts even when traveling in Silia?
As I pondered, I shook my head softly.
“I’m not sure.”
In places like Sedith or Baltora, or even in other villages.
I felt that they were different from where I had lived, but I had never experienced that sort of perspective expansion or awakening of thought that Da-eun described.
“A person burdened with heavy baggage wouldn’t have the luxury to admire the scenery around them. Maybe back then, you were too caught up in your thoughts?”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah, it must be.”
Da-eun crouched in front of me.
Her level slightly mismatched with mine.
Maybe she felt it too because she awkwardly stood up.
“So, I dream of traveling with you one day. I want to show you the things I’ve seen, heard, and felt…though it might be a bit tough for now.”
“But you have things you need to do right now, right?”
“Once things settle down, would you want to travel with me? Oh, was that too much of a flag-like statement…?”
Da-eun started to reach out with her pinky and then awkwardly smiled.
Glancing at her extended pinky, I thought,
‘Honestly…’
And smiled softly.
She always knows how to break a good mood, doesn’t she?
However, instead of scolding her, I raised my pinky.
“Sure, I’ll do it.”
Da-eun’s and my pinkies entwined.
With a firm handshake, we both chuckled together.
“Promise? Even if you later say you don’t want to go, I won’t let you off.”
“Hmph.”
Da-eun flung back my words entirely.
“Why would I refuse when I’m offering to be your guide?”
“…You cheeky Kana! Do you really have to say that in such a touching atmosphere? Must you always break the mood to feel satisfied?!”
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