Chapter 741
Both Simon’s side and Lete’s side safely arrived at the orphanage.
The volunteer schedule was the same as before, breakfast had to be prepared before the children woke up.
“Come on, come on! Let’s do it according to plan!”
Lete, looking unusually energetic today, clenched both fists tight, Simon smiled.
“Why are you so excited, Lete?”
“Hehehe, isn’t this the most important moment in their lives? How can I not be excited right now! Today Richard will make his dash, right?”
“I hope so… Ah, here he comes!”
Without another word, the operation began.
Anna, hesitating to step into the kitchen, was pushed by Lete, who asked her to bring some firewood from the storage.
When she went to the firewood pile and started pulling pieces out—
“Allow me.”
Richard approached, Anna lowered her gaze shyly when she saw him and greeted him.
“Ah, good morning Richard.”
“Good morning, Ayla.”
Richard took the firewood Anna was holding, but then, a moment later, he truly saw her.
Clatter—
The wood he had just taken dropped back onto the ground.
A beautiful sky-blue dress fluttered in the breeze, her hair neatly braided and arranged.
The vast world blurred away, and only she stood out clearly in his eyes, as though the entire world revolved around her.
“Are you alright?”
Anna stepped closer with a worried face.
“You’re not hurt, are you? Ah, you scraped—”
“I’m fine!”
Richard answered with force, then cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Let’s go.”
The two walked side by side carrying the firewood, chatting brightly as they went.
“Ohohoho.”
Not far behind them, Simon and Lete were secretly peeking at the pair.
“It looks like it’s going well! Ah, they even held hands! What do we do!”
Excited, Lete smacked Simon on the back. Simon, who had been standing still, turned to glare at her after the unnecessary blow.
“Calm down, Lete.”
“Ah, sorry. It’s my first time with something like this, I can’t help but get carried away. Is this what it feels like to raise kids?”
Like a nosy mother, Lete clasped both hands tightly together.
“Go, Teacher Anna! Just a little more courage!”
But a little further away from where Simon and Lete were hiding—
There was yet another person watching them all.
‘Anna sister…!’
It was Israfil.
Her bloodshot eyes trembled as she shook violently.
‘So this is why you were bustling about so early in the morning…!’
There was nothing wrong with volunteering at the orphanage, in fact, such wholesome activities were something Israfil herself would encourage.
But.
‘What is with that man!’
Wasn’t the situation turning oddly strange?
That Anna, who was the very definition of clueless, who knew nothing about relationships, with a man!
‘Khk!’
Israfil bit into her handkerchief as her eyes welled up. She had always thought maybe someday Anna would meet someone, but now? Already? It was far too soon. She wasn’t ready to let Anna go.
Her eyes, burning with jealousy, glared at Richard, then shifted toward Lete.
‘To corrupt the pure Anna sister with strange influences! As expected, Rena is the cause of everything!’
“Excuse me!”
At that moment, the orphanage head suddenly appeared from behind. Israfil, who was hiding in the bushes, jumped in fright and turned around.
“Y-Yes?”
“If you came to volunteer, you should help instead of just lazing around! Everyone else is working hard, why are there so many people these days just wasting time?”
The head grabbed Israfil’s wrist and pulled her along.
“Wait, no! I didn’t come here to volunteer—”
“Hurry up! Start with cleaning the storage room!”
And thus Israfil was dragged away by the head’s hand.
* * *
Richard and Anna spent the entire day together during this volunteer activity.
When serving meals, when playing with the children, always together.
Happy hours slipped away too quickly, and already the day was drawing to a close. But since today’s schedule was an overnight stay at the orphanage, they still had some time left.
Simon and Lete insisted they would take care of the dishes, practically forcing the two outside. Thanks to that, they had the chance to stroll through the garden.
“Do you remember what I told you last time?”
Richard, walking in step with Anna, smiled as he brought it up.
“That I’d show you the sea.”
“Ah, yes.”
She tilted her head slightly in embarrassment as she answered, every gesture of hers filled with charm. Richard fought to keep a smile from spilling out, then extended his hand.
“Then, shall we go see it now?”
Anna blinked.
“Huh? But the sea, from here…”
“It’s not as far as you think. We can make it.”
Richard closed his eyes and summoned his focus.
He spread both palms, two circles of pure mana unfolding in the air above them. Anna tilted her head at the sight.
“What is that?”
“They’ll take us to the sea.”
He placed small pebbles into each circle, then activated the spell again. The pebbles quivered, absorbing surrounding mana rapidly.
“Devote yourselves before me.”
Richard solemnly lowered his arm.
“Spirit Dragons.”
Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
From within the magic circles burst forth blue spirits, their wings like those of dragonflies, their bodies somewhere between a serpent and a horse.
Like winged sea-horses, the two Spirit Dragons soared into the air.
“Oh my, this is…!”
“Spirit magic.”
Richard brought out saddles and reins he had crafted over the past week, securing them onto the Spirit Dragons.
“The Follentia family is actually a line of spirit magicians.”
He had studied spirit magic briefly when very young.
But after running away from home, he cast off the name of Follentia, rejected everything about that family, and abandoned spirit magic as well.
But now, using Richard’s name again, and seeking a way to bring Anna to the sea without resorting to black magic, he resolved to learn spirit magic.
And within just a week, he succeeded in mastering the ‘Spirit Dragon’.
“This is the first time I’ve seen spirit magic! They’re so pretty.”
Anna clapped like a child, delighted. Richard stepped closer.
“Try communing with them. Slowly.”
Anna reached out her hand, the Spirit Dragon gazed at her and then willingly rubbed its face against her palm.
“So pretty.”
“Well done.”
Richard spoke calmly, but inwardly he was astonished. She didn’t even carry the blood of a spirit magician family, and yet the spirit obeyed her instantly, such sensitivity was incredible.
“Shall we ride?”
“Yes!”
Holding Richard’s hand, Anna carefully climbed onto the Spirit Dragon’s back. The creature stood still until she was settled.
“Good boy.”
As she gently stroked its neck, the Spirit Dragon shook with ticklish delight.
Richard mounted the other Spirit Dragon with a grin.
“Ready?”
“Yes!”
Anna grasped the reins with the happiest smile in the world, Richard, just as excited, swept his arm dramatically like a magician.
“Let’s go!”
The Spirit Dragons raised their heads like drawn bows, then shot forward with force.
“Kyaaaaaa!”
As the ground fell rapidly away and the altitude rose, Anna screamed in surprise, clutching the dragon’s neck.
“Stay calm, Ayla. It’s fine.”
Encouraged by Richard’s words, Anna slowly opened her eyes. Around her, everything was rushing by at dizzying speed.
“Ah…”
The picturesque scenery reflected in her eyes.
“Shall we go faster?”
“Yes!”
The Spirit Dragons increased their speed.
The jungle of night spread below them, luminous plants glowing like lanterns swayed in the breeze, animals and monsters scurried among the trees.
Their mounts steadily climbed higher.
Past the jungle, past the lights of the night, the world below became a glittering panorama, and soon they broke above the clouds.
Anna’s eyes widened in rapture.
Past the jungle, past the desert, they rode along rivers of cloud. For someone who had lived cloistered in temples since childhood and dragged onto battlefields, this beauty of the world was unknown.
Everywhere she looked, it was wondrous.
Pictures in books, stories she had heard and imagined, the reality before her far exceeded them, touching her eyes and skin.
“It’s truly, truly amazing!”
Anna cried, Richard laughed.
“It’s too soon to be amazed.”
They talked while soaring above the clouds, until Richard gestured below. The dragons slowed and began to descend from the sky.
“Close your eyes, Ayla.”
“Yes.”
She closed them, and soon the dragons dipped beneath the clouds.
“Now, open them!”
Anna slowly opened her eyes—
And gasped.
“This—”
She covered her mouth in awe.
“The sea…!”
Swoooosh!
Splash, crash!
Blue, all around, as far as the eyes could see.
An endless expanse of deep azure, nothing else but water, wide open and liberating.
The Spirit Dragons lowered altitude and skimmed just above the waves.
“Here, try this!”
Richard dipped his hand into the sea, white spray foaming up. Anna laughed and dipped her hand and foot into the water.
Splash, splash!
Fish swam beneath them, dolphins leaping from the waves beyond. Anna gazed around, enraptured.
The cool wind rushed against them.
The vast, blue ocean.
Clouds like little boats.
A sight so breathtaking it could bring tears.
Amidst it all.
“How is it, Ayla!”
Richard’s face came into view.
“Are you enjoying yourself?”
Thump!
The crash of waves drowned out the pounding of her heart.
‘I’m sorry, Richard.’
The seascape that Richard had worked so hard to show her was now blurred from her sight.
All she could see was Richard’s face, grinning ear to ear like a child.
‘This feels strange.’
Not when she studied scripture and found enlightenment.
Not when she first became a Saint.
Not even when she felt the grace of the Goddess.
None of those moments felt like this.
Richard and Anna decided to rest for a while on a cliff overlooking the sea.
“……”
“……”
Sitting side by side, their hands were already clasped together. Richard struggled desperately to calm the rough pounding of his heart.
‘It’s not like this is the first woman I’ve ever met, so why am I trembling like this?’
It was strange.
Every time he held her hand, it felt like his heart would stop, every time she smiled, it felt like his chest would burst. He had met countless women before, yet never once had he felt his entire being shake like this.
When Richard turned his head, he saw Anna, eyes brimming with tears of awe, gazing out at the sea.
‘……’
Beautiful.
She marveled at every little thing, laughed without pretense, rejoiced with pure delight.
A warm, untainted heart.
It was something he did not possess, and perhaps because of that, her purity struck him all the more deeply.
Richard edged a little closer. Startled, Anna leaned slightly away.
At that, Richard hesitated and asked,
“Should I sit a little farther?”
“N-No!”
Startled, her voice cracked into a squeak. She slapped her palm over her mouth, then hid behind her drawn-up knees. Seeing that, Richard’s lips curled upward once more.
“Um, uh…”
Anna finally lifted her head with courage.
“…I don’t know how to thank you for showing me such a wonderful sight. I’ll never forget today, ever. I mean it.”
“It’s an honor that I could give someone such an experience.”
Their clasped hands tightened.
The moonlight grew brighter, the mood ripened perfectly.
As Richard leaned in slowly, setting the atmosphere, Anna squeaked and shut her eyes.
Then she blurted out, voice high and nervous,
“I-I don’t really know how…!”
‘Ah, right.’
Hadn’t she said she had no experience with men or romance?
Richard cleared his throat.
“Then I’ll just close my eyes and stay still.”
“…Huh?”
“Do whatever you want, Ayla.”
Then he closed his eyes and lowered both hands.
And remained still, as though asleep.
“……”
Anna calmed a little, and looked straight at Richard.
A perfect face.
Features like they were sculpted.
And lips firmly shut.
She adjusted her posture and studied him slowly.
Thump—
Her heart pounded madly.
Thump—
Having lived her life to the demands of others, she was weak in such situations.
Do as you want, he said.
But how was she supposed to know what to do?
Thump—
Follow my heart.
Do as I wish.
She repeated his words to herself as she slowly brushed his body. She placed her hand on his shoulder, then brushed his face with her palm.
Then, leaning in slowly, she—
“!”
Pressed her lips against Richard’s. His eyes shot open wide in surprise.
She pulled back quickly, face flushed crimson, head bowed. Richard, however, smiled meaningfully.
“Impressive.”
Then Richard pressed his lips to Anna’s.
Soon enough, neither waited for the other, they embraced, following instinct.
The night deepened.
* * *
“Think we don’t need to follow them?”
Lete, sitting on a cliff near the orphanage after finishing their chores, asked. Simon, stretching as he paced around, plopped down beside her.
“It’s fine. If we follow them and get caught, it’ll only make things awkward. Let’s just leave it to their hearts.”
Lete nodded, hugged her knees, and gazed up at the moon.
“By now, those two must be having a happy time together, right?”
Her face flushed as she giggled.
“Just imagining it feels wonderful!”
“You’re unusually enthusiastic.”
“Well, watching Teacher Anna’s girlish side as she falls in love for the first time, it’s fun, isn’t it?”
Murmuring that, Lete looked up at the moon again.
“A destined love, how romantic.”
* * *
“……”
Israfil, who had only just managed to slip free from the orphanage director, wore a drained expression.
‘…I worked too hard.’
While cleaning the building, she had stumbled upon documents detailing the orphanage’s financial state, and it was terrible. Out of pity, she offered some advice, and the director clung to her, begging for more help.
In the end, she had gone over not just the finances, but practically all the guidelines, then finally returned.
‘No, this isn’t the time! More importantly, Anna sister…!’
She searched all around the orphanage grounds, but couldn’t find her.
Then she spotted a middle-aged man who seemed to be a volunteer and ran up.
“Excuse me, have you seen a woman with ash-colored hair among the volunteers?”
“You mean Miss Ayla?”
The man gave her a knowing smile.
“Well, she went off somewhere with that man she’s been sticking with all day. What was it, to go see something. The sea, maybe?”
“!!”
Israfil’s face turned pale.
“Uh, when was this?”
“About two hours ago.”
“…Thank you.”
This was an emergency.
Israfil dashed off frantically.
‘A kidnapping? It has to be! Going to see the sea from here, that makes no sense! That woman Rena! I knew she was suspicious!’
Something must have happened to Anna.
She pulled out a letter and a quill from her cloak.
‘I have to stop this immediately!’
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