On the next day, the girls and I woke up early in the morning. Our goal was to depart from Arclight and reach Anima in my Wyvern form, which would likely allow us to reach our destination by nightfall. The previous night, Sylvia had agreed to keep me informed if Shinji and the others arrived in Arclight, so I left that matter with her.

Initially, I had considered asking Sylvia not to assist them if they needed help. However, if an order came from Artena requesting Arclight's assistance, I couldn't put all that pressure on her. I decided to set that matter aside; after all, I didn't want to impose too many obligations on Sylvia, whom I considered a precious friend.

In the end, it was me, the girls, Sylvia, Rena, and the three knights who escorted us to the palace when we arrived in Arclight. For some reason, everyone wanted to bid farewell, even though I said we would probably return at some point. I really couldn't refuse their request, so I just nodded in agreement.

"I appreciate all the help you've provided to Sylvia-sama, Makoto-sama"

One of the knights said. Suddenly, as I watched Sylvia and the girls embrace in farewell, Rena, who was beside me, caught my attention. For some reason, whenever she had the chance, Rena expressed her gratitude, although I had said several times that it had been nothing. Sylvia had become an important friend to me, so it was only natural that I would help.

"Sylvia is important to me too. I consider her a great friend, so it's only natural for me to help, even if it started out as a commission"

I replied. Upon hearing my words, for the first time, I saw a small smile forming on Rena's face. It was quite a rare sight, so I discreetly observed her, not entirely prepared for what she would say next.

"Moreover... I also appreciate you taking care of the prince. If he were still alive, Sylvia-sama would never find peace"

Rena said. Rena's words made my eyes widen for a moment. Slowly turning my head, I realized Rena had returned to her usual professional expression.

"Please don't look at me like that. My job is to monitor everyone around Sylvia-sama, whether they're good or not"

Faced with Rena's words, it was evident that she knew I was responsible for the prince's death. However, her reaction surprised me. Rena seemed incredibly loyal to the royal family. Would she really do nothing, even if she found out I was the one who killed the prince? I couldn't find a logical explanation for it.

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"I thought you were loyal to the royal family"

I said. As soon as I said that, Rena let out a small laugh, which was a rather rare sight, to say the least. Then her eyes turned to Sylvia, and it was evident the affection and care in her gaze as she watched her mistress.

"I am loyal to Arclight's royal purposes, which are to keep its people safe and happy, but my loyalty is solely to Sylvia-sama"

Rena explained, her voice sounding firm and determined. Her words were brief, but I sensed there was much more to them than she was willing to reveal. I chose to set that matter aside. When I turned back to Sylvia, I found a smile on her face as she chatted with the girls.

"I agree with you. Sylvia truly seems like the kind of person who deserves to be served"

She said. After the brief conversation with Rena, we bid farewell to everyone and prepared to depart. A dark mist enveloped me and quickly took shape, transforming into a Wyvern. As my form soared above Sylvia's palace, I looked up to the sky and let out a small roar. There was no specific reason for it, but somehow, it felt satisfying to do so.

Though I didn't have a truly specific form, I felt like I was finally breaking free. I lay on the ground and spread my wings so the girls could climb onto my back. Once they were all aboard, I rose and cast one last glance at Sylvia.

(Until next time, Sylvia. It was a brief encounter, but I deeply appreciated the time I spent by your side)

My thoughts seemed to reach Sylvia as a small tear rolled down her eye. Her expression was one of surprise as she stared at me. Then, she gracefully wiped away the tear, and a warm, joyful smile lit up her face.

She didn't say anything more, but her smile was enough to convey her words. It seemed that, like me, Sylvia had also appreciated our presence. With that in mind, I flapped my wings strongly, creating a gust of wind around me.

Soon after, my body began to rise in the air. As I gained enough altitude, I started flying toward Anima, watching the landscape of the Arclight kingdom gradually shrink as we distanced ourselves.

The wind caressed my scales, provoking the feeling of freedom that only flying could provide. In a brief moment, I had the urge to close my eyes and get lost in the moment. As we flew, the scenery around us gradually transformed. We left behind Arclight's rural areas, entering forests divided by majestic mountain ranges.

While flying over the mountain range, an impressive landscape unfolded before me: a charming mix of lush forests and verdant meadows. It was as if we had entered another dimension, completely different from the previous landscape. The girls around me seemed to share the same thought, as their expressions also revealed surprise and admiration.

"This place is amazing"

Saemi commented as she looked around. All the others seemed to share similar thoughts, and I wasn't so different. As the sun continued to set in the distance, we were just minutes away from reaching Anima. Although the country had a culture entirely different from Arclight, we knew we would adapt somehow; after all, it was what we had done so far.

(Hold on, I'm going to increase the speed)

I announced. With a push, I accelerated even more, surpassing our previous speed. Of course, I created a protective dome around the girls to prevent them from being affected by the wind.