“You got everything, Dear?” Mom asked. We were standing at the port of a town east of Syla, near the waters. It wasn’t far from the capital, only about an hour carriage ride away.

I kneeled down and rechecked my belongings, making sure I didn’t miss anything, as I wouldn’t be able to teleport back and forth as easily. I didn’t bring a lot of things with me. My school uniforms, a couple of change clothes, some daily necessities, basic stuff like that. I had experience living on my own back in my previous life. I could handle a simple trip like this.

Father and Mother were there to see us off as well, standing in the group in their human forms, along with King Torez and Queen Ezabeth. Even Solicea’s parents came to bid us farewell. Since we would be off for only three months, seventy-two days in this world, it seemed a bit too much. This world had Connect anyway, so not like we would be completely cut off during our time there.

“Everything’s here.” I handed my luggage to one of the ship’s crew and they took it onto the ship. Off to the side was Nayala speaking with Prilus.

“I’ll take care of them. You can trust in me.” Nayala bowed her head.

“You take care as well.” Prilus gave her a soft smile, one he hardly gave me. I heard they decided to postpone the announcement. Most likely because of the issue we were facing.

“Please, and thank you.” The King and Queen bowed their heads. Prilus looked toward her sister. “Emori, be careful out there.”

“I- I’ll bring back some souvenirs!”

“Just come back home safe,” Queen Ezabeth said. “All of you, stay safe out there.”

We waved to the crowd and boarded the ship. The ship opened its sails and we began moving out of the port. Other Nanawak military ships accompanied us on our journey. The crowd waved to us until we were out of sight. After that, I made my way back to the main deck. The rest of the group had gathered there.

“Now what?” The trip to Nanawak would take quite a while.

“... Want to play some cards?” Emori asked. I nodded, and we headed to Emori’s room.

* ••

Student exchange so early in my school career…

Well… I guess saying career in this setting felt weird, especially considering how little I actually bothered with school. If anything, the school side of things were as boring as it was back on Earth. I have studied since I was little. Combine that with the knowledge from my previous life, I was practically a professor.

At first my classmates were quite surprised, but they eventually stamped me with the ‘child prodigy’ and moved on with their lives. I wished their fawning would survive a bit longer.

Jokes aside, they probably considered me some bigshot ever since I defeated Prilus, hence why they didn’t bother me. Being surrounded by the princess herself, a dragon, and a noble probably didn’t make me any more approachable. I should do something about it later. I mean, having more friends would be nice.

Anyway…

The four of us were in Emori’s room under the deck. We sat in a circle above the bed, a stack of cards in the middle. We had changed out of our school uniform that we wore for our departure and into more casual clothes.

“I got two tens, one eight, and one nine.” I turned to Emori, feeling confident with the numbers in my hand. She showed me her cards. On her hands were three twelves and one ten, an interesting combination.

“Damn…”

“You’re so unlucky, Fortis.” Maya commented.

“Says the one with three ones,” Solicea quipped.

The game we were playing was called ‘Barter’. We used a deck of cards that consisted of four sets. Each set contained the number one to twelve. We each picked four cards from the deck. Within three turns, we need to guess which cards our opponents had, and let them trade cards with us. The one with the highest total number wins.

“At least I’m not last,” Maya retorted.

“Urk…”

While it was true Maya had three ones, her last card was a twelve. Solicea, meanwhile, had a one, two twos, and one four.

This game in particular was even available in Mimosa online.

“Another round?” I asked.

“Bring it on.” Solicea took our cards and shuffled them. She then set them down in the middle. In Barter, there were no rules regarding who started first, so the quickest player tended to grab the cards on the top.

We all collected our four. For this game, my hand consisted of one twelve, one ten, and two eights.

I got a very good start!

I kept calm, hiding my expression under my cards. The others also hid their expressions, but I had a feeling that they weren’t as pleased with their cards. Unlike other games, there was no order, so the first person that raised their hand first began.

I have great cards. I don’t need to play and I could win, hopefully.

A player had four turns maximum, but that didn’t mean they needed to use it. The first to raise their hand was Maya who pointed toward me. She took my number ten card and set it aside, doing so I couldn’t steal that card back before she could shuffle it. I hovered my hand above her cards, trying to trigger a reaction, but her flat face made her impossible to read.

Ah, damn. The card that I took was a five, a massive downgrade. Before I could steal back my card, Emori raised her hand once more. This time, she targeted Emori.

“Which one do you want?” Emori held her cards. Maya’s hand hovered above Emori’s.

“Which one is the highest?”

“This one.” Emori pushed the one on the farthest left up. Maya snatched it and put it to her side. Emori looked quite shocked to see that.

She must have actually offered her greatest card, hoping Maya would feel suspicious and pick something else.

Before Maya could raise her hand again, Solicea rose hers. She aimed her guns at Emori.

“Why me again?”

“Sorry, Emori. You got the best luck last round.”

That luck didn’t transfer to Solicea, it seemed, as she was visibly disappointed when she realized the card she took. She didn’t look any happier when Emori took hers. The second Emori took the card, she raised her hand. She shuffled hers then directed her sights at Maya.

“Is this revenge?”

Emori grabbed a card from Maya’s hand, and Maya took one in return. Next was Maya. I thought she would try to grab her card back from Emori, but to my surprise, she directed her attention my way.

“You seem suspicious, Fortis. You hadn’t made a single move,” she said as she took my twelve cards. “... No wonder.”

The rest all turned toward her. Her words were like an invitation for a challenge, and I decided to take on that challenge. I quickly raised my hand, my eyes keeping an eye on that twelve. She shuffled it masterfully. I thought about it carefully, then settled on the one in the middle.

Wel… Unfortunately, I never got my twelve card back.

* ••

The game ended with a victory for Maya. Emori got second place, and I got third.

“I somehow got fourth again…” Solicea mumbled. “So… another round?”

We had been sailing for roughly twenty hours at this point. I probably should have checked the time needed beforehand. Had I known we would be on the sea for this long, I would have brought more than just cards.

A knock on the door stopped Solicea from shuffling.

Emori hopped from the bed, heading to the door and opening it.

Nayala peeked into the room. “Hello everyone. Everything alright?”

I nodded. “Other than the shaking, yeah.”

Now that we were sailing in the open seas, the shaking could be easily felt. Not enough to throw us off our feet, but certainly annoying. Maybe it was because we got used to flying, but none of us vomited. Any stronger and I couldn’t promise Emori’s room remaining clean, though.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

While we waited, we kept switching card games, and the three girls’ antics kept me from getting bored.

“If you need anything, feel free to tell me.” Nayala closed the door. She looked like someone our age, but it would probably be awkward if she joined us.

“Umm… Miss Nayala…”

The door opened once more. “Yes?”

“Would you like to join us?”

Nayala’s eyes widened. She looked at the rest of us.

“The more the merrier,” Solicea said.

Maya nodded in agreement. “That way, I won’t be last.”

“You’re already not last,” I reminded her. “But feel free to join us, Your Highness.”

“My, you’re all good kids.” Nayala snickered, coming into the room and sitting on the bed next to me. Emori sat down next to her.

“Are you older than us?” Solicea asked. Nayala shook her head. “Not by much.”

“Twenty years?”

“... Dragons really do have a different sense of time.” Nayala smiled wryly. “Just three.”

She was younger than I expected. She had this ‘big sister’ demeanor. To be fair, a three-year difference between sisters was common on Earth.

I glanced at Maya. “You’re still younger than her, actually.”

“Oh yeah?” Nayala looked surprised by this fact.

“She’ll be twenty-four in six days.”

“Oh, my.”

“Thee shall prepare me presents!” Maya said with a smug smile.

Nayala clapped her hands. “I’ll make sure you have an unforgettable birthday.”

“There’s no need.” I waved my hands. Maya pouted and lightly punched me, but didn’t say a word.

“What do you want, Maya?” Solicea reached out and hugged Maya. “Money? Power? A whole lot of gold?”

“The third option sounds good. Also, world domination.”

“That… might be a bit much.”

“Haha, I agree with Emori there.” Nayala laughed.

“Still… You’re old, Maya.”

Maya didn’t seem miffed at my statement. “I’m still a baby.”

“You’re one huge baby.” Solicea patted her head. “Say, who’s the good girl? you are.”

“Isn’t that something you say to dogs?” Emori tilted her head.

“Wait, is it? Then what do you say to babies?”

Nayala put her two hands next to her ears and stuck out tongue. “Waaa waaa waaa.”

“I’m not sure that’s the right thing to say…” Emori murmured.

“Really? I think I used to do it to you when you were little. You always laughed when I did that.”

Emori’s cheeks reddened. “Tha- That’s not true!”

“Maybe I should ask your parents…”

“Please don’t!”

The sound of running appeared outside the room. It grew louder, accompanied by panicked voices. We all turned to the door.

“What’s going on…” Emori murmured. I got out of bed. A knock came, and without waiting for a response, the door opened.

“Pardon the intrusion.” It was Akareseki, the Bearer of Nanawak.

“Akareseki? Something up?” Nayala got off the bed and approached him.

“We have an emergency.”

“Emergency?”

Pirates? But would pirates attack such a large fleet?

My question was answered immediately. “Sea monsters.”

The five of us followed Akareseki to the upper deck. There, the sound of cannons filled the air. Balls of metal flew through the sky, striking the sea. Swimming in between the splashes was a white fin.

I painted a black circle in my vision, then painted the symbol for Zoom above it. The elementless spell allowed a portion of my vision to be zoomed in on the target.

“A Soron White Fin Salmon?” These… ‘Salmons’ occupied the sea between Syla and Nanawak. They were a common sight in the waters, and fishermen often hunted them. They weren’t endangered, so running into one wasn’t a rare thing.

That said, they tend to be scared of humans. For one to be so close to the surface…

“Is it lost?”

Akareseki shook his head. “It attacked the ship in front of us earlier.”

We ran to the front of our vessel. As Akareseki said, the ship sailing in front of us was listing to the left.

“Is anyone hurt?” Nayala asked.

“Not yet,” Akareseki answered. “What are your orders, Your Highness?”

Nayala tried looking at the enemy. Emori, meanwhile, turned to me. “Is it tempered by demons?”

I paid attention to the salmon, trying to see if there was anything different about it. The game actually contained some fishing mini-games, so I knew about the animal somewhat. They were pretty common, but they’re no shabby fish. They tasted great, thus the high demand. Their meat could be sold for a decent amount and had a lot of stat-boosting properties-

Hold on, I’m thinking about the wrong thing!

“Their fins are their weak points!” I painted a red ring right above the fin. I then put the symbol for Fireball on it, immediately discharging the spell. The strike hits its target, causing the fin to burn momentarily. The salmon dove underneath the waters in an attempt to extinguish it.

“Its… fin?” Nayala looked at me with surprise. It was a knowledge I gained from the game. A lot of people didn’t know this. They thought that, like any other underwater creature, the salmon’s weak point would be somewhere on its body. That wasn’t true, as many of the salmon’s senses were located on its top fin.

“If we strike it enough times, it’ll lose its way.”

“Okay!”

Maybe it was because she had no other idea, or maybe because she trusted the level 100 me, Nayala didn’t question my orders. She called her crew, ordering them to look for the salmon’s fin. They stood at the side of the ship, aiming their muskets at the waters. Akareseki brandished his sword, the brilliant red blade ready to strike.

The fish soon reappeared a bit farther away. Using magic, Akaraseki shot balls of flames at the salmon, while the rest fired their muskets. Some managed to land a hit, forcing the fish to once again hide beneath the waters.

“I’ll transform and look from the sky.” Maya took the bottom of her shirt-

“Stop! Go change first!” Solicea urged.

Maya winced. “Is this really the time-”

The ship shook harshly, sending most of the crew off their feet. Nayala and Akareseki stood tall, while from our group only Solicea fell. I peeked off the edge. Parts of the ship’s hull had begun breaking apart. I ran to the other side, the salmon swimming away.

“Isn’t that too strong for a salmon?” Solicea held onto the railings, supporting herself as she stood back up. As we were occupied with the action, Maya had disappeared somewhere. I looked around, trying to find her, but the ship shook to the side once more.

“The ship’s listing!” One of the sailors called out. Akareseki acted quickly, firing spells that forced the salmon to go back underwater.

This is bad!

A salmon should have nowhere near this amount of power. A single strike to its weak point should have crippled it for good. This must have something to do with those damned demons.

“I’m ready!” Maya ran onto the deck, a simple white cloth covering her skin. A cloud of magic appeared around her, covering her body as she grew into her dragon form.

“... Is that…?” Nayala looked up at Maya towering over her.

“”I’ll come.”

“Alright.” Maya slid her tail toward me. I ran up to her back. She flapped her wings, and we took to the skies. From high up, I took note of the salmon’s shadow, making note of its figure as it swam between the attacks. It had gotten too close to the ship, causing the other ships to halt their attacks, in fear of friendly fire.

“You have a plan?” Maya turned, angling her body to allow me to look below.

I had all my wands with me. Fire struggled against underwater targets, as its attacks dissipated upon touching the water. Nature couldn’t be used on water as well.

That left me with two options.

“I’ll try double-casting!” I held my stone wand and steel wand in my hands. I rarely use them, due to their rather difficult-to-remember symbols.

“Have you ever done that?”

“Well… no…”

I had only tried quick switching before, which was harder to do in this world compared to a game console. I did do double casting from the same element before, but using two spells from different elements was much harder. Fusing those two elements? Even harder.

But nothing I never did in my previous life.

“Are you sure?”

The salmon switched directions, heading back straight for the ship.

“I don’t think we have enough time.” We only had so much time before the ship sank. I need to succeed. I think back to the time I played the game.

Come on, I’m the one chosen for this. I can do this!

“Should I fly lower?”

“Yes please!”

Maya matched her speed with the salmon below, adjusting her flight path. She flew to the side, then angled her body depending on the position of the salmon. I painted two separate circles in my vision. One brown, the other silver. I merged the two circles, the left half brown and the right silver.

I painted the symbols for Steel Spear on the right of that circle, Cliff on the left.

Spears made of steel appeared by my side. They shone a brilliant silver, plunging straight into the salmon, striking it on its top.

Oh no!

Some of the spears stabbed through, others broke apart.

“Damnit!”

“Didn’t you hit?”

“Yeah, but the double casting failed.”

I remade the circle, then cast Steel Spear and Cliff over and over again. My failed strikes managed to harm the salmon, causing it to move wildly, but that wasn’t enough.

I struggled more and more, putting all my focus into my target. I repainted the circle and the symbols, trying to create the perfect spell. A powerful spell that would pierced through this fish and turn it into a skewer.

Only after my fifth attempt did I manage to fuse the two spells, creating a spear with a sharp rocky surface. I sent the fusion straight at the fish, stabbing right through its fin.

Magic trailed from the salmon’s body, thanks to the many other spears stuck on its side. The salmon’s movements had become sluggish. My last strike was the strike that ended it. The salmon flopped for a few seconds, before finally falling to the depths.

Me and Maya’s return to the damaged ship was greeted with celebration.

“You did well up there.” Emori assisted me with getting down. “I didn’t know you could do dual casting.”

“It took me a couple of tries.”

“Please teach me sometime.”

“I’ll try. It’s not like mine is stable.”

As we were speaking, the ship remained on its side. It didn’t seem like it would sink, but it would definitely not go back straight.

“We couldn’t sail the rest of the way like this…” Nayala murmured, one of her hands on the railing. She looked around. The other ships began approaching us.

“Come on, we’ll move ships.”

We went back to our quarters. Well… safe to say it had seen better days. The cards were on the floor, our luggage resting to the side. We gathered as much as we could. Maya then flew us to one of the unharmed ships. Other allied ships tied the listing ship with them and towed it. We turned from our course, heading for a coastal city closer to our location.