Chapter 3-5 : Those Who Lurk In The Clouds
「Phew…」(Kako)
The humiliating and torturous lunch is finally over. I feel mentally tired even though I’m full now.
As I let out a sigh, I turned my face toward the window and gazed at the scenery outside.
After staring at the clouds for five minutes, I started to feel sleepy, probably because my stomach was full.
「Fwaaahh~*yawn* …Ugh, I may fall asleep now……」(Kako)
I was thinking of taking a nap, but before I could close my eyes, I noticed something in the clouds.
「…Hm…? What is that…? A bird…?」(Kako)
I thought it was a giant bird or something similar at first, but when I squinted, I realized it was something different.
Judging from the shape of its silhouette, it looks more like a fish than a bird.
But… There’s no way a fish is swimming in the clouds… Am I dreaming…?
「Hey, Nyat, you have good eyes, right?」(Kako)
「Nya?」(Nyat)
Thinking Nyat would be able to see it clearly, I asked him while pointing at the silhouette.
「You see that? Is that a bird? Or a monster?」(Kako)
「Ah, don’t worry. It’s just a cloud dolphin-nya.」(Nyat)
「I see… Just a cloud dolphin, huh?」(Kako)
Looks like it’s not a dangerous monster or something. It’s nothing serious.
…Hm? Wait a minute…
「ーDo, Dolphin!?」(Kako)
Hearing the unexpected word, I opened my eyes wide. At the same time, my drowsiness went away instantly.
「Dolphin, you say!?」(Kako)
「Yes, a cloud dolphin-nya. They are creatures that live in the clouds-nya.」(Nyat)
「Dolphins? Live in the clouds? Why?」(Kako)
「Well, because they are cloud dolphins… nya?」(Nyat)
Nyat replied to me while tilting his head. He’s not answering my question.
「Kako ojou-sama, you are overreacting. It’s just a cloud dolphin.」(Thea)
Seeing me being dumbfounded over a trivial matter, Thea looked out the window too.
’Just’ a cloud dolphin…
She said it as if saying, “Have you ever seen a fish?”
Well, I’m sorry, but no dolphin can swim in the clouds in my previous world!
Am I crazy here? Yeah, looks like I’m the only one crazy here for not knowing cloud dolphins can swim in the clouds!
「Uhh, look. This is the first time I’ve ridden a flying stagecoach, so this is also the first time I’ve seen that creature. In the first place, how in the world can they fly? They don’t have wings.」(Kako)
「According to the scholars, cloud dolphins fly with magic.」(Thea)
「Magic? So they can use magic?」(Kako)
「No, they don’t exactly use magic. In the first place, they are a type of monster, and monsters’ bodies work completely differently from animals’. To put it simply, their bodies have their own way to manipulate mana.」(Thea)
「So you say that they have anti-gravity organs in their bodies that allow them to fly or something like that?」(Kako)
「Could be. There’s still no explanation about that.」(Thea)
「What? Haven’t scholars studied these creatures?」(Kako)
「We know that they fly by manipulating mana, but we still don’t know exactly how they do that. The thing is, the research on cloud dolphins hasn’t progressed much because they are very hard to catch.」(Thea)
「Is it because they’re flying in the sky? If so, we can use a giant bird creature like the one pulling this stagecoach, right?」(Kako)
Birds can catch fish in the water, so catching fish in the sky will be much easier for them, I think.
However, Thea shook her head.
「No, it’s not that easy. They are hard to catch because they are protected by something.」(Thea)
「Something?」(Kako)
「Kako, look over there-nya.」(Nyat)
While I was wondering what Thea meant, Nyat pointed slightly above the silhouette of the cloud dolphin.
When I shifted my gaze in that direction, I saw something huge and black inside the clouds.
「Hmm? What is that?」(Kako)
「Don’t you see it? It’s an eyeball-nya.」(Nyat)
「Eh?」(Kako)
It was covered in the sea of clouds, so I couldn’t see it clearly, but after I heard what Nyat said, it certainly looked like an eyeball.
To be exact, a giant eyeball about the same size as our big flying stagecoach staring fiercely over here.
「Hiiiiiiyy!!」(Kako)
An eyeball!? And it’s moving! It’s staring at us!
Is that the eye of a giant monster!? If so, then its body must be extremely massive!
「N-Nyat, is that…」(Kako)
「As you might have guessed-nya. It’s a giant monster. No one has ever seen its appearance outside the clouds, but people call it ‘The Master of the Clouds’-nya.」(Nyat)
The Master of the Clouds? That sounds intimidating!
If this world were an MMORPG, that thing would be a raid-boss level or higher!
「It’s… not going to attack us… right?」(Kako)
「Who knows-nya~?」(Nyat)
「Eeh!?」(Kako)
No way!? Are we in danger!?
I don’t think even a strong adventurer like Izack-san can win against that monster in the sky! We are doomed!
「Nyat-sama, you shouldn’t tease Kako ojou-sama too much.」(Thea)
「Nya nya nya nya!」(Nyat)
What?
Grrh! This annoying cat!
He’s teasing me!
「Haha! Young lady, you have nothing to worry about. It’s just The Master of the Clouds. Not a big deal.」(??)
「‘Just’ The Master of the Clouds!?」(Kako)
“Just”!? Again!?
Wait, who’s talking to me?
While I was glaring at Nyat, who was laughing next to me, I heard the unfamiliar voice of a man talking to me.
I turned my face to the source of the voice and saw an old man wearing a conductor’s uniform.
「Thank you very much for using our service. My name is Camure. I’m the coachman of this stagecoach.」(Camure)
The coachman? So he’s the driver of this flying stagecoach?
「Nice to meet you, I’m Kako. Umm… Shouldn’t you be driving now?」(Kako)
「I come to the cabin to check on my passengers once in a while. Don’t worry, my partner is a smart bird. We have already flown to the port city so many times, so she knows what she’s doing. She will fly to the destination on her own without me having to drive.」(Camure)
「I see.」(Kako)
「KWA KWAAAAA!!」(giant bird)
Suddenly, the giant bird pulling the stagecoach screeched as if it was responding to what the coachman said.
When I wondered what it said, Nyat brought his face close to my ear and whispered.
「It says, “Don’t slack off!” -nya.」(Nyat)
「Ahaha…」(Kako)
Seems like our bird understands human language.
「Young lady, that giant monster in the clouds seems to concern you, but please rest assured. It’s indeed a strong and massive monster, but it’s harmless. It never comes out of the clouds and won’t attack other creatures blindly. It will only attack you if you try to harm those cloud dolphins.」(Camure)
「I see.」(Kako)
So it’s the type of creature that doesn’t leave its territory, huh? That’s a relief.
And now I understand why cloud dolphins are hard to catch. That giant monster is protecting them after all.
I was wondering if the magic stones from cloud dolphins could be used to make powerful weapons with my Synthesis Skill, but… I think I should get rid of those thoughts unless I don’t care about my life anymore.
「How about other flying monsters? The ones that don’t live in the clouds. Will they attack us?」(Kako)
「I doubt it. First of all, this stagecoach has been installed with a strong magic item that repels harmful monsters. Moreover, my partner is a powerful bird-type monster. No weaker monsters will dare to approach us. In case there is one, she will kill them in an instant. Right, Partner?」(Camure)
「KWA KWAA!」(giant bird)
「It says, “You can count on me!” -nya.」(Nyat)
「Whoaa…」(Kako)
Seems like our giant bird is not only smart but also strong.
This gentleman is lucky to have such a reliable working partner. I wonder how he tamed it.
「What do you think, young lady? Are you still concerned about safety?」(Camure)
「No. I think I can enjoy this flight without worrying now. Thank you.」(Kako)
「You’re welcome. Please feel free to ask me if there’s anything else you want to ask.」(Camure)
While saying that, the coachman tipped his hat and bowed politely to me. He then turned around and returned to the driver’s seat.
After flying while avoiding the clouds for about ten minutes, we could no longer see that menacing giant eyeball.
I thought we were done for, but like the coachman said, it appeared to be a non-aggressive, harmless monster. Thank god…
In the end, they’re JUST a cloud dolphin and The Master of the Clouds, after all.
It’s no big deal.
Right?
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