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I felt his body tense as it touched mine.
Idris seemed to ponder for a moment at the sudden question before opening his mouth.
"The past... There's a magic that's been passed down, said to turn back time."
At his answer, my eyes widened in surprise.
'Honestly, I expected an answer saying such absurd magic didn't exist.'
But Idris's following words quickly calmed my turbulent heart.
"Whether you can call it that or not, though."
"What do you mean?"
"Such magic exists, but no one has ever succeeded in it."
Well, there might be someone unknown.
Idris shrugged and added.
"The price is too high for an uncertain magic whose effect hasn't been proven."
"What's the price?"
"Life. And..."
"And?"
"The most precious thing."
"..."
"Whether it's material or immaterial, you can't have it in the turned-back time."
I was surprised by the greater-than-expected price and widened my eyes.
Idris continued, as if explaining to me.
"According to ancient tales, God did not like his creations, humans, surpassing him, so he always punished humans who challenged his authority."
"..."
"Turning back time is a defiance of the laws of this world created by God, so it's considered a challenge to God and comes with a tremendous price."
At first, I was taken aback by the high price, but upon reflection, it made sense.
If every magician indiscriminately used such tremendous magic, this world would not function properly.
"But it's meaningless. No fool would attempt magic whose effects aren't guaranteed, while taking such a huge risk."
Watching Idris criticize the regression magic harshly, I dismissed the possibility I had been harboring since the hunting festival.
'Hmm, so Idris has nothing to do with my regression?'
Well, my ability to judge value can't be explained by magic in the first place.
It was reasonable to think that regression was also something that couldn't be explained realistically, rather than someone's intervention.
"But why are you asking about that all of a sudden?"
I flinched and stammered.
"Just... I was just wondering how far things are possible in the realm of magic."
I could never say, 'I think I've regressed, and I think it's magic, and I asked because I thought you might have used that magic.'
Fortunately, Idris didn't seem to have any particular doubts.
"Then does our 'plan' start with His Majesty's birthday banquet?"
It was then that he brought up the 'plan' he had discussed with His Majesty the Emperor earlier.
"Your Highness."
The aide, who had approached sometime, called Idris.
The aide, who was about to start talking immediately, paused briefly when he saw me next to him, gave a short bow, and carefully began to speak.
"That... about the matter you asked about yesterday, it's ready."
The subject of what he was preparing was missing, but Idris seemed to understand it with just those words.
"Okay. Go ahead."
The aide bowed again and retreated.
'Speaking vaguely, it's probably a story I shouldn't hear.'
Just as I was about to change the subject to pretend I didn't know, he suddenly spoke first.
"Shall we go on a date soon?"
His smile was filled with a strange expectation and excitement.
Like the boy in my memory.
A few days later, Idris, who had fully recovered, asked me out on a date.
The place he took me to was an airship research lab located on the outskirts of the capital.
'Why are we here? Is he going to show me around the lab?'
It was a bit of a strange place for a date, but that made it even more interesting.
With curiosity, I entered the laboratory with Idris, and the staff greeted us politely.
Idris accepted the greeting casually and asked the main point first.
"Everything must be ready, right?"
"Yes. Everything was finished this morning."
"Guide us."
He ordered the head of the laboratory and naturally took my hand.
The moment that warmth enveloped my hand, I stopped without realizing it.
'......Until recently, we held hands naturally...'
Is it because I've come to know the feelings contained in this touch, in this warmth?
Somehow, I felt a little shy.
But because I didn't hate that feeling, I followed the head of the laboratory, holding his hand.
But...
'Huh?'
I thought he would show me around the laboratory, but the head of the laboratory crossed the inside of the laboratory and headed for the back door.
Finally, when he opened the back door, a bright light rushed in with a strong wind, and my eyes closed involuntarily.
And when I opened my closed eyes...
In the middle of a wide open space with the sky in the background, a huge airship waiting was in sight.
"Wow...!"
I couldn't help but exclaim.
The majesty of the airship, whose end could not be seen properly even when I raised my head high.
Calming my pounding heart, I looked back at Idris.
"Could it be, is it finally completed?"
"Yeah. Now all the preparations are finished."
Under the airship, there were laboratory staff who were busy maintaining it.
The airship was creating wind as if it were about to take off soon.
"Then I'll start."
Idris nodded toward the staff who were looking at him.
When the staff who noticed the signal manipulated something, the airship gradually spewed out a stronger wind...
And soon, it flew into the sky!
The airship, which had cast a dark shadow on the ground, had already risen so high that the shadow was only the size of a palm.
When I saw the sight, I felt as if the cool wind of the sky was filling my chest.
'To witness the great invention of this world with my own eyes...'
Of course, there was an airplane in my first life, but apart from that, it was a heart-pounding thing to share the beginning of a great invention.
As I was watching the airship take off with a pounding heart, I paused at the thought that suddenly came to mind.
"......Wait a minute. Then, is this the first public flight?"
"You can say that."
"Is it okay to hold such an important event in such a modest way?!"
"Why not?"
Idris shrugged indifferently.
"I made it for you, so I wanted to show it to you first."
"......"
"Are you still envious of the wings of a butterfly?"
I stared blankly at his eyes looking down at me with warm sunlight.
Since I met him again, I don't remember talking about being envious of the wings of a butterfly.
So that must be a story we shared when we were young.
Idris still remembers those days that I don't clearly remember now.
Only then did I realize why he made this airship.
In the past life, and in this life...
For me.
My heart flutters in the cool summer breeze.
Feeling somehow tingling at my fingertips, I fidgeted with his hand I was holding and replied.
"I'm not envious anymore. Because I have much bigger and cooler wings."
Idris smiled as if he was satisfied with my answer.
"After this is over, shall we take an airship to the central continent together?"
Together.
I liked the resonance of that short word, so I smiled brightly and nodded.
"Okay."
And a few days later.
The long-awaited invitation to the Emperor's birthday banquet arrived.
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