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"...Sia."
A voice was heard from within the light.
I wanted to ignore it and sleep more, but the gentle resonance persistently woke me.
"Wake up, Princess."
Unable to resist the urging, I lifted my heavy eyelids.
I saw a handsome face that I could never get used to, no matter how often I saw it.
"Now it's time to travel the sky, not just dreamland."
"...Huh!"
I blinked my still-sleepy eyes, recalled the situation before falling asleep, and looked around in surprise.
The carriage was stopped, as if we had already arrived at the airfield.
I hurriedly pulled back the curtains, and saw the blue sky and the vast airfield.
The weather was good.
A sky without a single cloud, the warm early autumn sunshine, and the gently blowing cool breeze.
It was truly the perfect day to leave on a journey.
"Are you ready?"
Idris, who had woken me, asked kindly.
Unable to hold back the burgeoning smile, I nodded.
With a heart full of excitement, I got out of the carriage with Idris, and the people who had arrived at the airfield before us all looked at us at once.
Among them were reporters.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke! How do you feel about boarding the first airship in human history?"
"I heard you're going to the Central Continent by airship, how long do you plan to stay there?"
"What are your thoughts on the changes that the airship will bring to the empire and the continent in the future? Do you have any plans?"
"I'll give my thoughts after I return."
Idris neatly summarized the reporters' questions and nodded to the airship staff waiting.
Confirming that signal, the staff busily moved and began to guide the passengers.
"Boarding will begin soon. Passengers, please prepare!"
While the staff prepared, I looked at the airship with a throbbing heart.
'In my previous life, the airship didn't fly...'
The airship that couldn't fly, me who died in a cold prison.
But this life was like the airship and me, finally escaping the pupa and resembling a butterfly with wings.
While enjoying the overwhelming emotion, the departure preparations were completed.
"Shall we go, then?"
Idris held out his hand to me.
I smiled and took his hand, slowly boarding the airship.
As the first human to board the airship.
"Wow, it's flying!"
Rudian, who had been looking at the sky the whole time, shouted.
"Father, Mother! Look over there!"
Azef and Vanessa, who were enjoying tea time, turned around at the sound of the voice.
Looking in the direction the child's small hand was pointing, they saw the blue sky.
And a small dot etched in the blue sky, the airship.
"Oh... It's really flying. How amazing."
Vanessa's eyes were also sparkling as she looked at the airship.
Azef, seeing his son and wife unable to take their eyes off the airship in the same way, burst out laughing.
And he, too, captured the airship in the sky in his eyes.
The dream of his younger brother, who had stubbornly made what he thought was impossible a reality.
As Azef was looking at the airship with a satisfied gaze, Vanessa cautiously brought up a topic.
"If you're so proud, you could have gone to see him off with us."
"Seeing him off is a bit much. There's no need to mobilize the Knights Order for personal matters and create a fuss."
Azef did not go to see Idris off.
This was out of concern that bringing the Knights Order to a place where many people gathered could cause harm to the Knights Order and the people.
Of course, it was also out of concern that if he went to a place where Idris should be the sole focus, he would steal that attention.
Idris also knew that Azef would not be able to come, so he visited the Imperial Palace in advance yesterday to say goodbye.
But a lingering feeling remained.
"Hmm... For someone who isn't disappointed, you deliberately scheduled tea time during this busy time, didn't you? And specifically in the garden with a good view of the sky."
"Ahem..."
Azef could only clear his throat, unable to refute his wife's keen insight.
Vanessa, finding her unsophisticated husband endearing, offered him a suggestion.
"When the Grand Duke returns, how about we go to greet him with Rudian? You'll come with us, right?"
At his affectionate wife's consideration, Azef smiled defeatedly and nodded.
It was then, as the three families were watching the airship in a heartwarming atmosphere.
"Your Majesty."
The chamberlain rushed over with an urgent expression.
"What's the matter?"
The chamberlain caught his breath and delivered the news.
"Grand Duke Zahir... has escaped from prison."
News that was by no means welcome.
Night inevitably came to the airship flying above the sky.
People who had been frantically touring the airship all stood by the windows at sunset to admire the sunset.
The sunset, painting the endless horizon with golden light, was beautiful enough for anyone to be mesmerized by.
I was no exception.
But beauty is beautiful because moments are short and regrettable.
The sunset quickly faded, and it became night.
A banquet was held in the banquet hall, prepared by Idris for the passengers.
I wore the dress that Amon had painstakingly made and entered the banquet hall.
At the same time, I was startled.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke!"
"Lady Chloe!"
As soon as I took a step, applause and cheers poured out.
Noble banquets were usually not this noisy.
Because nobles were people who prioritized their face above all else, rather than emotions.
Perhaps because there were more merchants than nobles at this banquet, the atmosphere was more boisterous than other banquets.
However, I was bewildered because I didn't know why they were cheering for us, but Idris whispered as if he had read my mind.
"Travel makes people excited."
"Ah."
"Enjoy it with me."
Idris said that and skillfully began his opening speech while receiving cheers.
"This airship was created because I wanted to fulfill the dream of a precious friend from my childhood."
People murmured about who 'that friend' was, but only I knew.
"That friend envied the wings of a butterfly. Dreaming of a wider world."
"..."
"I am happy and grateful to be able to share this meaningful moment when a precious dream has come true with you all."
"..."
"Just as that dream has come true, I sincerely hope that your dreams will also come true at the end of this journey."
As soon as Idris' opening speech ended, thunderous cheers erupted from among the people.
Soon, the full-fledged banquet began.
I was surrounded by people who had come to greet me with Idris, but I slipped away after assessing the situation.
'It's said that the airship was made for me, but Idris is the main character today anyway.'
If I was by his side, people would be more interested in his relationship with me than his work or the airship.
"You two look like a honeymoon couple going on a honeymoon like this!"
And there was one more decisive reason why I left the banquet hall.
"It's pretty..."
The night sky and the night sea seen from the lounge with the full-length windows were extremely beautiful.
The scenery of the moonlit reflections shimmering on the calm night sea was a masterpiece.
It was then, as I was blankly admiring the scenery.
"Aren't you tired?"
Startled by the voice suddenly heard from behind, I turned around and saw Idris entering.
"Not at all. I'm so excited that I don't even notice I'm tired."
"You're just like a child."
As I flinched at those words, Idris smiled and added.
"I mean it in a cute way."
Only then did I smile in relief.
Idris, who had come close to me, silently gazed at the same scenery as me. As if considering my impressions.
I was the one who broke the silence first.
"Thank you."
Idris' questioning gaze returned.
"For remembering the 'Aria' that I had forgotten."
To me, 'Aria' was my childhood itself.
A bit sad and dark, but that time wasn't just lonely thanks to one child who was with me.
Back then, there were memories, love, and dreams.
I didn't forget that time because it wasn't precious.
It was just that the memory of losing my mother and precious friend was too sad to look back on.
Because every time I recalled that memory, I realized that I had no one and nothing left.
However, as I reunited with Idris, that time no longer felt just sad.
And the dream of that time came true.
"For making Aria's dream come true."
In the silence created by the night sea, our eyes met.
Idris, who was quietly gazing at me with slightly surprised eyes, soon smiled and laughed.
As if everything he had done for me was nothing, as if just one word from me was enough.
Seeing that, I became newly convinced.
His feelings for me.
And my feelings as well.
"Idris."
Just as I, who had taken a breath, was about to respond to his confession.
Bang!
A tremendous roar was heard from somewhere in the airship.
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