(Yuuta's POV)
"She's flying..."
The words slipped out before I realized I'd spoken.
High above the grasslands, beneath a vast blue sky, Elena was flapping her little wings with all the determination her tiny body could muster. Her movements were clumsy, and she occasionally tilted sideways whenever a gust of wind caught her, but she always managed to straighten herself again.
Honestly, she looked more like an overexcited duckling than a majestic dragon.
But that didn't matter.
My daughter was flying.
"Papa! Look! Elena flying!"
Her delighted laughter carried across the open field as she stretched her arms toward the sky. Every few moments, she'd glance down to make sure we were watching before flapping her wings even harder.
I smiled and waved.
"I see you, sweetheart! You're doing wonderfully!"
Elena giggled and attempted a little turn, only to wobble sideways and hurriedly correct herself. I instinctively took a step forward, but she recovered before I could even call out.
Beside me, Erza lay comfortably on the grass with her arms folded behind her head. Her eyes were closed, and she looked as though she were enjoying a peaceful afternoon nap rather than watching our daughter achieve something extraordinary.
But I knew better.
Every time Elena called out, one of Erza's eyes would open just enough to check on her before closing again.
I chuckled quietly.
Even the White Dragon Queen couldn't resist watching her little girl.
I returned my attention to the sky, where Elena was now flying in a wide, uneven circle. Her wings caught the sunlight, and her laughter echoed across the grasslands as she discovered just how far she could go.
For some reason, my chest felt strangely tight.
I couldn't stop smiling.
And before I realized what was happening, something warm rolled down my cheek.
"Tch. Weird mortal."
I blinked and turned toward Erza.
She hadn't even opened her eyes.
"You're crying over such a simple thing?" she muttered. "The child has merely learned to flap her wings."
"Huh?!"
I immediately wiped my cheek.
"N-No! It's not like that! I just remembered something, that's all."
Erza opened one eye and looked at me.
"Remembered what?"
I hesitated, glancing toward Elena again.
For a moment, I wasn't sure how to explain it. The memory felt so distant now that I could barely recognize the boy who'd once held it so dearly.
"I used to dream about flying," I admitted.
Erza remained quiet.
"When I was little, I mean. Back at the orphanage, whenever things got difficult, I'd sometimes look out the window and imagine what it would be like to have wings."
I smiled faintly at the memory.
"I thought that if I could fly, I could go anywhere I wanted. I wouldn't have to worry about the other children avoiding me or being stuck in the same place every day. I could just spread my wings and leave everything behind."
I looked toward the sky.
"Pretty childish, right?"
Erza didn't answer.
"I guess I thought the world would be different if I could see it from up there. No walls, no locked doors, nobody telling me where I could or couldn't go." I chuckled awkwardly. "Unfortunately, I was born human. No wings for me."
For a while, only the wind answered.
Elena continued laughing somewhere overhead, completely unaware of our conversation.
Then I heard the grass rustle beside me.
"Fine."
I turned.
Erza had sat up.
"...Fine?"
She brushed a few strands of white hair away from her face and looked at me with her usual composed expression.
"I shall let you fly."
I blinked.
"...Pardon?"
"I said I shall let you fly, mortal. Must I repeat everything twice?"
I stared at her.
"Wait, seriously?"
Erza rose to her feet and dusted the grass from her dress.
"You are my husband, are you not? I have no intention of watching you cry over some ridiculous childhood dream when fulfilling it is such a simple matter."
I looked at her in disbelief.
"Erza..."
"What?"
"Are you feeling all right?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"...What?"
"I mean, you're being unusually nice today. Are you sure you're my Erza? Since when did you start caring this much about—"
Bonk!
Her fist landed lightly on my head.
"Idiot!"
"Ow!"
"Do you take me for some cold-hearted woman?"
I rubbed my head.
Yes.
Naturally, I kept that answer to myself.
You all know what would happen if I said it aloud.
Erza folded her arms and looked away.
"Hmph. Forget it, then. If you do not wish to fly, I shall return to my nap."
"Wait, wait! I didn't say that!"
I hurried after her.
"Of course I want to fly! I was just surprised!"
She glanced at me.
"Then stop talking nonsense."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Erza stepped away from me and stretched her arms slightly.
A moment later, a familiar shimmer appeared behind her shoulders.
Her wings unfolded.
Even after everything we'd been through together, I still found myself staring whenever she revealed them.
Unlike the feathered wings of angels, Erza's wings possessed the elegant, powerful structure of a dragon's, resembling enormous bat wings. Their surfaces were covered in beautiful white scales that shimmered beneath the afternoon sunlight, while the delicate membranes stretched gracefully between their long, curved supports. As she slowly spread them to their full width, a gentle gust swept across the grasslands, making the surrounding flowers sway.
I watched, completely captivated. There was something almost unfair about how beautiful they were. The sunlight danced across those immaculate white scales, giving them a faint silvery glow, as though the wings themselves had been carved from moonlight.
Honestly, I could spend an entire afternoon admiring them.
Maybe even touching them.
Or perhaps... licking those beautiful scales just once.
Ahem!
Sorry, I got a little carried away.
Dear readers, please don't misunderstand. I'm simply a loving husband with a perfectly innocent appreciation for his wife's magnificent dragon wings.
Besides, she's my wife! Surely, there's nothing wrong with wanting to lick her wings occasionally, right?
Right?
...Why do I suddenly feel like I'm making things worse?
"What are you mumbling about now, mortal?"
Erza's voice snapped me back to reality. She stood with her hands on her hips, her violet eyes narrowing suspiciously as she noticed the rather questionable expression on my face.
"N-Nothing! I was just admiring your wings!"
"Hmph. You've seen them countless times."
"Well, that doesn't make them any less beautiful."
She blinked, apparently not expecting such a straightforward compliment. For a moment, her expression softened before she quickly looked away.
"F-Foolish mortal. Stop saying unnecessary things and come here."
I chuckled and approached her, although the way she beckoned me forward made me slightly nervous.
"Now, hold me," she instructed.
I stopped.
"...Pardon?"
"I said hold me tightly. Wrap your arms around my waist so you don't fall when we take off."
I stared at her for a moment before cautiously raising my hands.
"Erza, are you sure? The last time I hugged you unexpectedly, you punched me."
"Because you were behaving like an idiot. Now stop complaining and do as I say."
"Promise you won't hit me?"
Her eyebrow twitched.
"Mortal, do you wish to fly or not?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
I immediately stepped forward and reached for her waist. Unfortunately, between my excitement about flying and the rather distracting sight of my beautiful wife standing so close, my hands weren't exactly cooperating with my brain.
Instead of finding her waist, one of my hands landed directly on her breast.
For one brief moment, neither of us moved.
I looked down.
Erza looked down.
Then our eyes met.
"...Oops."
SMACK!
The next thing I knew, I was sitting on the grass with one hand covering my nose.
"YOU SHAMELESS PERVERT!" Erza shouted, her cheeks turning bright red. "I SAID MY WAIST! WHY THE HELL DID YOU GRAB MY CHEST?!"
"I-It was an accident!" I protested, looking up at her. "I swear! My hand slipped!"
"Your hand slipped?!"
"YES!"
"How does someone's hand slip upward when they're supposed to be holding a waist?!"
I opened my mouth, desperately searching for a reasonable explanation.
Unfortunately, I couldn't think of one.
"...Gravity?"
Erza stared at me.
I immediately regretted speaking.
"Mortal..."
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Would you like me to demonstrate gravity by throwing you into the ground?"
"No, thank you!"
She sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose as though wondering what terrible decisions had led her to marry me.
Honestly, I sometimes wondered the same thing.
After a moment, she grabbed my collar and pulled me back onto my feet. Then, before I could do anything stupid again, she took both my hands and firmly placed them around her waist.
"There. This is my waist, idiot. Remember its location."
"Understood."
"And keep your hands there."
"Of course."
"Do not move them."
"Absolutely."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Especially upward."
"...You really don't trust me, do you?"
"Should I?"
I wisely decided not to answer.
Instead, I wrapped my arms around her waist properly, making sure my hands remained exactly where she'd placed them. Standing this close, I could feel the warmth of her body through her clothes, while her long white hair brushed gently against my cheek.
A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered around her, and I found myself smiling without realizing it.
Good grief.
How did I end up marrying such a beautiful woman?
"Are you ready, mortal?" Erza asked.
I rested my chin lightly near her shoulder.
"Almost."
"What now?"
"Just enjoying the hug."
She went quiet for a moment.
Then I noticed the tips of her ears turning pink.
"...Idiot. We're supposed to be flying."
"I know. But I like holding you."
"Hmph. You can say such embarrassing things without hesitation."
I chuckled.
"Well, you're my wife."
Erza turned her face away, but she made no attempt to push me off. Instead, she gently placed one hand over mine, making sure I was holding her securely.
"Then don't let go, foolish husband."
I smiled.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
A moment later, her magnificent white wings spread wide, and the wind began swirling around us.
"Hold tight."
Erza bent her knees slightly.
Then her wings moved.
And before I could say another word, my feet left the ground.
The ground disappeared beneath my feet.
Well, not literally.
But it certainly felt that way.
One moment, I was standing on solid grass with my arms around my wife. The next, a powerful rush of wind swept past us, and we were rising into the open sky.
"WH-WHOA!"
My arms tightened around Erza's waist.
Below us, the grasslands began shrinking as we climbed higher. Trees became smaller, the winding paths grew thinner, and the familiar world I'd been standing in only moments ago suddenly seemed very far away.
"ERZA!"
"What now, mortal?"
"WHY ARE WE GOING SO FAST?!"
She sighed.
"You wished to fly, did you not?"
"YES, BUT I THOUGHT WE'D START SLOWLY!"
"This is slowly."
I stared at the back of her head.
"...WHAT?!"
Erza chuckled.
"Stop shouting. You are perfectly safe."
"Easy for you to say! You have wings!"
"And you have me. Now open your eyes."
I hadn't even realized I'd closed them.
I tightened my grip.
"I'm fine keeping them shut, thank you very much!"
"Mortal."
"What?"
"If you keep your eyes closed, what exactly was the purpose of coming up here?"
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Annoyingly, she had a point.
I could feel the wind rushing past my face and hear the steady movement of her wings. My feet hung freely in the air, and every instinct in my body insisted that human beings were never meant to be this far from the ground.
Then Erza spoke again.
"Yuuta."
I went quiet.
She rarely used my name so gently.
"Trust me."
For a moment, I simply held her.
Then I slowly opened one eye.
And then the other.
I forgot to breathe.
The world beneath us stretched farther than I could have imagined.
Rolling grasslands spread across the earth like a vast green ocean, interrupted by distant forests, winding rivers, and mountains whose peaks disappeared into the clouds. Above us, the sky seemed endless, its brilliant blue slowly giving way to the warm colors of the approaching sunset.
Erza continued flying, her wings carrying us effortlessly through the open air.
We rose higher, passing through a thin layer of clouds before emerging into the golden sunlight above.
And there...
There was something I had never seen before.
The clouds stretched beneath us like an endless field of white, their edges glowing with the warm colors of the setting sun. Gold, orange, and soft pink spread across the horizon, blending into shades of violet as the daylight slowly faded.
I stared.
For a long time, I couldn't find anything to say.
I'd seen beautiful places before. Mountains, oceans, forests, and cities shining beneath the night sky.
But this...
This was different.
For the first time, I was seeing the world from a place I'd only ever imagined reaching.
When I was a child, I used to stand beside the orphanage window and watch birds flying overhead. Sometimes I'd follow them with my eyes until they disappeared beyond the rooftops, wondering where they were going and what they could see.
Back then, I'd thought that having wings meant freedom.
And now, years later, here I was.
Flying.
Not because I'd suddenly grown wings of my own, but because the woman I'd married had decided to share hers with me.
My vision blurred.
I blinked, surprised to find tears gathering in my eyes.
"...It's beautiful," I whispered.
Erza glanced back.
"Are you crying again?"
I laughed softly.
"Maybe."
"Hmph. You truly are a strange mortal."
"Yeah. I guess I am."
I looked toward the horizon, where the sun was slowly sinking beneath the clouds.
"I never thought I'd see something like this, Erza. Not in this lifetime."
She didn't answer immediately.
Her wings continued moving steadily as we drifted through the golden sky.
I looked at her.
"Thank you."
Erza turned her head slightly.
"For what?"
"For bringing me here."
I smiled.
"When I was little, I thought the world was a pretty lonely place. I never imagined it could be this beautiful."
My voice grew quieter.
"And I never imagined I'd get to see it with someone I love."
Erza's wings shifted slightly.
I tightened my arms around her waist and rested my forehead gently against her shoulder.
"I'm really glad you're my wife."
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she turned her face away.
"Y-You're such a dramatic idiot," she muttered. "Crying over a sunset. Are you sick or something?"
I chuckled.
"Maybe I'm just happy."
"Hmph."
Her ears were red.
Very red.
I smiled but decided not to tease her.
Some moments were too precious to ruin.
We continued flying through the open sky.
Once I'd grown accustomed to the height, I finally began enjoying myself. The wind no longer seemed quite so frightening, and I found myself looking in every direction, fascinated by the world unfolding beneath us.
Erza occasionally adjusted her wings to glide with the breeze, allowing us to drift peacefully above the clouds. Whenever I leaned too far to look at something below, she'd quietly remind me to hold on properly.
It was strange.
I'd spent so many years dreaming about flying, yet the best part wasn't the height or the beautiful scenery.
It was being here with her.
I rested my cheek lightly against Erza's back, listening to the wind and the steady rhythm of her wings. Her hair occasionally brushed against my face, and I could feel the warmth of her body beneath my arms.
For once, there was nothing I needed to worry about.
No enemies.
No battles.
No terrible responsibilities waiting for me.
Just the sky, the evening breeze, and my wife carrying me through a dream I'd almost forgotten.
I closed my eyes and smiled.
I wished this moment could last forever.
"Papaaaa!"
My eyes opened.
I knew that voice.
Oh, no.
I slowly turned my head.
And there she was.
Elena.
My adorable little daughter was flying toward us with her tiny wings flapping as quickly as they could manage. Her face was filled with excitement, and she was waving both hands as though she'd just discovered the greatest game in the world.
"Papa! Mama! Elena coming!"
I stared at her.
"...Elena?"
She giggled.
"Papa flying too!"
"Yes, sweetheart! Papa's flying!"
I smiled nervously.
"Now, why don't you stay beside Mama and—"
"ELENA HUG PAPA!"
My smile vanished.
"Wait."
She accelerated.
"Elena, sweetheart, slow down."
She spread her arms.
"Papaaaa!"
"ELENA, WAIT!"
Too late.
My daughter flew straight toward me and wrapped both arms around my leg.
The sudden weight caught me completely off guard.
My grip loosened.
For one terrible moment, I felt my hands sliding away from Erza's waist.
Then I was falling.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The wind rushed past my ears as I tumbled through the air, desperately reaching for something that wasn't there.
Above me, Erza turned sharply.
Below me, the ground was growing closer.
And attached to my leg was my daughter, who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.
"Papa! We going down!"
"YES, SWEETHEART! I NOTICED!"
Elena giggled.
"Wheeee!"
I stared at her in disbelief.
"ELENA! THIS IS NOT A GAME!"
She laughed even harder.
I tried to straighten myself, but without wings, there wasn't much I could do besides wave my arms helplessly and regret every decision I'd made that afternoon.
The grasslands rushed toward us.
Oh, dear Lord.
This was it.
This was how Yuuta Kounari would meet his end.
Not in some glorious battle against a powerful enemy.
Not while protecting the world.
But because his four-year-old daughter had decided to hug him in midair.
"ELENAAAA!"
Above us, a furious voice echoed through the sky.
"YOU ABSOLUTE IDIOT!"
Erza.
I looked up.
She was diving toward us, her wings folded slightly as she descended with terrifying speed.
"ERZA! HELP!"
"What do you think I'm doing, mortal?!"
I closed my eyes.
"PLEASE HURRY!"
A moment later, something caught the back of my shirt.
My fall stopped so abruptly that I nearly bit my tongue.
I blinked.
Then looked up.
Erza was holding me by the collar, her wings spread wide as she steadied herself in the air.
I stared at her.
"...I'm alive?"
She glared down at me.
"Unfortunately."
I laughed weakly.
"HAHA! I'M ALIVE!"
"Stop shouting!"
"YOU SAVED ME!"
"Of course I saved you, idiot! Did you expect me to let you fall?"
I smiled up at her.
"Erza, you're amazing!"
"Hmph. You should have held on properly."
"I WASN'T PREPARED FOR A CHILD MISSILE!"
Elena was still clinging to my leg.
"Papa! Again!"
"NO!"
Erza sighed and began descending toward the ground.
Unfortunately, that was when I heard it.
Rrrrip.
I froze.
"...Erza?"
"What now?"
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
Rrrrrip.
I slowly looked up.
The fabric around my collar was stretching.
Oh.
Oh, no.
"Erza..."
"Mortal, stop moving."
"My shirt..."
"What about it?"
Another seam gave way.
RIP!
"ERZA, MY SHIRT!"
She glanced down.
For the first time since catching me, her expression changed.
"...Oh."
That was not the response I wanted to hear.
The collar tore completely.
And suddenly, I was falling again.
Fortunately, we'd already descended close enough to the ground that the second fall wasn't nearly as terrifying as the first.
Unfortunately, that didn't make the landing pleasant.
Thud!
I struck the grass, rolled awkwardly, and came to rest face-first in the dirt.
For several seconds, I remained completely still.
My shirt was torn.
My hair was full of grass.
And somewhere nearby, I could hear my daughter laughing.
A gentle rush of wind announced Erza's landing. She touched down gracefully a short distance away, folding her wings as though nothing unusual had happened.
Elena released my leg and hurried toward me.
"Papa!"
I slowly raised my head.
"...Yes, sweetheart?"
She crouched beside me, smiling brightly.
"That was fun! Elena wants again!"
I stared at her.
Then slowly lowered my face back into the grass.
Of course she did.
Why wouldn't she?
"Papa?"
"...Hmm?"
"Papa sleeping?"
"No, sweetheart. Papa is reconsidering his life choices."
Elena tilted her head, clearly not understanding a word I'd said.
Erza approached us and folded her arms.
"Hmph. Next time, I am tying both of you to a rock."
I turned my head.
"Erza, that's a little extreme."
"Considering what just happened, I believe it is perfectly reasonable."
"But I didn't do anything!"
"You let go."
"BECAUSE OUR DAUGHTER ATTACKED ME!"
Elena raised her hand.
"Elena hug Papa!"
I looked at her innocent little face.
Then at Erza.
Then back at Elena.
"...Yes, sweetheart. You certainly did."
She giggled and climbed onto my back, wrapping her little arms around my neck.
"Papa, fly again tomorrow?"
I sighed.
"Let's discuss that tomorrow."
"Promise?"
I hesitated.
Then smiled.
"...Promise."
Elena cheered and hugged me tighter.
Erza watched us for a moment before shaking her head with a faint smile.
"Hopeless. Both of you."
I slowly sat up, brushing dirt from my torn shirt. The sun was beginning to disappear beyond the distant hills, bathing the grasslands in a warm orange glow.
For a moment, I looked toward the sky.
The same sky I'd been flying through only minutes ago.
Despite everything that had happened, I couldn't help smiling.
I'd finally done it.
I'd flown.
I'd seen the world from above the clouds, watched the sunset beside my wife, and experienced something I'd dreamed about since childhood.
Sure, I'd also fallen out of the sky, nearly died of fright, and lost a perfectly good shirt.
But somehow...
I didn't regret any of it.
Elena settled into my lap, still talking excitedly about how much fun she'd had. Erza sat beside us on the grass, pretending not to listen while occasionally correcting our daughter's increasingly exaggerated account of the adventure.
I leaned back on my hands and looked at them both.
My wife.
My daughter.
My family.
Honestly, life with these two was never going to be peaceful.
But perhaps that was all right.
After all, I'd spent so many years wishing I could fly away from everything.
And now that I finally could...
I realized there was nowhere else I'd rather be.
Dear Diary,
Today, I finally learned what it feels like to fly.
I saw the world above the clouds, watched the sunset with my wife, and fulfilled a dream I'd carried since childhood.
I also fell out of the sky twice, nearly suffered a heart attack, and lost my favorite shirt.
Elena wants to do it again tomorrow.
Erza says she'll tie us both to a rock.
And me?
Well...
In completely unrelated news, I love my family.
To be continued...