(A/N: I decided to expand the journey of Flugel, Reid, Echidna and Farsale to the Charsis. However, I didn't want to have it as a real chapter, since many things like info is repeated. So, i decided to have it as a side-chapter between 209 and 210.)
...
{3rd Pov}
The following day, after spending a night resting within the Royal Capital, they finally departed for the neighboring Kingdom of Charsis. The traveling party consisted of three carriages, which was just enough to transport everyone along with the essential supplies and equipment required for the journey.
The arrangements had been made fairly comfortably by the standards of the era. Farsale, Echidna, Reid, and Flugel could rest inside the carriages during the trip, while the drivers who were also the attendants accompanying them would spend their nights outside near the campfires whenever they stopped. It was not luxurious, but it was certainly far better than what most travelers could afford.
The first day of travel passed peacefully.
There were no bandits, monsters or unexpected surprises that disturbed their joruney.
By the time the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the group had already established a campsite beside the gravel road, to which one side was a forest and grass plains on another.
A fire crackled softly in the middle of the camp, illuminating the surroundings with a warm orange glow while the darkness of the wilderness stretched beyond the reach of the flames. One driver was tending to the horses while the other two organized supplies for the next day.
Meanwhile, Farsale sat near the campfire with a completely stupefied expression on his face.
His gaze remained fixed on Flugel.
More specifically, on the absurd scene unfolding in front of him.
One moment Flugel's hands had been empty.
The next moment ingredients had started appearing.
Vegetables, meat, cooking utensils, pots, spices, bowls, plates.
One item after another emerged seemingly from nowhere as Flugel calmly prepared dinner as though nothing unusual was happening.
The Crown Prince blinked.
Then blinked again.
The ingredients stubbornly refused to disappear.
"What..." Farsale muttered.
He genuinely could not comprehend what he was witnessing.
From his perspective, it looked as though Flugel was simply conjuring objects out of thin air.
Meanwhile, Reid sat nearby with his arms crossed and a satisfied grin on his face.
Unlike Farsale, he was completely unfazed.
After all, this was hardly the first time he had witnessed the spectacle.
The same applied to Echidna.
The Witch of Greed merely watched with interest while continuing to read her beloved book.
Neither of them reacted because they had already experienced this countless times during their journey back to the Royal Capital.
At this point, seeing Flugel pull an entire kitchen out of nowhere had become normal to them.
Farsale, however, had not been exposed to such nonsense before.
To him, the sight was practically magical.
Well, more magical than actual magic.
In fact, Farsale was already considering the immense strategic value such a magic could provide to the Kingdom of Lugunica. If Flugel could truly store and retrieve supplies at will, the implications were enormous.
Armies would no longer need to worry as much about transporting provisions. Long journeys could become significantly easier. Food shortages could be addressed more efficiently. The more he thought about it, the more unbelievable the ability seemed.
Meanwhile, Flugel continued cooking as if none of that mattered.
Soon, the food was finished.
A rich aroma drifted through the campsite, causing everyone nearby to glance toward the source. Even the carriage drivers found themselves swallowing unconsciously as the smell spread through the cool night air.
As expected, Reid and Echidna were already prepared.
Both of them had plates in their hands and were standing in line and both of them looked far more enthusiastic than they ever did during political discussions.
Naturally, Reid was first.
No one remembered exactly when he had claimed that position first, but nobody was brave enough to argue with him either.
Echidna stood right behind him.
She didn't respect Reid's seniority a bit, but standing behind him was preferable to standing beside him. If she competed for first place, Reid would inevitably start some ridiculous argument. Worse, if she remained too close to him for too long, the shameless Sword Saint might begin making inappropriate comments or ogling her again.
Thus, second place was perfectly acceptable.
Farsale stared at the scene with a stupefied expression.
He was not surprised by the food anymore, but by Reid's action!
The man was actually standing in line, with patience holding his own plate and waiting for food.
Farsale genuinely wondered if he was dreaming.
Normally, Reid would simply order someone else to prepare his meal. If nobody was available, he would just grab food directly and eat however he pleased like a barbarian.
The concept of waiting his turn seemed completely foreign to him.
Yet here he was.
Holding a plate like a normal person.
"I am truly surprised by your little knowledge of magic, Sir Flugel," Farsale said dryly, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
After all, a man capable of producing an entire kitchen worth of ingredients from nowhere had no right to claim he only knew a little magic.
Flugel merely smiled.
He wisely chose not to respond.
Experience had taught him that explaining things usually only created more questions.
One by one, he began serving the food.
Reid received a mountain sized portion of meat.
Echidna received an equally generous serving.
The carriage drivers and attendants received their meals as well.
Finally, Farsale was handed a plate, the serving was arranged by a servant.
Soon everyone settled around the campfire.
The atmosphere became noticeably more relaxed.
Reid and Echidna immediately focused on the food.
In fact, calling it "focusing" was being generous.
The two were practically inhaling their meals.
Anyone looking at them would think they had not eaten for days.
Meanwhile, Farsale picked up his utensils and took his first bite.
The moment the food entered his mouth, he froze.
"..."
His eyes lit up.
This was nothing like the bland food he had grown accustomed to eating during long journeys. Instead, it was comparable to the meals served within the Royal Castle itself, dishes that normally required the efforts of some of the kingdom's most renowned chefs.
What surprised him even more was that many of the dishes were completely unfamiliar to him. The ingredients, presentation, and combinations were unlike anything he had encountered before, yet they somehow worked together perfectly. Rather than making him hesitant, the unfamiliarity only made the food even more appetizing.
“Since we are relaxing, how about we discuss magic?” Flugel said calmly before taking a sip of the broth he had prepared.
The warm liquid was pleasant after a long day of travel.
Farsale glanced at him before returning his attention to the food.
“It seems discussing important matters while eating has become a tradition around you people,” he commented while slowly tasting another bite. Unlike Reid and Echidna, who were rapidly emptying their plates, he was in no hurry to finish his meal. The food was simply too good to rush through.
“Hmm, Your Highness, do you not think the current atmosphere sets the mood?” Flugel asked with a relaxed expression.
“Mood?” Farsale raised an eyebrow in confusion. The carriage drivers remained silent, not wanting to overstep their boundaries by casually joining a conversation with the Crown Prince, but that did not stop them from listening carefully. In fact, more than one of them had subtly slowed their eating so they could hear what was being discussed around the campfire.
Echidna also paused her meal, her eyes immediately settled on Flugel.
She was curious about what he was going to say.
“Look around,” Flugel said as he gestured casually with his bowl.
“The night sky is full of stars, and the moon is hanging above us, giving enough light that we don't feel completely surrounded by darkness. We are camped beside a forest, listening to crickets chirping in the distance while fireflies wander around the bushes. The wind is pleasantly cool after a long day of travel, and it keeps rustling the leaves overhead. The campfire keeps crackling every few seconds, and we are sitting here enjoying a good meal together. Isn't this relaxing?” he said as if reciting a poem.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Farsale looked around instinctively, the scene was exactly as Flugel had described it.
The stars were visible overhead, moon illuminated the road and the nearby trees, sounds of insects could be heard from the darkness beyond the campsite.
The breeze felt refreshing after spending most of the day inside a carriage.
Nothing Flugel said was incorrect.
Yet Farsale was still somewhat confused.
He did not think there was anything particularly special about their current situation.
They were simply traveling.
In fact, if he was being honest, the journey had been somewhat tiring. The roads were not perfect, and the carriage had bounced often enough to leave him slightly sore.
However, as he compared Flugel's words to the reality around him, he gradually began noticing things he had ignored before.
The night was peaceful, the food was excellent.
There were no urgent responsibilities demanding his attention like nobles trying to gain favors, ministers asking for decisions or reports waiting to be reviewed.
Just a campfire, a meal, and a quiet evening beneath the stars.
Without realizing it, Farsale felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.
“Huh,” he muttered.
Then he took another bite of food.
“I suppose it is.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
Meanwhile, Echidna continued staring at Flugel thoughtfully. Once again, he had pointed out something obvious that nobody else had paid attention to. Somehow, despite saying nothing particularly profound, he had made everyone appreciate their surroundings more.
Even the carriage drivers seemed slightly more relaxed than before.
Reid, however, merely shoved another mouthful of food into his mouth.
“Yeah, yeah, the atmosphere is nice and all,” he said while chewing. “But the food is carrying this entire experience.”
The campfire immediately lost its thoughtful atmosphere.
“Now that I think about it, your words are right Reid,” Farsale admitted with a small smile as he took another bite of food. “I suspect most of the charm indeed comes from having such a good meal in the middle of a forest. Had we been eating dried rations, I doubt I would be appreciating the scenery nearly as much.”
His statement earned a few nods from the carriage drivers.
Even they had to admit that Flugel's cooking was doing a lot of heavy lifting for the overall experience.
“Well, I have already finished my first serving,” Reid announced as he stood up with his empty plate. “Time for seconds.”
He immediately moved toward the pot before anyone else could get there first.
Then, after filling his plate again, he glanced toward the surrounding forest.
“You know, now that I think about it, sleeping outside tonight would be pretty nice.”
For a moment, Flugel almost thought Reid was about to say something profound.
Then the Sword Saint sighed.
“Unfortunately, the carriage seats are still more comfortable than sleeping against a hard tree trunk.”
And just like that, the moment was ruined.
All of them stared at him deadpan, even Farsale looked mildly disappointed.
Reid, however, failed to notice anything wrong with his statement.
Flugel honestly did not know whether the Reid from the Envy Timeline had been similar or if this was a trait unique to the version standing before him.
Perhaps it was because this Reid had been born into a noble family.
Whatever the reason, Reid Astrea possessed a surprisingly strong appreciation for comfort.
Which was absurd considering the man regularly fought monsters, challenged powerful opponents, and trained hard enough to make ordinary people shed their mortal bodies out of sheer agony.
When it came to evaluating strength, endurance, or resilience, Reid was merciless.
Yet when it came to his own lifestyle, he preferred things as comfortable as possible.
Sleeping on a soft mattress was one of them, sleeping with beautiful and sexy women was the another.
“Hmm, as for magic, tell me what you know about it,” Flugel asked calmly, deciding that this was a good opportunity to learn what the people of this era actually understood about magic. After all, while he possessed knowledge from multiple timelines and worlds, understanding the current baseline of magical knowledge was equally important.
Farsale swallowed the food he was chewing before answering.
“From what I know, magic is divided into several elements,” he said thoughtfully. “For example, Fire Magic, Ice Magic, Wind Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, and Healing Magic. Most stories and records I have read classify magic in that manner.”
Several of the carriage drivers nodded in agreement.
That was also their understanding of magic.
To most ordinary people, magic was categorized by what it appeared to do.
Fire created flames, water manipulated water, healing restored injuries.
Simple and straightforward.
“No, that is incorrect,” Echidna immediately interrupted before Flugel could say anything.
Her correction came so quickly that Farsale blinked.
“Magic is traditionally divided into six attributes,” she explained confidently. “The four major attributes are Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth. The remaining two are Strengthening and Weakness.”
She spoke with the confidence of a scholar correcting a student's mistake.
“Of course,” she continued while glancing toward Flugel, “after Sir Flugel taught me several things, I realized even that definition is somewhat outdated.”
This immediately caught Farsale's attention.
“Outdated?”
“Indeed,” Echidna replied with a nod. “What most people refer to as special are often just applications of six elemental attributes rather than actual classifications.”
Farsale frowned thoughtfully.
That already contradicted what he had been taught.
“Then what is the correct definition?” he asked.
Echidna's lips curled upward slightly.
“The correct answer is that we only have six fundamental attributes, like before as I said with Water, Earth, Fire and Win, but here Yin and Yang are actual culprits behind Buff and Debuff magic or what we called Strengthening and Weakness magic.”
The Witch of Greed sounded rather pleased with herself.
After all, this was knowledge she had only recently acquired, that had completely overturned some of her previous assumptions.
Naturally, she was eager to show off a little.
“Eh? Really? Then what about Ice Magic?” Farsale asked curiously. Although he trusted both Flugel and Echidna, he still could not understand where Ice Magic fit into this new explanation. From everything he had learned growing up, Ice Magic had always been treated as its own distinct category.
Echidna immediately sat up a little straighter.
This was a topic she actually understood now.
“Fire Magic is not really Fire Magic,” she declared confidently. “Or rather, calling it Fire Magic creates a misunderstanding.”
Farsale blinked.
“It does?”
“Yes,” Echidna replied with a nod. “It is actually related to controlling the temperature of things. Previously, I was always confused by certain applications of the Fire attribute. Some spells created flames, while others produced ice. Even though I knew they belonged to the same attribute, the logic behind it never fully made sense to me.”
She paused for a moment before continuing.
“Now I understand that the reason is something called temperature.”
In fact, Flugel could practically see what she was trying to do.
She was trying to demonstrate that she had properly studied the knowledge he had given her and was capable of understanding it without requiring constant explanations.
“Temperature?” Farsale repeated, intrigued by the unfamiliar term.
The word itself was completely new to him.
Flugel nodded before deciding to explain.
“Your Highness can simply think of temperature as a measure of how hot or cold something is,” he said.
Farsale immediately listened carefully.
“Fire Magic is not limited to creating flames. In reality, the attribute governs heat itself. By increasing temperature, you create heat and eventually fire. By lowering temperature, you create cold and eventually ice.”
Understanding slowly appeared on Farsale's face.
“So Ice Magic and Fire Magic are actually the same attribute?”
“Correct,” Flugel replied.
“They are merely different applications of the same fundamental element. Whether a magician specializes in creating flames or freezing things depends largely on their affinity, training, and preferred methods of using that attribute.”
Echidna nodded repeatedly.
“Exactly. Once Sir Flugel explained temperature, many contradictions suddenly disappeared.”
She looked genuinely pleased by that realization.
For someone as obsessed with understanding the world as Echidna, resolving a contradiction was almost as satisfying as learning entirely new knowledge.
“I cannot believe it! This actually makes sense!” Farsale exclaimed.
At that moment, he desperately wished he had a notebook in front of him so he could start scribbling down everything he was hearing like a crazed scholar. Unfortunately, he also felt that abandoning the meal to take notes would be disrespectful to the food Flugel had prepared.
Thankfully, he had confidence in both his memory and his comprehension. As long as he paid close attention, he should be able to remember everything later.
Meanwhile, Echidna looked rather pleased.
Seeing someone react to Flugel's teachings in the same way she had made her feel strangely validated.
“Water Magic, meanwhile, deals with the life force present within living things,” Flugel continued calmly. “Healing Magic is simply a specialized application of that attribute.”
Farsale immediately focused on the explanation.
The concept was easier for him to accept than the previous discussion regarding temperature.
After all, healing and life force already sounded naturally connected.
Flugel, meanwhile, decided not to complicate things further.
He could have explained that living organisms were largely composed of water, how life itself was deeply connected to it and have gone into the biological concepts like how all life comes from water, that belonged far beyond the current era.
However, he doubted anyone except Echidna would gain anything from such an explanation.
In fact, there was a good chance he would only confuse everyone.
Thus, he kept things simple.
“Of course,” Flugel added after taking another sip of broth, “it is also possible to create ice through Water Magic.”
Farsale blinked.
“Wait, what?”
“However, it is significantly more difficult than doing so through Fire Magic.”
Now Farsale looked completely confused.
A few moments ago, he had finally felt like he understood the discussion.
Now he was no longer certain.
“So Ice Magic belongs to Fire Magic, but can also be used through Water Magic?”
“Correct,” Flugel replied.
“...”
Farsale stared at him with confused look on his face.
The Crown Prince was beginning to suspect that he had gotten lost somewhere during the conversation and nobody had bothered informing him.
Echidna, meanwhile, nodded thoughtfully.
Unlike Farsale, she actually understood what Flugel was trying to say.
Or at least, she understood enough of it to follow the logic.
Reid, on the other hand, had stopped pretending to listen several minutes ago.
The Heavenly Sword was already focused entirely on obtaining a third serving of food.
Magic theories were temporary.
Good food was eternal!
“Well, I still do not fully understand it,” Farsale admitted honestly. “It is a bit complicated. For now, I think I will simply remember that Ice Magic and Fire Magic are fundamentally related, while Healing Magic and Water Magic are also connected.”
The Crown Prince rubbed his forehead slightly.
The explanation made sense, at least, parts of it did however the problem he faced was that it challenged many of the assumptions he had grown up with.
Still, he had no intention of dismissing it simply because it was unfamiliar.
Instead, he decided he would write everything down later and think about it carefully once he had more time.
After all, knowledge was not something that needed to be understood immediately.
Sometimes it needed time to settle.
Flugel nodded.
“That is probably the best approach,” he replied.
There was no point overwhelming Farsale with information.
The concepts he was introducing were already centuries ahead of what most people in this era understood.
Trying to force everything into a single conversation would only create confusion.
“As for Wind and Earth Magic,” Flugel continued, “they are essentially related to controlling things that operate outside and inside living bodies.”
Farsale immediately looked confused again.
Seeing that reaction, Flugel sighed.
“Though the complete explanation is rather lengthy and complicated.”
That was putting it mildly.
Explaining concepts such as gases, pressure, minerals, biological composition, and various physical interactions would take far longer than he was willing to spend tonight.
Especially when everyone was supposed to be relaxing.
“So for now,” he concluded, “just think of them as ordinary Wind and Earth Magic.”
“Now that is an explanation I can understand,” Farsale said with visible relief.
Several carriage drivers quietly nodded as well.
They had been trying their best to follow the discussion, but the conversation had already reached a level where their heads were beginning to hurt.
Meanwhile, everyone around the campfire listened attentively except for Reid ofcouse, even Echidna listened with complete focus.
Even though she had already read much of the information from the book Flugel had given her, she still paid close attention.
Partly because hearing Flugel explain things often revealed details that were not written down and partly because she simply enjoyed listening to him teach.
The Witch of Greed never grew tired of acquiring knowledge.
“Then there are Yin and Yang Magics, which many people refer to as Strength and Weakness Magic or simply Buff and Debuff Magic depending on the terminology they use,” Flugel continued calmly.
“However, those descriptions only cover a small portion of what those attributes are actually capable of. Strengthening and weakening are merely some of their more common applications. In reality, both attributes are far broader than most people realize.”
Farsale listened attentively while trying to digest both the food and the information at the same time.
Unfortunately, the latter was proving significantly harder.
Flugel, meanwhile, chose not to elaborate any further.
There was little point.
Even the foundations of elemental magic were poorly understood by the majority of people living in this era. Trying to explain Yin and Yang in detail would only create confusion and raise more questions than answers.
After all, the concepts involved were far more abstract than simply creating fire or manipulating water.
They touched upon ideas such as light, life, separation, space, time, death, shadow, and numerous other phenomena that ordinary magicians barely understood.
Even among those capable of using such magic, very few truly comprehended what they were manipulating.
Thus, Flugel wisely decided to stop there.
Echidna, however, understood exactly why he had chosen not to continue.
The Witch of Greed had already read a portion of the theories contained within the book Flugel had given her.
She knew better than anyone present just how absurdly deep the subject became once one started examining it seriously.
The problem was that most people lacked the knowledge necessary to utilize them properly.
Without understanding the abstract concepts hidden beneath those attributes, their true capabilities remained inaccessible.
As a result, both magics had developed a rather poor reputation throughout history.
Many practitioners considered them impractical.
Some considered them weak.
Yang Magic, in particular, will suffer from an especially unfortunate reputation even in future.
It will be regarded as either a useless attribute or a cursed practice.
Even four hundred years into the future, where magical knowledge would have advanced tremendously compared to the current era, Yang Magic remained one of the most misunderstood branches of magic.
The irony was almost amusing.
The attributes with the greatest potential were often viewed as the least valuable.
And Echidna was indeed particularly interested in these two abstract elementals magics. Compared to the others present, she understood far more about what Yin and Yang actually embodied, and after studying Flugel's book, she had come to realize that their potential was vastly greater than that of the four major elemental attributes.
Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth were certainly powerful.
Yin and Yang, on the other hand, dealt with concepts that were far more abstract and far more difficult to understand.
That gave them frightening potential.
There was also another field of magic that had captured Echidna's interest.
Mixed magic techniques.
Rather than relying on a single attribute, these techniques combined two or more elemental magics together to achieve effects that would otherwise be impossible.
Sometimes the elements themselves were mixed.
Other times, specific properties of those elements were combined to produce entirely new results.
The possibilities were practically endless.
One example was something Flugel had recently realized while reviewing several advanced spells.
The true Sacrament of the Immortal King was not actually a spell that relied upon a single attribute.
To function properly, it required both Yang Magic and Water Magic working together.
Water Magic provided the foundation related to life force and restoration.
Yang Magic supplied the aspect necessary to reinforce and sustain the process, while manipulating concept of Life, Light and Soul.
Only by combining both could the spell achieve true resurrection.
In fact, Flugel had gone even further with the theory.
According to his calculations, the entire process could be streamlined considerably by incorporating Yin Magic as well.
Doing so would eliminate several unnecessary steps and make the spell significantly more efficient.
However, Flugel did not bring up any of those topics.
For now, the Kingdom of Lugunica needed to focus on something much simpler.
Before discussing advanced magical theories, mixed attribute casting, or the deeper applications of Yin and Yang Magic, they first needed actual magicians.
A small group of competent practitioners would be enough as a starting point.
Everything else could come later.
After all, magical progress was not something that happened overnight.
It required generations of research, experimentation, and teaching.
In the future, Roswaal would eventually establish an institution dedicated to the study of magic within Lugunica. That institution would play a major role in spreading magical knowledge throughout the kingdom and would contribute greatly to the advancement of spellcasting techniques, magical research, and the education of future generations of magicians.
Thinking about it, Flugel still found the whole thing rather surprising.
Back when he had been reading historical reports regarding Roswaal's achievements across four hundred years of body snatching immortality, he had been genuinely impressed.
The clown had accomplished an absurd amount of work.
Many of the magical foundations that future Lugunica relied upon could be traced back to Roswaal's efforts.
The kingdom's impressive magical support systems.
The preservation and development of numerous spells.
Even the existence of techniques involving meteors and large scale magical warfare.
Roswaal had left his fingerprints on all of them.
At the time, Subaru had thought, 'Damn, the clown actually did something useful.'
Then he knew where Roswaal got much of that knowledge from.
Namely, Echidna and then things became funny, because Echidna's knowledge was not entirely her own, a significant portion of the magical theories she would develop originated from the information Flugel was currently teaching her.
Many spells she would later create were built upon foundations that he himself had provided.
Which meant Roswaal inherited knowledge from Echidna.
Echidna inherited knowledge from Flugel.
And Flugel had learned many of those same magical concepts centuries later from records preserved by Roswaal and Echidna.
The entire thing formed a ridiculous loop.
A magical bootstrap paradox.
‘Yes, this forms a very weird paradoxical loop. I am pretty sure I was never supposed to travel back in time in the first place, and Flugel should have existed long before Natsuki Subaru. But now, for some reason, that is no longer the case. Instead of Flugel becoming Natsuki Subaru, it became Natsuki Subaru becoming Flugel. In other words, me. And now I have to somehow fit myself into the narrative and make sure the timeline remains stable,’ he thought.
The more he analyzed the situation, the more absurd it became.
Normally, a person would expect the legendary Sage Flugel to be some historical figure that already existed independently of Subaru.
Instead, history seemed to be actively forcing Subaru to become that very person.
It was like being handed a script halfway through a play and being told that not only were you the main actor, but you were also the author.
And if you messed up your role, reality itself might start falling apart.
Needless to say, Flugel was not a fan of the arrangement.
Still, there was little point dwelling on it.
For now, the timeline seemed stable enough.
As long as he continued filling the role history expected of Flugel, hopefully everything would continue functioning properly.
While lost in thought, he finished the last of his meal.
Meanwhile, Reid had somehow finished his fifth serving.
Nobody knew where he put all that food.
At this point, it was less a question of appetite and more a genuine mystery.
As if that was not enough, the Sword Saint immediately reached for one of the bottles of booze Flugel had stored away and began drinking directly from it.
The fucking entire bottle.
“Ahh!”
Reid let out a satisfied sigh after taking a long swig.
“Good food and good booze. Life truly is wonderful.”
“No wonder you're easy to bribe,” Flugel muttered thinking of how he handled Reid back then when he met him for the first time.
“Haha! That just means I have reasonable priorities.”
Nobody around the campfire agreed with that statement.
Eventually, Farsale set down his utensils.
Unlike Reid and Echidna, he had taken his time enjoying the meal, but he too had finally finished eating.
“That was an excellent meal,” he said sincerely.
Then his expression became more serious.
“And the information you shared was equally valuable.”
His gaze shifted between Flugel and Echidna.
“I thank you, Sir Flugel and Lady Echidna, for sharing your knowledge.”
There was genuine gratitude in his voice.
The discussion had completely changed the way he viewed magic.
Even if he did not fully understand everything yet, he could tell that he had been exposed to ideas that most scholars and magicians would never have the opportunity to hear.
Flugel simply nodded.
“It was nothing.”
To him, most of what he had explained were merely fundamentals.
Yet to the people of this era, they were insights capable of reshaping entire fields of magical research.
This was without considering he was already working on a different system of magic, which will be the third magic system he was going to learn after Od Laguna magic, Yggdrasil Magic.
That difference was honestly a little frightening.
Next, everyone prepared to sleep for the night. Just when Farsale thought Flugel had finally exhausted his supply of surprises, the magician casually began pulling several proper beds complete with mattresses out of his storage space.
“T... This is certainly not what I expected,” Farsale said dumbfounded as he watched Flugel arrange the beds around the campsite as if such a thing were completely normal.
To be honest, the Crown Prince was no longer sure what counted as normal around Flugel.
The man could apparently carry an entire kitchen, enough food to feed dozens of people, bottles of alcohol, and now several full-sized beds.
At this point, Farsale would not have been surprised if Flugel produced an entire house next.
“Haha! Flugel, man, you are the best! As expected of my lackey!” Reid laughed loudly while immediately claiming one of the beds for himself.
Flugel rolled his eyes.
‘Can he really not call me anything other than lackey? Even subordinate would sound better,’ he thought with visible annoyance.
After making sure the beds were properly arranged, Flugel turned toward Farsale and the carriage drivers.
“Your Highness, I believe you will appreciate experiencing what it is like to sleep outdoors without the harsh ground destroying your back,” he said.
Farsale looked down at the mattress beneath him before slowly lying down.
A moment later, he stared up at the night sky.
“Hmm... now that I think about it, this does feel rather nice,” he admitted.
His crimson eyes reflected the countless stars above.
Normally, traveling involved sleeping inside cramped carriages or on hard ground whenever circumstances demanded it.
Neither option was particularly pleasant.
This, however, felt surprisingly comfortable.
The cool night air, stars overhead, gentle sounds of the forest combine all of these with an actual mattress, it created a surprisingly relaxing atmosphere.
“It certainly has a cozy feeling to it,” Farsale commented honestly.
Flugel smiled slightly before looking toward the carriage drivers.
“Gentlemen, why don't you rest as well? I brought enough beds for everyone.”
The drivers exchanged surprised looks.
They had assumed the beds were only meant for the nobles and important guests.
One of them even looked behind himself as if expecting someone else to appear and claim the offer instead.
“For us as well, Sir Flugel?” one of the older drivers asked hesitantly.
“Of course,” Flugel replied. “A good night's sleep helps everyone.”
The drivers quickly thanked him.
After a brief moment of hesitation, they each selected a bed.
Several of them looked genuinely grateful.
After all, they had been expecting another night spent sleeping on rough ground beneath a blanket.
Instead, they had somehow ended up with actual mattresses.
Meanwhile, Reid had already claimed the largest bed and was sprawled across it without a hint of shame.
“Ah, this is the life,” he declared while taking another swig of booze.
He seriously didn't look like the Heavenly Sword but rather a closet pervert.
After that, Flugel selected a bed for himself and lay down peacefully. The long day of traveling had been surprisingly enjoyable, and for once there was no immediate crisis demanding his attention. Just as he was settling in, he noticed Echidna approaching his bed.
“It is a bit cold outside. I would prefer sleeping next to a source of warmth,” Echidna said matter of factly.
Flugel knew she was telling the truth.
Compared to everyone else present, Echidna was genuinely the most physically fragile person in the group. Even ordinary travel exhausted her more than it would most people.
“I brought blankets as well,” Flugel pointed out.
Her smile did not fade in the slightest.
Instead, she calmly lay down beside him as if his objection had never existed.
“The approximate temperature beside you is significantly more comfortable than sleeping under a blanket,” she replied without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
Flugel's eyebrows twitched.
Somehow, she always managed to find a justification for whatever she wanted to do.
“Do whatever you want,” he finally said.
At this point, resisting was more trouble than it was worth.
Afterward, he adjusted his position and turned to face the opposite direction.
His gaze settled upon the surrounding wilderness.
The grass swayed gently.
Crickets continued their endless chorus.
Fireflies drifted through the darkness, their tiny lights blinking here and there throughout the forest.
Every now and then, he could even spot lesser spirits floating through the air before disappearing again.
The sight was calming.
Something that felt strangely rare in his life.
‘Man, it is so peaceful,’ he thought.
For once, there were no cultists.
No apocalypses.
No world ending threats.
No impossible problems demanding solutions, even if he were in a middle of it.
Just a quiet night beneath the stars.
Before long, his eyes slowly closed and he drifted off to sleep.
The forest continued rustling softly as the wind moved through the trees.
Beside him, Echidna remained awake for a little longer.
After making sure Flugel had fallen asleep, she quietly moved closer.
Then she wrapped her arms around his body from behind and rested her face against his back.
The warmth immediately reached her.
‘So warm,’ she thought.
For a brief moment, she simply remained there.
Listening to the sounds of the forest.
Feeling the steady warmth coming from the person beside her.
Then she too closed her eyes.
And beneath the night sky, the camp gradually fell silent as everyone drifted into sleep.
To be continued...
(A/N: The Yggdrasill magic here refers to the magic that makes him travel to other timeline. It is incomplete, and incapable of travelling through different dimensions.
I know perhaps I should have named it as Bifrost, but naming that made sense during that time.
It is not the Tier Magic from Overlord and Yggdrasill. But Subaru's tier magic is meanwhile based on overlord's yggdrasil. So I will simply refer it as Tier Magic to avoid confusion.)