“Its name is Kiteclaw. It’s one of the griffins meticulously bred by the Duke’s estate—strong, swift, and more than capable of long-distance travel. Furthermore, griffins are uniquely hardy; they can survive on their own in the wild, which sets them apart from other mounts. Even if you have to leave it for a while, you can call it to your side at any time once you return to the area.”
Blake patted the griffin’s folded wings with pride, speaking with non-stop enthusiasm.
“It just isn't familiar with you yet. I’m sure that after a bit of time together, it will become an invaluable asset on your journey!”
Midir looked at the scarf and communication stone in his hands, then at the tall, majestic Kiteclaw beside him. A wave of emotion washed over him, even a faint sense of reluctance to leave.
If he hadn't felt that call from the depths of his soul within the consciousness space, perhaps he would have been more willing to stay in the Royal Capital with them. After all, who wouldn't prefer a stable and leisurely life?
However, Midir quickly pushed that bit of hesitation to the back of his mind and solemnly expressed his gratitude to the three of them.
“Thank you for the gifts. I’m very happy, and I will treasure them.”
Seeing their gifts accepted and appreciated, Aila and the others shared a smile. They then ushered Midir back into the house, while Kiteclaw was settled under the large tree in the backyard.
The next morning, Midir rose early as usual, intending to prepare breakfast for everyone. Since today was the day he would resume his journey, he didn't know when they would see each other again.
To his surprise, when he finished packing and stepped out of his room, he found that Rosal had already prepared breakfast. She was sitting at the table, waiting for him.
“Mr. Midir, you’re awake! You’ve been taking care of our meals and daily needs for so many days, so I thought I’d take care of you today. Though... I’m sure it’s not as delicious as yours.”
Seeing Midir enter the room, Rosal gave a sweet smile and pushed a steaming plate of breakfast toward him.
The two chatted as they ate, and before they knew it, over an hour had passed.
“Why haven't we seen Blake or Sister Aila yet? Didn't we agree to meet up this morning?”
Rosal asked with some confusion as she watched the sun rise higher outside the window. They had planned the night before to see Midir out of the city together, yet the two who were supposed to appear were nowhere to be found.
“They might have been delayed by something. It’s fine; I’m in no hurry to leave this second. With Kiteclaw, I don’t need to rush my travel,” Midir said nonchalantly, glancing out the window at the griffin dozing under the large tree.
As they were discussing it, the front door swung open with a click, and Aila’s clear voice drifted in from the entrance.
“You don’t need to wait for Blake. He won’t be coming.” The two turned their heads toward the sound.
Aila’s face bore a rare expression of solemnity, devoid of her usual cheer and liveliness. Her attire was also different from her usual playful girl look; she had changed into the red leather outfit she wore when Midir first met her, with a black backpack slung across her shoulders.
“Sister Aila, did something happen to Mr. Blake?”
Seeing the serious expression on Aila’s face, Rosal immediately grew tense.
“In the early hours of this morning, a severe magic calamity broke out around Blake’s hometown—the Azure City-State. They’ve already requested support from the Royal Capital. Our adventuring group received a formal commission from the guild first thing this morning to accompany Lionheart City’s reinforcement units to suppress the magic calamity in the Azure City-State,” Aila explained, her voice heavy.
“What? A magic calamity serious enough to put the entire Azure City-State in crisis? How could such a severe situation occur so suddenly?”
Midir was startled. Although he had barely left the house during his time in the Royal Capital, it didn't mean he was ignorant of the world. Over the past few days, he had asked Blake and Aila to compile and explain the basic state of the continent to him.
As a major city-state in the south of the Human Kingdom, the Azure City-State had a population and a military force that rivaled the Royal Capital. While it might slightly lack the very top tier of combat power, its overall strength still placed it firmly among the best on the continent. News of such a sudden crisis was naturally shocking.
“The specific details aren't clear yet. All we know is that this magic calamity came very suddenly and is exceptionally fierce. As soon as I heard the news, I went to the Grand Duke of Azure’s estate, but the servants told me that Blake and his family had received word in the middle of the night and had already rushed back at full speed.”
Aila shook her head, frustrated that she didn't have more detailed information.
“Then won’t it be dangerous for Mr. Blake to go back like that?” Rosal asked anxiously as soon as she heard the news.
“There will definitely be danger, little Rosal. Now that I’ve delivered the message, I need to get ready to leave. I want to see if I can pick up the pace and catch up with their returning party before tonight. Sorry, Midir. We were supposed to see you off together, but I never expected something like this to happen.”
Aila leaned over to ruffle Rosal’s hair and apologized to the two of them, turning to leave.
“Wait, Aila. I’ll go with you. If you want to catch up to them quickly, isn't this the perfect time for Kiteclaw to shine?” Midir reached out and stopped her as she prepared to depart.
“Hmm? Midir, you’re not going to the Valley of Ice? I’d certainly welcome you if you came, but I’m not your superior; I won’t force you to go.” Aila looked surprised, her eyebrows arching slightly.
“It’s fine. I’ll just postpone my journey for a few days. I have a bad premonition about this; I think it’s best if I go,” Midir said, rubbing his chin with a frown.
From the moment he heard the news, a faint sense of crisis had stirred in his heart. To dispel this trace of unease, Midir didn't hesitate to make his decision.
“If... if Mr. Midir is going, can you take me too? I want to help!” After a moment’s thought, Rosal also asked in a pleading tone.
“No...” Midir looked at the determined young girl and was about to refuse her sternly when Aila interrupted him.
“Take her along. An event like this will be good training for her. We can’t always shield her behind us. If you’re with her, I believe her safety will be guaranteed. If things get truly dangerous, she can just stay on Kiteclaw and retreat from the battlefield.”
Seeing that Aila, her teacher, didn't intend to refuse, Midir wisely chose not to argue further and stated he would do his best to ensure Rosal’s safety.
Having decided on their next course of action, the three immediately began to move. Rosal ran back to her room to prepare her combat gear, while Aila pulled out her communication stone to send a message to her adventuring group.
With the speed of a griffin, the three of them should be able to quickly catch up to Blake, who had already been gone for half a day. In that case, there was no point in Aila following the main army; it was better to act as a scouting party and head out ahead of time to relay information.
Midir, who had already finished packing his belongings, went to the backyard and pulled up the somewhat reluctant Kiteclaw, leading it to the front door.
Just a few minutes later, the three were assembled outside the villa’s gate. Seeing Aila, Kiteclaw perked up, shaking the feathers on its wings and bending its limbs slightly forward to signal for them to mount.
The griffin’s back was wide enough for the three of them to sit comfortably. Aila sat in front holding the reins, with the petite Rosal in her arms, while Midir, who had never ridden such a creature, sat behind them.
“Well then... hold on tight, we’re heading out! Yah!”
Aila reached out gently and stroked the silky feathers on Kiteclaw’s head. After warning the other two, she gave the reins a light tug. Kiteclaw responded immediately, spreading its massive wings and leaping into the sky from the front of the villa.
With a soft cry of surprise from Rosal, the group rapidly ascended. In the blink of an eye, the buildings below became as small as the palm of a hand.
Since flying was generally prohibited within Lionheart City, the chance to feel the joy of soaring freely was a rare treat for Kiteclaw. It circled happily in the air, as if celebrating its long-awaited freedom.
With a gentle tug of the reins from Aila, Kiteclaw understood. It immediately spread its great wings and flew toward the other side of the Royal Capital. Its flight was graceful and swift, piercing through the clouds and gliding over high buildings, finally descending slowly by the side of Scenic Street.
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