Episode 8
Ellie was fast asleep in Ridel’s arms.
The warm sunlight and the steady flapping of the Arkin’s wings felt like a gentle lullaby, wrapping her in comfort.
“Sleep well, my daughter.”
Ridel gently stroked Ellie’s soft cheek.
Below them, the wide sky and the soaring Arkin looked like a dream.
After living in constant rush before, this moment felt peaceful and beautiful.
He wished it could last forever.
As time passed, the sky turned orange. Ridel sensed something was wrong.
“We should be flying along the coast by now on the route from Sharin to Larkia… but I see no sea.”
“And the sun’s setting in the wrong direction.”
Arkins are smart. They normally follow a single path very precisely after training. But this one—on its first flight—seemed lost.
Ridel checked the bird’s posture. It looked strong and steady, wings beating calmly.
“What’s going on? Are we lost?”
He hesitated about waking Ellie—but eventually shook her gently awake.
“Mmm?” Ellie looked up sleepily.
“Daddy…are we there yet?” she asked.
“Did you sleep okay?” Ridel asked softly.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Ellie, could you check if Arkin is okay? I feel like we’re heading the wrong way.”
“…Yes!” Ellie’s eyes widened awake.
Her unusual ability—known to unsettle adults—might actually help her father. Her heart pounded.
Ellie concentrated. Her mismatched eyes glowed with a mysterious light, and the air around them seemed to tremble.
She always felt a strange resonance, and now that resonance formed again.
Suddenly, a deep sadness washed over Ellie, cold like waves. Within the sadness, she sensed confusion, fear, and the cry of a baby bird. She received the Arkin’s hidden emotions directly.
After a moment, in a trembling voice, Ellie spoke:
“Daddy… Arkin is crying.”
“Crying?” Ridel was startled.
“It’s lost… it’s scared of getting scolded.”
Tears welled in Ellie’s eyes. She sounded like herself, afraid before the cold priests. Ridel held her gently and then spoke to Arkin—hoping it understood his words.
“It’s okay! It’s your first flight. I’ll help you!”
Ellie relayed his words. Suddenly, the Arkin’s huge eyes welled up with tears! Ridel gasped.
“It really is crying?”
He felt both surprised and moved. Without a trainer on its first flight—and lost—Arkin must’ve been terrified. Ridel thought of his first days at the Mage Tower: anxiety, solitude, the weight of solving everything alone. He deeply empathized with Arkin’s fear.
Worried, Ellie asked softly:
“Daddy, is Arkin okay?”
Ridel thought: he could activate the magic circle on the saddle and request rescue… but that would mean failure on Arkin’s first flight. The bird would be blamed, and they’d be severely punished. Ellie, still anxious, clearly cared about Arkin. Ridel couldn’t do that.
“Ellie, can you help show Arkin the right direction?”
From the trainer’s earlier speech, Ridel remembered that Arkin can’t be steered—only it follows the trained path unless directed by a skilled rider. Could Ellie do it?
“I’ll try!” Ellie took a deep breath and connected with Arkin again.
“Arkin! Unni (big sister) will help you!”
Ellie called the bird a sister—meaning it was female, and young. Ridel realized he judged without knowing. He felt ashamed.
He told Ellie: “Let’s turn right.”
“Ri—right?” Ellie raised her left hand high.
Whoosh! Arkin turned left instead.
“Ellie! Which way is right?” Ridel asked.
Ellie looked at him, still lifting her left hand. Ridel sighed.
“No—let’s go this way!” pointing right.
Ellie nodded and lifted her right hand.
“Arkin! Let’s go this way!”
Whoosh!
Arkin made a full 180-degree turn. Ridel pulled Ellie close.
“Arkin really obeyed Ellie’s direction?” he thought, eyes wide.
It felt magical. Together, father and daughter guided Arkin back on course.
“Coo…oo”
Arkin let out a long cry—like a farewell.
Ellie clung to Arkin’s huge head, tears streaming. Arkin gently nuzzled her tiny shoulder as if comforting her.
“Ellie, we must go now.” Ridel spoke softly.
Ellie shook her head fiercely and buried her face in Arkin’s feathers.
“I want to go with Arkin…”
Ridel looked at her sadly, then gently separated her and replied:
“Arkin must stay here with her friends. If we take her, she might be sad instead.”
Ellie whimpered.
“Arkin…”
Ridel approached the bird and placed his hand on its wing.
“Thanks for keeping us safe. I’m grateful, Arkin.”
Arkin closed its eyes at his touch. Ridel felt warmth in his palm and smiled faintly.
“Let’s meet again someday. Next time, we’ll fly together—with Ellie—to an even more wonderful place.”
Arkin watched Ellie one last moment, then reluctantly turned away when the trainer reached for the reins. Ellie, still tearful, waved her hand.
“Goodbye, Arkin. See you again…”
Arkin answered with a soft farewell cry, then followed the trainer inside the flight station.
Ellie sniffled and asked:
“Daddy… can we meet Arkin again?”
Ridel hugged her and answered kindly:
“One day, we will.”
He wiped her tears and pulled out a silver feather from his robe.
“This fell on your shoulder earlier. It’s a gift from Arkin.”
Ellie placed the feather gently in her palm—it still felt warm.
“Arkin…”
She gazed in the direction where Arkin disappeared for a long moment, then ran it under her nose and held Ridel’s hand.
The port city of Larkia was simple but lively—quite different from majestic Sharin. Salt-laced sea breeze touched their noses. Various ships docked. Sailors busily fixed nets and loaded cargo. Under glowing lanterns, merchants greeted customers with exotic wares.
Ridel carried Ellie and walked along the docks. Beyond his arms, the dark sea rolled quietly under the starry sky. Starlight reflected on the waves, making silver ripples. Ellie stared at it, mesmerized.
“Daddy, is all that water?” she asked softly.
“Yes, it’s the sea. Look how wide it is.”
Ridel lifted Ellie so she could see better.
“Wow!”
Her eyes sparkled at the shining water and flickering lights. Ridel’s heart warmed. That pure wonder in her eyes—like discovering a world for the first time—felt irreplaceable.
After admiring the sea with Ellie for a while, Ridel started walking again. Soon, they saw a small boat shop under an old sign. He headed inside.
“You’re buying a boat?” asked the owner.
“Yes. I need a small rowboat,” Ridel replied.
The owner led them behind the shop to an old boat tied to the dock.
“I’d ask for seven Cres, but I can do six and a half.”
“May I touch it?”
Ridel examined it with his magic.
Good—it’s responsive to mana. I can reinforce the wood and add wind magic.
They haggled briefly, and Ridel became the owner for 5 Cres 70 Ruk.
“Daddy, is this boat strong?” Ellie asked.
“Not yet.”
“Huh…?”
“But Daddy will make it strong—come see, okay?”
They pulled the boat to a quiet corner and Ridel began work. Ellie, still pensive about Arkin, stared wide-eyed as her father’s hands glowed with light. Her heart pounded.
“Run Kymia. Altera en Durantys. Enhance.”
Ancient runes glowed around the boat, and it split into thousands of tiny wood fragments, floating like grains of sand above the water.
Maybe make it a bit modern?
He recalled a motorboat he once saw workshop in Korea, and tried to replicate a simple propulsion device.
The fragments responded to magic, assembling into a sleek bow, sturdy hull, smooth exterior. Some wood curved into a propeller shaft. Runes glowed along the axis, drawing ambient mana into power. Small propeller blades spun—the motor was ready.
As he tested mana flow, the boat glowed softly blue. A gentle wind brushed Ellie’s cheek. Where the light had been floated not the old boat but a beautiful wooden craft with elegant curves and strong bones. Ridel smiled proudly.
“Ellie, what do you think? Isn’t it cool?”
Ellie stared at him, mouth open—she looked like she was dreaming.
“Daddy… you’re the best ever!!”
Ridel laughed and stroked her hair.
The next morning
Golden sunlight woke the quiet harbor. Seagulls circled overhead. Fishermen pulled boats out, seeking fresh jobs. Ridel carried sleepy Ellie from the inn to the newly born wooden boat. In her hand, she held Arkin’s silver feather. Her expression was calmer—though a bit sad, a spark of hope glowed in her heart: maybe they’d meet Arkin again.
“Ellie, shall we go?” Ridel asked from the bow and offered his hand.
“Yes, chubaal!” she replied strongly and grabbed his hand.
Ridel poured mana into the propeller shaft. It spun smoothly. The boat glowed blue. Water splashed under the hull in a cheerful rhythm. The enchanted boat moved forward as if alive.
“Wow…!”
Ellie let out a wow—feeling the gentle acceleration for the first time.
And then—somewhere in the distance—a pair of green eyes watched Ridel and Ellie aboard the wooden boat.
