Episode 6
Selly quickly pulled a compass from her pocket and handed it to the boy. His eyes went wide.
“Where did you get this kind of relic?”
“Relic?”
“No one uses this anymore.”
That’s why it shows up in history books, not science ones.
“It’s my first time seeing a real one…”
“You know how to use it?”
“I’ve never used it, but I learned the basics.”
The boy immediately checked the direction and turned the bow of the ship. It seemed like she could leave things to him now.
“Then I’ll go get my bag.”
Just then, the boy, who was confidently holding the controls, looked back with worried eyes.
Earlier, when she said she needed her bag because her medicine was inside, he had nodded without hesitation.
“Why? Didn’t you say you could steer it alone?”
“You’re alone.”
“Oh, are you worried about me?”
They say manners and empathy are signs of intelligence. If that’s true, then this boy is smarter than any guy Selly knew in her previous life.
“Just wait a bit. We’ll land soon and then I’ll help you find it.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Selly proudly pulled out her secret weapon from under her clothes.
“I’ve got a self-defense potato.”
Thankfully, she didn’t need to use it. Everyone was still knocked out cold.
‘Maybe he thought I had some kind of rare item in my bag.’
Her backpack was in the captain’s quarters. When she came back safely, the boy looked relieved.
“Did you find the medicine?”
“It was still in the bag.”
“That’s good.”
“And my sandwich too.”
Selly unwrapped the square sandwich and split it into two triangles, handing one to him. The boy looked like he wanted it but shook his head.
“I’m not hungry.”
He clearly wanted to eat it, so why pretend otherwise? Do people here also have that weird custom of politely refusing once before accepting?
“Your blood sugar will drop. Low blood sugar is more dangerous than high blood sugar.”
She gave him a perfect excuse, but the boy stared at her like she was ridiculous.
“You sound like a personal doctor. Are you really ten?”
Nope. Her heart was forever sixteen.
Feeling caught, Selly quickly came up with another excuse.
“If the pilot collapses, I’m dead meat.”
“Well, if that’s your reason… thanks.”
The boy gave in and took the sandwich. But he still looked like he was being cautious.
Finally, Selly took a big bite out of her own sandwich. Mist floated past outside the window.
“Huh? Now that I think about it, this is technically an in-flight meal. No wonder it tastes amazing. I heard even instant noodles taste better in the sky.”
The boy didn’t respond and just stared at her. Then he quickly finished his sandwich like someone might snatch it from him and turned back to the controls.
“…It’s not the sky. It’s just that your sandwich tastes good.”
“Wow… I’ve never met a boy who speaks so nicely.”
The boy flinched at that, but Selly had no idea why.
“What’s wrong?”
He stared at her for a moment, then asked:
“What’s your name?”
“Oh, right!”
She hadn’t had a reason to say her name since being reborn, so she completely forgot to introduce herself.
“My name’s Selly.”
“Selly…”
“What’s your name?”
He should’ve told her, but instead, the boy looked totally shocked.
“…You don’t know who I am?”
“Uh… Are you famous or something?”
The boy just stared at her.
“I grew up in the mountains, so I don’t really know what’s going on in the world.”
Only then did the boy sigh—relieved, not annoyed.
Then he finally told her:
“Nox.”
“…Nox?”
Selly squinted and tilted her head, and the boy’s face went pale.
“You do know me—”
“Nox means night, right? But you seem more like daytime.”
The boy with golden hair and red eyes looked shaken again. Like he was in shock.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
Selly quickly tried to fix it.
“I didn’t mean Nox doesn’t suit you. It’s a cool name. Flying a ship is cool too. How did you learn to do that?”
“I just… wanted to, so I learned.”
The boy answered flatly, but a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
‘Whoa, he smiled.’
It was brief, but it was like sunlight. Way better than his usual blank face.
Night really didn’t suit him.
Nox, who had been acting like a nervous little animal the whole time, suddenly looked Selly in the eye and confidently said:
“Where do you need to go? I’ll take you.”
“Then… can you drop me off at Spellmore Academy?”
“…You’re enrolling in Spellmore?”
“Yep!”
“….”
Why did Nox suddenly look like the world was ending?
“Is it far?”
“…No.”
“Good.”
Really good.
Not long after, the mist cleared and civilization appeared below.
‘Now it’ll be easier to find the way.’
Selly was relieved. But for some reason, Nox went pale again.
“Wait… don’t tell me…”
Just as Selly narrowed her eyes to ask if he was getting motion sickness—
“We’re here.”
Nox started lowering the altitude. Selly’s eyes widened with excitement as she looked outside.
Below was a massive city nestled at the foot of towering, twisting mountain ranges.
In the middle of a lake on a mountain slope, a huge structure rose like the Tower of Babel, piercing the sky.
That must be Spellmore.
The grand, black castle surrounded by green hills and a lake looked like it had been scorched evenly by dragon breath.
Selly stared in awe at the stage for the second act of her second life. Then, Nox suddenly held out his hand.
“Thanks. We made it safely because of you.”
He was returning the compass. But Selly pushed his hand back.
“You keep it.”
“Why?”
“You still need to find your way, right?”
Since the ship’s navigation system was broken, he’d still need the compass to get home.
“…Thanks.”
Maybe he just wanted to keep the rare item? Nox stared at the brass compass for a long time before finally tucking it into his pocket.
Meanwhile, the airship had gotten close enough to see the golden dragon statue perched on top of the tower.
But there was nowhere to land. The area was full of dense forest or steep hills.
Still, Nox lowered the ship’s altitude.
‘Oh right. This is a ship, huh?’
Splash!
The airship landed on the lake with a dramatic spray of water like a log flume ride.
It glided across the surface like a swan and parked at the island’s dock.
A perfect landing.
Looking up at the towering castle, Selly’s chest filled with emotion.
“Wow, I’m really at magic school! Nox, it’s all thanks to you!”
“You’re the one who took out the traffickers…”
Selly jumped around in excitement and suddenly hugged Nox, who was getting up from the pilot seat.
“Nox, you’re amazing! This is all thanks to you. Thank you!”
“…I’m thankful too, Selly. Ah, not for the hug— for the potatoes.”
Despite having the looks of a future cold-hearted heartthrob, Nox stuttered. Maybe she was seeing the chick version of a future sky-dominating dragon?
‘I can’t let him get away.’
Selly grabbed both of Nox’s hands.
“Nox, I think I fell from the sky just to meet you.”
That dandelion seed definitely dropped her onto the pirate ship to help Nox.
‘That means he’s an important character in this story.’
A ten-year-old boy with cheat-level skills who could fly an airship.
Blonde hair, red eyes—no way he’s just a side character.
‘Maybe he’s the main character?’
In transmigration stories, the first rule is to avoid the main character so you don’t get caught up in the plot.
But it’s also a rule that you get swept up into the story no matter how much you try to avoid it.
Selly felt like this was that moment.
She didn’t know what novel this was, or if getting involved with the main character was the smart choice.
But this wasn’t something she chose—it was destiny.
That meant it was the right path.
So Selly jumped straight into the flow of the story.
“Nox, do you think we’ll meet again? I want to be your friend.”
Because if we end up as enemies, my second life—which is supposed to be long—might be short!
Nox, whose face had turned as red as a ripe tomato, suddenly went pale again. He looked troubled.
‘Don’t tell me… is he still motion sick?’
There were no plastic bags here! Selly started to panic when Nox suddenly declared:
“Selly, we will meet again.”
“Really?”
“But… we can’t be friends.”
“…Huh?”
