Chapter 6
When Selie quickly pulled a compass out of her pocket and placed it in the boy’s hand, his eyes widened.
“Where did you get an artifact like this?”
“Artifact?”
“No one uses these anymore.”
That was why it appeared in history books, not science books.
“I’ve never seen a real one before…”
“Do you know how to use it?”
“I’ve never actually used one, but I learned the principle.”
The boy immediately checked the direction and turned the ship’s bow. It seemed safe to leave things to him now.
“Then I’ll go look for my luggage.”
At that moment, the boy—who had been confidently gripping the controls—turned back with anxious eyes.
Earlier, when Selie said she absolutely had to find her bag because she had medicine she needed to take today, he had nodded without protest.
“Why? You said you could pilot it alone.”
“You’d be alone.”
“Oh, are you worried about me?”
People say manners and consideration are also forms of intelligence. If that were true, this boy was far smarter than some boys Selie had known in her previous life.
“Wait a little. After we land, I’ll help you look.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Selie proudly pulled out her secret weapon from her clothes.
“I have self-defense potatoes.”
Fortunately, she didn’t end up needing them. Everyone was still unconscious.
‘They must have thought there were rare items in my luggage.’
Her bag was in the captain’s cabin. She retrieved it safely and returned to the helm, where the boy looked relieved.
“The medicine?”
“It was still in the bag.”
“That’s good.”
“And a sandwich.”
Selie split the square sandwich wrapped in paper into two triangles and offered one to him. The boy’s eyes widened, but he shook his head.
“I’m not hungry.”
He looked like he wanted it though. Why pretend otherwise? Was there some weird custom here about refusing once out of politeness?
“If your blood sugar drops, it’s dangerous. Low blood sugar is worse than high blood sugar.”
She had even made an excuse for him, but the boy just stared at her in disbelief.
“You talk exactly like a doctor. Are you really ten?”
No—mentally she was always sixteen.
Startled, Selie hurriedly came up with another excuse.
“If the pilot collapses, I’m basically dead.”
“…If that’s the reason, then I’ll eat.”
The boy reluctantly took the sandwich.
Why did he act like someone constantly watching others’ reactions?
Only then did Selie take a big bite of her own sandwich. Outside the window, thick clouds of fog drifted past.
“Huh? If you think about it, this is basically airplane food! No wonder it tastes amazing. They say even instant noodles taste better in the sky.”
The boy didn’t answer. Instead, he stared at Selie, quickly finishing his sandwich as if someone might steal it, then turning sharply back to the controls.
“It’s just that your sandwich tastes good.”
“Wow… I’ve never met a boy who speaks so nicely like you.”
The boy froze for a moment, but Selie had no idea why.
“What’s wrong?”
The boy stared at her for a while before asking instead,
“What’s your name?”
“Oh, right!”
Since being reborn, she’d never had a reason to introduce herself and had completely forgotten.
“My name is Selie.”
“Selie…”
“What’s yours?”
It should have been natural for him to say his name too, but the boy looked so startled that even his red eyes trembled.
“…You don’t know my name?”
“Huh? Are you a celebrity?”
The boy didn’t answer. He simply stared at her in surprise.
“I grew up in the mountains, so I don’t know much about the world.”
Only then did he sigh. It seemed he wasn’t annoyed that she didn’t know him—he was relieved.
Then he finally said his name.
“Nox.”
“…Nox?”
Selie tilted her head in confusion, and the boy’s face turned pale.
“Don’t tell me you actually know—”
“Doesn’t that mean night? But you seem more like the daytime.”
The boy with sun-colored blond hair and red eyes trembled again, as if shocked.
‘Did I say something wrong?’
Selie quickly tried to fix it.
“I didn’t mean it doesn’t suit you! It’s a cool name. And it’s cool that you can pilot an airship too. But how did you learn to do that?”
“I just… wanted to learn.”
He answered bluntly, but a faint red color had appeared on his cheeks.
‘Whoa, he smiled.’
It vanished in a flash, but it was like sunlight. Much prettier than his usual expressionless face.
The name “Night” really didn’t seem to suit him.
Like a small wild animal hiding in darkness, Nox had been acting cautious the whole time—as if worried about someone who wasn’t even here. But suddenly he spoke confidently.
“Where do you need to go? I’ll take you.”
“Then could you drop me off at Spellmore Academy?”
“…You’re entering Spellmore?”
“Yep!”
“….”
Why did Nox suddenly look like his world had collapsed?
“Is it very far?”
“…No.”
“That’s a relief.”
It truly was.
Not long after, the fog cleared and civilization began to appear beneath them.
‘Now it’ll be easier to find the way.’
Selie relaxed, but for some reason Nox turned pale again.
“You don’t happen to—”
Selie was about to ask if he felt airsick when—
“We’re here.”
Nox began lowering the altitude. Selie, who had been excitedly staring out the window, widened her eyes.
Below them stretched a city beneath a vast, rugged mountain range.
From a lake halfway up the mountain—the boundary between nature and civilization—rose a gigantic structure resembling the Tower of Babel, piercing the sky.
So that’s Spellmore.
The enormous black castle surrounded by green hills and a lake looked as if it had been evenly roasted by dragon’s breath.
As Selie stared at the stage where Act Two of her second life would unfold, Nox suddenly held out his hand.
“You used it well. Thanks to you we arrived safely.”
He was returning the compass.
But Selie pushed his hand back instead.
“You keep it.”
“Why?”
“You still need to find your way.”
After all, he would need the compass if he wanted to fly the airship home with its navigation system broken.
“…Thank you.”
Maybe he had secretly wanted it because it was rare. Nox examined the brass compass for a long time before finally putting it into his pocket.
Meanwhile, the airship drew closer to Spellmore. The golden dragon statue perched on top of the tower was now clearly visible.
But there was nowhere suitable to land. Dense forest surrounded the area, and the occasional grassy patches were all steep slopes.
Even so, Nox continued lowering the altitude.
‘Oh right… this thing’s a boat, isn’t it?’
SPLASH!
The airship crashed onto the lake like a water ride, sending up a huge spray.
Then it glided elegantly across the water like a swan and docked perfectly at the island pier.
A flawless landing.
Standing before the magnificent castle towering on the island, Selie’s heart swelled.
“Wow! I really came to a magic academy! Nox, it’s all thanks to you!”
“You’re the one who defeated the human traffickers…”
Selie jumped up and down in excitement before suddenly rushing forward and hugging Nox tightly.
“Nox, you’re amazing! It’s all thanks to you. Thank you!”
“…I’m thankful too, Selie. N-not for the hug. For the potatoes.”
Despite his cool appearance, Nox stuttered awkwardly.
‘Maybe I’m witnessing the chick stage of the dragon who’ll rule the skies in the future.’
‘I can’t let this chance slip away.’
Selie grabbed both of Nox’s hands.
“Nox, I think I fell from the sky just to meet you.”
Those dandelion seeds must have dropped Selie onto the pirate ship so she could save Nox.
Which means Nox must be an important character in this story.
A ten-year-old boy who could pilot an airship like a cheat skill.
And with blond hair and red eyes—there was no way someone that handsome was just a background character.
‘Maybe he’s the protagonist of this novel?’
When someone transmigrates into a novel, the first rule is to avoid the protagonist so you don’t get dragged into the story.
But another common rule is that while trying to avoid the plot, you somehow end up falling straight into the center of it anyway.
Selie felt like this was that moment.
She didn’t even know what story this novel was, so getting involved with the protagonist might not be wise. But this meeting wasn’t her choice—it felt like fate.
Then maybe it was the right path.
Without hesitation, Selie threw herself into the flow of the story.
“Nox, can we meet again? I want to be your friend.”
Because if you become my enemy, my second life—meant to be long and peaceful—might become very short!
The boy, whose face had turned red like a ripe tomato, suddenly went pale again. He looked troubled.
‘Don’t tell me he’s still airsick…?’
Just as Selie panicked about the lack of plastic bags nearby, the boy suddenly declared solemnly,
“Selie, we will definitely meet again.”
“Really?”
“But we can’t be friends.”
“…Huh?”
