Episode 7
The silver Arkin suddenly changed its behavior.
It tilted its head and turned its huge body fully toward Ellie.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”
The trainer stepped in front of the Arkin, patting its large body to calm it down.
But the Arkin wasn’t angry or excited.
In its eyes were curiosity, awe, and strangely… relief.
Surprised, Ridel quickly stepped back, pulling Ellie with him.
But instead of being scared, Ellie boldly walked forward.
“Ellie!”
Ridel tried to stop her, but Ellie gently held out her small hands.
The silver Arkin lowered its head, bringing it close to her hands.
“It’s okay, birdie. My daddy’s not scary.”
Ellie whispered.
The Arkin slowly blinked its big eyes, then gently lowered its head like a little bird, allowing Ellie to touch it.
Everyone in the flying station paused to watch the strange scene—an enormous creature and a tiny child quietly sharing a moment.
Ridel was speechless.
What is this…?
Did Ellie really just say the Arkin was scared of him?
But the bird looks terrifying!
Ridel suddenly began to doubt what he thought he knew about Ellie’s powers.
Ellie’s magic is supposed to be normal. Almost no magical talent at all.
The Tower Master must’ve had high hopes… and then felt disappointed.
So what exactly was Ellie seeing in the Arkin’s eyes?
What kind of world did she see?
The trainer spoke, still surprised.
“I’ve never seen anything like this…”
“Number 34 has never approached anyone first like this before.”
A quiet stillness fell over the scene.
The only sound was the wind brushing through the Arkin’s silver feathers.
Ellie looked calm, gently stroking the soft, warm feathers.
It felt like only the two of them existed in the world.
Ridel was reminded of the secret magical conversations he used to have with Cedric.
Is Ellie… talking to the Arkin somehow too?
Then suddenly—
A memory flashed in Ridel’s mind.
“Grandma! Why are you talking to that tree?”
“I can speak to trees, dear. Look, this tree is bored. Why don’t you dance for it?”
“N-no! I don’t want to!”
What if Grandma hadn’t been joking?
I don’t know…
Ridel slowly walked toward Ellie.
The giant bird didn’t seem quite so scary anymore.
Still, he kept a little distance… but since Ellie was so close, he had to come near too.
“Ellie. Did the Arkin say it’s scared of Daddy?”
Ellie jumped, pulling back her hand.
She quickly shook her head.
“No! Ellie doesn’t speak bird!”
The trainers were still watching her closely, so Ridel decided to ask more later.
“It looks like she likes the Arkin,” Ridel told the trainer.
The trainer still looked confused.
“She must have ridden before. Most kids are scared. Aren’t you scared, kid?”
Ellie shook her head again.
“Nope. People are scarier…”
A quiet pause followed.
The trainer smiled awkwardly.
“Wow… your daughter is very philosophical. Alright, time to go. Your destination is Larkia. If anything happens, just touch the magic circle in front of the saddle. There’s tracking magic on it. The Arkin can’t be steered—it only follows remembered routes. If there’s an emergency, here’s how to land and control speed…”
Ridel already knew all this, but he listened carefully since it had been a while.
Ellie listened too, but her expression slowly turned blank from information overload.
“Ready? Then takeoff!”
The trainer gently pushed Ridel toward the Arkin like someone pushing a person off a bungee jump.
Why are you pushing me?! It’s not the Arkin I’m scared of—it’s riding it with Ellie that makes me nervous!
“Daddy! Hurry!”
Ellie was jumping up and down, reaching her arms up.
She looked like a little chick wanting to fly like a bird.
My poor Ellie. She really must find people scarier than animals.
Ridel’s heart ached.
She must’ve been hurt so much to say something like that so easily…
Maybe Ellie needed a break from being around people.
“I’ll lift you up!”
Ridel gently placed Ellie onto the wide saddle on the Arkin’s back.
“Wow! So high!”
Ellie looked thrilled.
Like a kid visiting an amusement park for the first time.
“It’s even higher than Daddy’s shoulders, right? Hold on tight! It’s dangerous if you move!”
“Okay!”
Ellie grabbed the handles tightly, her face serious.
Ridel climbed on behind her and wrapped his arms protectively around her.
“D-don’t be scared. Daddy’s right behind you.”
Whoa, this is really high. Please fly well, bird.
The Arkin looked strong, probably chosen for this long flight.
The trainer checked the saddle one last time and patted the Arkin’s head.
The Arkin moved its head away.
“So unfriendly, as usual. Number 34 Arkin! Fly!”
With that, the Arkin spread its huge wings.
It beat them hard.
Whooosh!
A powerful wind blew.
Dust flew up, clothes fluttered, and slowly but strongly, the Arkin lifted into the sky.
Ridel held tightly to the saddle, eyes wide open.
Shake-shake.
Shake-shake.
It felt like airplane turbulence—except constant.
The ground grew farther away.
Buildings got smaller.
The wingbeats grew smoother.
But the speed increased.
Whoooosh!
The Arkin soared into the sky.
“Daddy and me! We’re flying!”
“Y-yeah! We’re flying! You’re not scared?”
“Not at all! Are you, Daddy?”
“Of course not!”
“If Daddy is scared, Ellie will hold your hand!”
“W-wait, isn’t that backwards?!”
Ridel reached out, and Ellie grabbed his hand with both of hers.
He laughed.
The tension, the strange feeling of flying, all melted away at Ellie’s brave voice.
Ellie has this side to her too…
The Arkin calmly flew through the sky.
With each wingbeat, the world opened up wider.
Beyond the tall castle walls was endless grassland, and small houses dotted the land far below.
Ellie leaned into Ridel and looked at the world.
It looked like a giant painting.
She had always been stuck in a small orphanage or under cold stares.
But now, she felt free.
Like ropes binding her were snapping away.
The cool wind played with her soft pink hair.
She closed her eyes and felt like a bird flying through the sky.
Ellie snuggled deeper into her father’s arms.
“Daddy. I want to live in the sky.”
Ridel gently patted her back.
“Daddy wants that too. But in the sky, you can’t sleep or eat.”
“Oh…”
“Instead, let’s go to an island that’s just as beautiful as the sky. Okay?”
“Okay!”
Ellie answered cheerfully and looked around again, full of excitement.
Ridel smiled at her, then remembered the moment earlier.
“Ellie, are you really not going to tell Daddy what you said to the Arkin?”
Ellie paused, then shook her head.
“I didn’t talk to it.”
“Really?”
“…Umm.”
She bit her lip and looked nervous.
“It’s okay, Ellie. You can tell Daddy. I won’t be mad or hate you, no matter what power you have.”
“You… won’t leave me?”
Ridel gently squeezed her with his arms.
“Of course not. You’re my precious daughter. That will never change. I just want to understand you better.”
Ellie hesitated for a long time, then finally spoke.
“It… it said it was scared of Daddy.”
Wait—what?!
This big bird was scared of me?
“But why? I didn’t even do anything.”
Then Ellie said something that made Ridel gasp.
“It said… it’s never flown before… and it was scared because you had to ride it.”
…Oh.
So this was its first flight.
Meanwhile…
“Number 34 has departed!”
The trainer shouted, and everyone looked up at the sky.
The silver-winged Arkin flew higher and farther.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew! It finally left.”
A middle-aged trainer wiped sweat from his forehead.
“Will it be okay on its first flight?”
“It’s part of the job. All Arkins have a first time.”
“But Number 34 has no sense of direction…”
Another trainer crossed his arms.
“That’s why we trained it five times more than the others! It cost more than any other Arkin ever!”
The older trainer shook his head.
“It just has to fly like it did in training. And that was the only Arkin strong enough for the long trip to Larkia.”
“Yeah, its wing power is amazing.”
Hoping it wouldn’t get too lost, the trainers stared up at the clear blue sky.
It was a perfect spring day, as if blessing Number 34’s first flight.
