Chapter 17: The Girl Who Loves Adventure
[June 12, 2:00 PM]
[Witch of Rain Aesc temporarily leaves the stage; the one who appears before you now is Aesc the Savior.]
[The sea is right in front of you, but Aesc says that she would rather go mountain climbing and camping with you.]
[According to her: "Dating is to get to know each other better, so you can see the things I'm good at and the things I like. Besides, in this Spirit Origin of mine, I'm not really suited for swimming."]
[Fortunately, you had already anticipated a similar situation in advance. Nearby, there just happened to be a fairly decent picnic spot, enough to satisfy the two of you's interest in roaming mountains and rivers.]
[On a hot yet vibrant summer afternoon, the two of you carry outdoor cooking equipment, heading together toward the mountain peak, stepping over endless stretches of stone steps. Tree branches sway gently as if waving in greeting, cheerful birds chirp pleasantly by your ears, and a few scattered clouds drift leisurely above your heads.]
Blazing sunlight, hot wind blowing past, the mountains and forests resound with a steady rustling sound.
"…Alright, after going through about twenty thousand characters' worth of content, we've finally reached the summit, so we can go down the mountain now."
Eikou wipes the hot sweat from his forehead, raising his hand high with a full sense of accomplishment as he shouts.
"What a refreshing adventure—laughter and tears alike. I hope we can come back again next time!"
"Wait a moment, don't think you can just pretend to be the narrator and brush it off like that. We're still halfway up the mountain, aren't we?"
Aesc says in a stern tone.
"No matter what you do, remember not to give up halfway. Whatever you do, you have to see it through to the end. Understood?"
Her beautiful blonde hair is neatly tied into a ponytail, as she nimbly and skillfully steps across the uneven stretches of gravelly mountain paths.
If Witch of Rain Aesc is an innocent, gentle, and pure girl, then the Aesc the Savior before him is a girl who loves adventure and carries the bearing of an elder sister: sharp and capable, good at getting things done, very resourceful, using a gentle yet somewhat firm voice to urge him to keep moving forward.
"Alright, stop complaining and set off already. I'll go with you."
Savior Aesc leans on her staff and walks over to his side. The beautiful maiden's face, fair and smooth, comes close before his eyes; clear sweat glistens on her cheeks, her face slightly flushed from the heat.
"Umu, got it."
That soft, fair, adorable face right before his eyes makes Eikou's heart start beating faster unconsciously. He immediately tightens the straps of his backpack and sets off together with her.
"…Come to think of it, isn't your Endurance only C?"
Walking along the rugged mountain path, Eikou wipes away hot sweat while looking at Savior Aesc leading ahead and asks.
"How can you walk this far, when I have Endurance A and I'm already feeling quite tired at this point?"
"Hehe, it's probably because I often have to go on very exhausting journeys, so I'm already used to mountain roads like this. Besides, camping is also one of my hobbies. Not to praise myself, but my willpower is quite strong—where I fall short, I can rely on perseverance to get through."
On her beautiful sweat-drenched face, Aesc reveals a somewhat shy smile.
"That's impressive."
Eikou says thoughtfully.
"On the contrary, you should train more. It's true that you're a very good seedling, but I always feel like you're not very enthusiastic about putting in the effort."
Aesc smiles, showing her teeth. "Perfect timing—since this is a rare vacation, let me temper your willpower a bit."
Rustle, rustle——
At that moment, faint rustling sounds echo from within the dense forest.
Several Wyverns suddenly fly out from the middle of the woods—magicial beasts familiar to Chaldea.
"Hm, even though it's a tourist spot, as long as you're out in the wilderness you'll still run into Wyverns, huh…"
Eikou is a bit surprised, but he still immediately activates his skills, preparing to eliminate these obstructing Wyverns.
"Wait, leave these ones to me to handle—"
Aesc raises the magic staff in her hand, blocking in front of him.
"I also roughly understand some of the stories at your Chaldea Academy. Since you're acting actively under the identity of a Heroic Spirit, at a time like this you absolutely have to shout a line or something…"
She takes a deep breath, then, using her extremely good lung capacity, shouts loudly.
[Before the line can even be finished, the Wyverns suddenly appear!]
[Aesc casts a strengthening Magecraft on herself.]
[Immediately after, Aesc delivers a powerful kick, using brute force that has been enhanced to send those monsters flying on the spot, easily securing victory in this encounter.]
[You can't help but break out in a sweat as you watch, thinking to yourself that this scene feels extremely familiar. If you remember correctly, Artoria Caster also really likes this kind of fighting style.]
[Clearly, just earlier Aesc said that Artoria is the type of fairy from the Boar Clan who uses brute force without using her brain, but she herself also seems to be the type who likes to charge straight in using brute force.]
[You secretly think to yourself, could this be the characteristic fighting style of the Boar Clan? If so, then wouldn't the two of them both be wild boars?]
[...]
[While collecting material from the Wyverns, she acts like an older sister, repeatedly reminding you and instructing you on how to make the most use of the teeth and scales dropped by the Wyverns: "Have you gathered all the spoils? There will be times when you'll need them later. Come on, let me teach you."]
[However, while collecting material, she is startled by a caterpillar next to her, panicking to the point that she uses a large-scale destructive Magecraft, causing all the material to be blown into ashes.]
[Once again, you feel puzzled. She clearly really likes camping outdoors, so why is she still so afraid of insects?]
[...]
[At three in the afternoon, you encounter a group of elementary school students camping together on the mountainside, consisting of Miyu, Illya, and Chloe.]
[Aesc is so enchanted by these cute little girls that she can't bear to leave,]
["Even if I'm not familiar with them, as long as they're cute that's enough!" she says.]
[You take the initiative to help them take a group photo. Aesc looks at you and breaks into a joyful, happy smile.]
[By four in the afternoon, the two of you reach the highest peak of the mountain, casting your gaze down at the magnificent and beautiful scenery below the mountain. Like other mountain climbers, the two of you raise your hands to your mouths and shout loudly toward the vast, brightly lit mountains and rivers ahead.]
"Are you ready?"
"Umu, sorry, I'm a little nervous…"
Aesc says somewhat hesitantly.
"Don't be nervous, just shout together with me."
Eikou says seriously.
"Let's begin."
"Three, two, one..."
The two take a deep breath, then raise their hands to the sides of their ears, facing the mountain and shouting out a line full of momentum together:
"Damn you Merlin! Go die!"
[You didn't originally have any grudge against Merlin, but with the atmosphere already at this level, you had to shout something loudly no matter what.]
[Moreover, for some reason you don't understand, after shouting this line you feel inexplicably filled with strength.]