“I want to fly in the sky.”

Just like that time.

Natalie muttered.

“Leave it to me.”

I nodded and bent down with my back to Natalie.

Natalie silently climbed on my back.

Unlike when I was ten years old, Natalie’s body had become more feminine.

I could feel it on my skin, and my heart thumped and pulsed noisily.

She crossed her arms in front of my chest.

“Stay on my back, okay?”

I supported her legs with my hands so as not to let Natalie fall by mistake.

—Gravity release.

Slowly, we lifted off the ground.

Gradually, we gained altitude.

You can now see the whole of the capital.

“What do you think, ……? Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

Looking outside the city walls, we could see a vast forest.

When I turned my view 180 degrees, I could see a seemingly endless horizon.　

“Owen is lucky to be able to fly. …… I don’t have wings like that.”

“I don’t have any feathers either.”

“That’s the metaphor. …… Hey, look. People look so small.”

Look! People look like garbage!

Colonel Natalie laughs at that.

I don’t think Natalie would think that, though.

When I look down at people from a high place, I can’t help but think of that quote.

“…… is so tiny.”

“Of course, from up here, people look tiny.”

“No, I don’t think so. I’m so tiny.”

This doesn’t mean that Natalie is small.

I can see that, too.

“Are you talking about tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’m really sick of worrying about small things. …… My brother is right. I am a weak person. I’m weak and timid and tiny.”

“…… Don’t say that.”

It’s not that I don’t like it.

I will not allow anyone to make fun of Natalie, no matter who they are.

I don’t allow anyone to make fun of Natalie, even if it’s Natalie herself.

“It’s not appropriate for Natalie to be so down on herself. She is a strong, brave, and kind girl.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, she is. No matter how much Natalie denies herself, I will always accept her.”

“Why do you think……? I…”

Natalie tightened her grip on his arm.

“Because you are important. Because I care for you.”

For the first time since I came to this world, I can call her my friend.

“When your friend looks like she’s about to cry, you want to do something for her. I want to tell her it’s okay. That’s natural. …… Hey, Natalie. Does the sky feel good?”

“…… feels good.”

“So, do you want to fly?”

“I want to fly.”

“Yes!”

Then I took my hands away.

Then I let go of my hands. “Eh, …… hey, …….”

Suddenly, her legs were free in the air, and Natalie strengthened her arms.

“You can take your hands off me.”

“I can’t …… do that. I’m going to fall!”

“It’s okay. —Trust me.”

Natalie was afraid to take her hand away.

Then…

” I’m floating! Hey, Owen! I’m floating!”

I flipped my body around to face Natalie, floating in the sky.

Natalie was beaming with a big smile on her face.

She was smiling and laughing, just like she did when she flew away from some party in the past.

“It feels good to fly, doesn’t it?”

“Yes! It feels so… so good!”

Natalie held out her arms and seemed to be feeling the wind.

“Natalie has a freedom feather.”

“Freedom feather ……?”

“You have the feather I just raised.”

I pointed to Natalie’s hairpiece.

“It’s a feather that can fly anywhere. Natalie can go anywhere in the sky.”

“This is the …… feather of freedom.”

Natalie touched the hair ornament on her head.

Natalie touched the hairpiece on her head as if she was slowly checking its shape.

Then she looked at me with her calm blue eyes.

Her expression made me nervous.

“Thank you, ……, for flying me out of the sky.”

Natalie said.

An angel appeared in the clear sky.

Natalie had such a beautiful expression on her face that I thought she was an angel.