Chương 20: Return to the Slope

"So, are we going to fly? But we don't have time; the sun is close to the mountain, and we told Luna and the others that we'd be there when the sun was about to set in the eastern mountains," Winifred asked, confused.

"Then we just need to increase our speed, that's all," Elise replied with a smile on his face.

Winifred understood that they were going to fly faster than before.

"What about Leo and the others?" Winifred asked, wondering how they would fly with them.

"Don't worry; it's easy. They can easily fly with us," Elise replied, raising her hand towards Leo and the others, who were still under her control.

Suddenly, Leo and the others started levitating in the air, following Elise's hand movements. Seeing Elise's magic, Winifred understood.

"Oh… I get it," Winifred said, watching Leo and the others floating in the air, controlled by Elise.

"Okay then! Let's go," Elise said while offering her hand to Winifred.

Winifred gently grabbed Elise's hand with a smile. After taking Elise's hand, both of them started ascending into the air. Along with them, Leo and the others, still under Elise's control, followed like objects.

Elise was controlling Leo and the others with one hand, while her other hand was held by Winifred. They continued flying upward until they reached above the clouds.

"This is a good height," Elise said.

Looking from above the clouds, Winifred saw the sun close to setting behind the eastern mountains where Elise's home was. The view reminded Winifred of the last day she had flown with Elise towards her home—it was a similar scene. The view was beautiful, and watching the sun setting over the mountains made Winifred smile. Suddenly, she realized it was almost time.

"Grab my hand tightly; we're going to fly fast this time," Elise said, urging Winifred to hold her hand firmly.

Winifred held Elise's hand tightly, understanding they were about to fly faster.

"Ouch… not that tightly! That hurts," Elise said, blinking as if in pain.

"Oh… sorry!" Winifred said quickly, letting go of Elise's hand, forgetting they were in the air. The moment she released her hand, Winifred began to fall slightly.

"Ah…!" Winifred yelled loudly, continuing to float in the air without Elise's hand.

"Haha!" Elise laughed, looking at Winifred.

Winifred understood that Elise was joking. She smiled too.

"Sorry, of course, it didn't hurt me. I knew you would suddenly release my hand after hearing that," Elise said, still laughing.

"Am I floating like the others?" Winifred asked.

"No! They are currently like objects to me. I'm controlling you with the same magic I'm using to fly myself," Elise replied.

"Here, grab my hand again! And hold it like before—don't let go, or you'll fall," Elise said with a smile.

Winifred understood what Elise was saying and grabbed her hand tightly again.

"Today was a rough day, so I thought I'd do something to make you laugh," Elise said, smiling at Winifred.

Winifred realized Elise was just trying to cheer her up.

"Thanks for that, but it's fine. You've already done enough for me," Winifred replied, appreciating all the help Elise had given her.

"Don't say that; you're my student," Elise said.

"Yeah, but still, thank you for everything you've done for me," Winifred said with a smile.

Winifred's eyes conveyed her gratitude, showing Elise how much she valued the help she was receiving.

"I told you, you're my student," Elise said with a smile.

"Yeah," Winifred replied.

"Okay, let's go now; the others are waiting for us," Elise said.

Elise and Winifred started flying towards the eastern city at a fast speed. Leo and the others followed them, still controlled by Elise.

Winifred felt Elise gradually increasing their speed and flying higher. Suddenly, the air in front of them seemed to split, creating a clearer path.

"Did you just do something?" Winifred asked.

"Yes. At normal speeds, the air doesn't affect us much. But as the speed increases, I need to cut through the air in front of us. It helps us see clearly, talk, and even increases our speed," Elise explained, glancing at Winifred.

Winifred understood that Elise must have used another spell. The speed of their flight continued to increase. Flying at this speed, Winifred's heart started racing, but she enjoyed it. A smile appeared on her face.

After a while, Elise and Winifred crossed the place where they had climbed down from the carriage. They continued flying towards the eastern city, which was now visible to Winifred.

Suddenly, Elise and Winifred started descending rapidly.

'Are we going to land here?' Winifred wondered as they flew downward.

As they got closer to the ground, their speed remained high. It was a different experience for Winifred, who had only flown high in the sky but had never flown so close to the ground.

Flying so close to the ground made Winifred happy—she was enjoying it.

The city was now very close. Suddenly, Elise turned towards the eastern city gate, not the same way they had come from. Winifred knew that Luna and the others were waiting at the eastern city gate.

Elise and Winifred headed towards the place where they had first boarded the carriage near the eastern city gate. Winifred understood what Elise was planning. She knew that the slope of the small mountain where they had first boarded the carriage was far enough from the eastern city gate where Luna and the others were waiting.

Elise planned to go to that spot, board the carriage, and then meet Luna and the others.

Flying over the valley, Elise and Winifred reached the mountain slope where the carriage usually turned towards the eastern city. They landed along with Leo and the others.

Winifred looked for the carriage but didn't see it.

"There's no carriage, Elise," Winifred said with a worried expression.

"Just wait. He's always late," Elise said knowingly, as if she was familiar with the person who was coming.

Winifred didn't understand what Elise meant.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a carriage approaching. Winifred looked towards the source of the sound, which was coming from the top of the small mountain slope where they had stopped to admire the beautiful view of the eastern city.

The carriage was now visible to Elise and Winifred.