“Gasp…!”

What the h*ll!?

The sight resembled an express train approaching at high speed. I hurriedly pulled the reins.

Whoosh!

The rough wind tousled my hair wildly, reminiscent of an express train passing right in front of me.

But my panic wasn’t the main problem. The real issue was that our griffin became agitated by the sudden attack from one of its own kind.

“Shriek!”

“Screech!”

“No, no!”

If you fight, what happens to the two humans here!

“Dodge and go somewhere else!”

“Screech!”

“Won’t you listen!?”

Thud.

“Grumble……”

The griffin flew in another direction with a very displeased look.

The attacker griffin pursued us fiercely from behind.

“This can’t be happening. Why is Yvonne II here? Why is it attacking me?”

“Yvonne II? Is that Your Highness’s griffin?”

“Y-yes. I definitely had it properly restrained. It was fierce, but not this bad.”

Lucilia seemed at a loss in this sudden situation.

That’s understandable. Even as the Crown Princess, she’s still a child, and above all, we’re in the air with no one to help us.

‘Besides, I’m terrified right now!’

Just being grazed by the griffin’s attack could be fatal.

Lucilia spoke in a trembling voice.

“…I’m sorry. This is my responsibility. That you would be severely injured because of me.”

“I’m not injured yet.”

“I’m apologizing in advance for what’s about to happen. L-let’s go to the imperial palace. There must be some solution there!”

“The Offensa mansion is closer. Now hold on tight!”

Whoosh!

A sharp but smooth U-turn.

“Aaaah!”

Lucilia screamed and lowered her body.

As we changed direction, the distance between Yvonne II and us momentarily decreased.

Yvonne II opened its beak wide.

Boom!

A condensed black magic bullet shot from its mouth like a cannon.

“It can do that too!?”

I was startled, but my body moved before my thoughts, proving our training hadn’t been in vain.

Boom boom boom boom!

Magic bullets fired in succession.

Just like when passing through obstacles Lynen had created, the griffin and I dodged the continuously fired magic bullets by flying up and down, sometimes even turning our bodies sideways.

It was truly acrobatic flying.

“Kyaaaa!”

Oops. The kid.

I pulled the Crown Princess toward me as she nearly fell off.

“You need to be more careful, Your Highness!”

“Are you blaming me!?”

“Should I drive more gently then?”

“…No!”

Lucilia wrapped her arms tightly around the griffin’s neck like a koala and shouted.

“Enduring is my job! You do your part!”

“Hmph, fine. Don’t fall off!”

“Screech!”

Boom boom boom boom!

I freely changed direction, avoiding the incoming magic bullets.

‘If we can just get to the mansion, the mages will handle it.’

It’s a shame to kill the Crown Princess’s griffin, but there’s no other way right now.

‘Good. If we keep going like this…’

But then.

“Kyaaaa!”

“M-monster!”

Hearing sudden screams from below, my heart sank, and I looked back.

Crash!

“D*mn it!”

Yvonne II’s magic bullet had fallen into the shopping street!

Fortunately, no one seemed hurt, but Yvonne II’s gaze quickly turned toward the screaming people.

It opened its beak and inhaled, preparing to attack the people.

“No, you b*stard!”

Boom!

“Screech!”

I immediately stopped flying and rammed into it like a bumper car, causing it to stagger.

It glared at me but then tried to attack the people again.

Your head must be ringing from the collision, you b*stard! I cursed inwardly as I charged again. But this time, it dodged me easily, seemingly anticipating my move, and launched a counter-attack!

“Ugh!”

“Screech!”

Our griffin screamed as its hind leg was hit by a magic bullet.

‘That b*stard… it figured out my weakness!’

It must have deliberately targeted the people to create an opening. They weren’t wrong about griffins being intelligent.

“T-the people! This is terrible! My lady! Do you have any ideas?”

“…I do.”

The plan to lure it away was scrapped.

We had to settle this here.

“But I’ll need Your Highness’s help.”

“Tell me quickly!”

I placed the reins in Lucilia’s hands.

“Control the griffin instead of me. Get close to that griffin so I can jump over to it.”

“What…?!”

Lucilia’s eyes widened with fear.

“But I’ve never ridden a griffin before!”

“You just succeeded, didn’t you? The griffin obeyed you.”

“That was by chance! I still don’t really understand how!”

Of course she doesn’t. I deliberately didn’t explain in detail to make her yearn for more. How to move the magic, where, and how much.

But the situation was urgent, so I had to pass on my teachings immediately.

“No time to explain.”

I firmly covered her hands with mine so she wouldn’t let go of the reins.

And fighting my nausea, I moved my magic.

‘Like when attempting magic infiltration, make the magic thin as a needle. Slightly warm and tingling, like pricking a finger.’

I let her directly feel the sensation of magic infiltration.

“T-this is……”

“Now you understand? Pierce the griffin’s wing, right here at the core, with the magic form I just showed you. Then it will listen to you… cough cough.”

Blood trickled from my mouth due to magic incompatibility.

Seeing me like this, Lucilia became even more frightened.

“S-something’s wrong? This method is too dangerous after all. We should just keep heading to the mansion. If I fail—”

“Focus!”

I lightly slapped the Crown Princess’s back.

[Using Villainess’s Parenting Method on target ‘Lucilia Manu Clearance’.]

[Self-esteem+1]

[Self-esteem+1]

“I wouldn’t have handed it over if I thought you couldn’t do it.”

“…I, I.”

“Actually, you’re the first person who has successfully used the method I taught.”

“What…? R-really?”

“Of course.”

Though you’re also the only person I’ve taught it to.

“No one has ever succeeded before. Only you did it. It’s your ability.”

“My, ability……”

“That’s why I believe in you.”

[Self-esteem+1]

“…Alright.”

The terrified Lucilia regained her original determination. She gripped the reins tightly.

“I’ll try.”

“Good.”

“And I’ll deal with you later for daring to speak informally to me.”

“……”

While I held the reins together with her to fly, Lucilia placed one hand on the griffin’s wing joint.

She closed her eyes and tried several times.

“…Screech!”

My griffin shook its head like it had been pricked by a needle.

“I-I did it!”

“Faster than expected?”

She definitely had talent for magic.

“Then I’m counting on you. Get close to that griffin.”

“O-okay. I understand.”

The griffin approached Yvonne II according to Lucilia’s will.

But it wasn’t easy. Yvonne II would suddenly attack us even while trying to shoot magic bullets at the people, or would increase the distance, making it difficult to find the right timing.

Lucilia’s forehead was now drenched with sweat as she manipulated her magic.

But I was the one most worried.

‘I’ve never even jumped between rooftops, and now I have to jump onto a moving back.’

Of course, I could have ignored this and headed to the mansion without getting hurt.

‘But innocent people would die in the meantime.’

That shopping street was a commoner area.

Just one collapsed building could endanger the livelihoods of ordinary people.

‘Of course, saving lives isn’t a condition for achieving the hidden ending.’

But it’s true that these people got caught up in my plans for the hidden ending. So I had to take at least minimal responsibility.

Plus, there was another important reason.

‘I don’t want to be ashamed in front of Noah!’

“Closer, more. Get above it and stick close so I can jump… get as close as possible! So I don’t get hurt!”

“Nnngh, don’t order me around!”

The distance between the two griffins fluctuated but gradually decreased.

Then for a moment, the distance became unbelievably close. Close enough that I could jump across.

‘Now!’

Hop!

I landed safely on its back.

And just as I raised my fist to quickly use my special ability application.

Thud!

“Shriek!”

Suddenly attacked, Yvonne II began to stagger and fall.

As soon as I left my position, my griffin had hit Yvonne II’s wing with a magic bullet, even without Lucilia’s command.

‘You crazy bird-brain—!’

Just try to throw me off. I’ll turn you into samgyetang!

“L-Lady Offensa—!”

Lucilia’s scream quickly faded into the distance.