3

The day finally came.

I woke up as the morning sun rose, splashed water from the barrel on my face, and shook myself awake.

It felt endless… truly endless.

A whole week shut out from the forest. One week spent reading the basics of Armunale over and over, helping Ange with her magic training when I could, and doing farm work—like a dog waiting for its food, gnawing at my nerves day after day.

But that’s over. Yesterday. Today, I’m allowed back into the woods.

Ah, I can’t wait to see that machine again. Lucky it didn’t rain all week—so the cockpit’s been open, airing out properly.

I dragged the cleaning tools from the shed and left them by the front door.

Back inside, Mama was already setting out breakfast. Looks like fried eggs, bacon, and bread today.

"Mom, let me help."

"Goodness, now that's a surprise. Eld-chan helping out?"

"Can't wait to head out hunting. My arms are twitching."

"Such a stubborn little thing."

She smiled, shaking her head, and handed me a stack of plates to arrange.

While I was helping with breakfast, Dad came in, yawning wide, and sat down. For once, his usual sharp gaze was gone—just a regular old dad.

"Morning, Dad. What’s the plan for today?"

"Eld, go after the royal stag and the nut boar. Meat’s running low, so just get five of either, no need to be picky."

"Got it."

The royal stag’s a kind of deer that lives deep in the woods—got one horn like a unicorn. Mostly peaceful, but if it’s the one attacking you, it doesn’t hold back. Still, I could take it down with one good hit, so no worries.

Regular boars are omnivores, but the nut boar? That’s a herbivore—lives on nothing but acorns. Weird, right? For a pig, it can climb trees like a monkey. Small build, too, probably because it eats so many nuts—makes for tasty meat.

Five of either, all told, might take a bit of time—both together, even—but it’s doable. Easier than chasing those damn hummingbirds, that’s for sure.

“Got it.”

“Then let’s eat, shall we?”

Mom brings breakfast in, and I settle into my seat.

Within a few minutes, I’d finished breakfast and started getting ready to go out. My usual hatchet and game bag—though this time, the prey’s the prey, so the bag probably won’t be needed at all.

I’m off, then.

Be careful now.

Watch your step in the valley.

Bursting out of the house, I shove the dustpan and broom waiting by the door into my sack and run toward the woods.

I waved back at the villagers greeting me, cheerful as ever, and just as I reached the edge of the forest, I ran into Ange.

"Guess we're really diving into the woods this early, huh?"

Ange stood just before the woods, and when she spotted me, she put her hands on her hips with a look of disbelief, letting out a sigh.

"Sure. What’re you doin’ up so early, Ange?"

I was hoping you’d help with practice today, too. This was the only moment I thought I could actually say it.

Ah, I see. But sorry—I don’t think I’ll be back anytime soon today.

Could it be… something to do with Armunale?

The words slipped out of Ange’s mouth, and my heart jumped.

No way. Does Ange know Armunale’s there too?

No—Ange hasn’t even been into the woods yet, and I never told a soul. There’s no way she could know. Unless… the village elder’s family has known about Armunale there all along? Then it’d make sense why the elder wanted to become an Armunale rider. But then again, the elder’s family barely ever went hunting in the woods to begin with.

I was lost in my own thoughts, running through all kinds of guesses, when Ange let out another sigh.

“Guess I was right.”

“Why… why does Ange know about Armunale?”

“Just a hunch. I didn’t think it’d actually be true.”

“Gut feeling?”

“Come on, you’ve been glued to that book since last week. You’re not really all that into hunting, are you, Eld? You always looked like you’d rather be anywhere else when we’d head into the woods. But today—you’re practically buzzing.”

I instinctively pressed a hand to my eyelid. Always half-open, just like usual.

“Your eyelids are half-closed, but your eyes are shining. Kinda like how I looked the first time I used magic—maybe even more so.”

“Seriously? Yeah, maybe you’re onto something.”

Never thought my daily habits would give me away like this… Damn you, childhood friend, for being so sharp.

But it’s done. Can’t unsee it now.

“Alright, you’re mostly right. I found the broken Armunale when I fell into the valley. I’m excited—maybe it still works. That’s why I’m so fired up.”

That’s true… I kinda wanna take a peek myself.

Huh. Never thought Ange’d be interested in the Armunale. I’m glad, sure, but dragging her into the woods—especially down that valley—feels risky.

I’d keep her safe from wild beasts, I guess, but climbing down that ravine? Without a mobility spell, it’d be tough. And even if I managed, the village chief and my dad’d never let her go.

“Then you’ll just have to master that mobility spell you’re practicing. Once you can use it flawlessly, I’ll get the chief’s okay. Then I’ll take you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Fix it up by then, and we’ll ride together.”

“Okay!”

She nods with that bright little smile. Seeing it, I feel a warm little tug in my chest.

Guess I’d better tweak my magic practice schedule a bit from now on.

"Then I’ll practice by myself today."

"Count on it. Well, I’ll wrap up the hunt quick and be back."

"Good luck."

"Same to you."

I stepped back a little from Ange, activated Active Wing, and shot into the woods with the Aero Slasher.

Felt weirdly fast—like my senses had gone sluggish after not using the Aero Slasher in ages. Gotta clear that blank spot before the next hunt.

I kicked off from a branch, pushing straight toward the heart of the forest.

My hunt, when I really put my mind to it, ended by mid-morning, just like I expected.

The deer were few, true—but the boars, small as they were, were more common than I thought. Added one deer I stumbled on by chance. Five total. Took them all down before the sun was fully up.

All the kills, hauled to the village’s dismantling yard—today’s work is done.

The yard folks were surprised by how fast I moved, but I wasn’t in the mood to care. Dropped off the game quick, then leapt back into the woods.

Headed down toward the valley, hunting for Armunale.

I had a general idea of where it was, but zigzagging through the trees throws off your sense of direction. Next time, I’ll mark the path somehow.

Reached the valley entrance after about ten minutes, then used magic to drop down to the bottom.

Followed the river downstream and found the spot where Armunale sits. That’s about thirty minutes’ work. Surprisingly close.

“Been a week, huh!”

There it sat, just like last time—same old Armunale, unmoved, unbothered.

I slid my way with the aeroslaster all the way to the back of the neck, then looked inside.

Smell—seems okay. Air’s completely changed, no stink at all. Just leaves the rest to the priest.

Slid into the cockpit, gave the skeleton a light poke. Surprisingly solid—could lift it right up without a problem.

Would’ve been a real mess if it had crumbled apart. Grateful for the priest’s health, that’s for sure.

Carried each bone piece outside, swept up the tiny fragments left behind with a dustpan and broom.

Then bundled them in the cliff’s hollow, piled earth over them to make a grave.

No name on the grave marker—don’t know the pilot’s name. Just tied the ragged remains of their clothes to a scrap of wood. Guess that’ll have to do.

Folded my hands. Not proper Buddhist, but still… offered my prayers.

“You can have my machine. Don’t take it personally.”

Maybe that pilot wanted that thing as a grave marker. But I’ll ask you to bear with me.

I placed the wilted flower from the forest on the grave, then climbed back into Armunale’s cockpit.

The control sticks on either side, the foot pedals beneath my feet. Buttons on the seat, gauges and switches overhead—mostly the same shape as in the basic theory manual, though a few details differed. It was an old machine, decades old. I’d worried the specs might’ve changed too much—

“Then I can manage. Come on, work for me!”

Loosen the valve between the generator and the tank. Residual concentration of magical fluid—Hyimagia Liquid—is at sixty percent. No leaks, looks like. Probably destroyed right after combat began. Lucky for me. Wait—left arm’s missing, so I’d better shut off the energy supply valve there.

Flip the switch overhead to purge the left arm.

Ah, it’s frustrating how small my body is. Every time I need to do something, I have to stretch out just to reach.

“Then let’s go!”

Press the Armunale start button deep in. With a sharp *clack*, the button sinks all the way, and a low, humming vibration rises from beneath the seat. Gauges flicker to life, energy supply rate surging into the first stable range.

“Moved!”

The pilot’s monitor lights up, and the front hemisphere’s twenty-four panels shift to show the outside view. One corner on the left stays black—probably the external camera’s broken—but it’s fine, really.

But the Armunale won’t stand up like this. This is still just idling.

Normally, we’d push the generator harder now, raise the energy supply all the way to the second stable range—only then would the Armunale actually power up.

“Next, full startup.”

I press the foot pedal gently, feeding more output into the generator.

The meter creeps up—halfway to the second stable zone—when suddenly, a shrill, ear-piercing alarm blares through the cockpit.

“What the—? Enemy?”

I check the monitors—nothing looks out of place. Not even the usual circling hawk above us.

So what’s with this alarm?

I flood the screens with every bit of data I can think of, trying to find the source of the trouble.

Fuel’s fine. Generator’s running smooth. We made it to the first stable zone, so this is expected.

Then… is it the part we need for the second phase?

I switch the sub-monitor on my seat from fuel readout to damage report. There it is—Armunale, red from head to toe, missing its left arm.

“Damn it. That’s the cause.”

The left arm’s in purge mode, so it’s not showing up. But the leg joints and all the drive units—those are in bad shape.

Likely the impact from falling into the ravine shattered the gears and all the other bits. Took a hit that’s bad enough to lock it up completely—must’ve forced it back into idle mode.

Well, makes sense, really. A jolt that’d rip off an arm? No way the joints survived intact. If anything, it’s a miracle the fuel systems held up—those are built tough, but even they’re not supposed to come out unscathed.

“Gonna have to fix every joint, huh.”

No help for it. Still, gotta count it lucky the generator fired up at all. Now we know it can move. Just need to patch it up. I’ve got a little knowledge, and that’s enough.

Heavy stuff—no crane, no problem. Magic’ll handle it.

Parts? I’ll just use the left arm that came off. Same model, should be close enough.

Besides, if it’s just screws and gears, maybe I could get a merchant to handle it.

Guess I’ll have to start saving up a little more from now on. Thirty percent of the hunt’s earnings—no, twenty percent’ll do. That way, in a few years, I’ll have enough parts. If push comes to shove, I’ll ask Ange to help me make them myself—but that’s a last resort. Homemade parts from a novice? They’ll probably be crooked, and if they are, the whole machine’ll end up warped. That’d be the height of irony.

I press the start button again, shutting off the generator. Even though there’s still sixty percent fuel left, better to conserve it, given how often I’ll probably need to restart it.

Once I confirm the generator’s stopped, I close the valve between the tank and the generator, then step out of the pilot’s seat.

“Kuk, kuku-kuk-kuk…”

A smile spreads across my face—laughter wells up from deep inside, genuine and warm.

Found it. That’s what it means—why I was reborn into this world!

That’s right, I was born into this world just to pilot the Armunale!

Then let’s go all in, shall we? Fix it up, tinker with it, turn it into something only I can call mine!

“Get ready.”

I perch on its shoulder, gaze at the Armunale’s face—no light glowing in its eyes. And yet… it looked like it was waiting. Like it was counting on me.