Small Mouse Flying In The SkyNow its my turn to help!

* * *

Arc 20 begins.

Whir, whir, whir

The northern Eserem Sea of Fog, exactly midway between the fourth residential plateau, Farm Four, and the fifth residential plateau, Mine.

Flying through this route, which is not normally used for airships, with the light sound of propellers, is a dilapidated small cargo ship.

This small airship, roughly conical in shape, with two large antennae on its nose, is advancing under the blue sky, half-submerged in the fog.

Because of its shape, its unpainted, iron-colored exterior, its small size compared to ordinary airships, and the race and age of its pilot, this ship is jokingly called

The Small Mouse.

* * *

This day has finally come

Inside the Small Mouse.

A young boy, gripping the steering wheel with a tense expression, muttered, as if to no one.

This boy is wearing a light brown pilot cap and goggles, and a light brown pilot jacket.

His hair is gray and his most distinctive feature is his round mouse ears, sticking out from the holes he made in his pilot cap.

Yes this boy is a beastman.

To be more precise, hes of the Mice Tribe.

The Mice Tribe is further divided into countless clans but this boys origins are unclear.

Since Eserem isnt a region where many of the Mice Tribe live, there are no experts, and on top of that, his parents have already passed away, so theres no one to ask.

If youre going to turn back, nows the time, Takataka.

Hearing Takataka the boys muttering a small, elderly man, who was observing the instruments with his arms crossed, spoke.

Hes the guardian of the Mice beastman, Takataka, and the captain of this Small Mouse.

He used to be an airship mechanic in the Sky Kingdoms Air Force, and his name is, fittingly, Gishi.

Hes a sharp-eyed man with a thick white beard reaching his navel, a pointed nose and ears, and green skin.

But even his mean-looking face is now twisted with worry.

GAHAHAHAHA! Dont worry, brat and geezer! This great me is your bodyguard!

On the other hand, laughing loudly and cheerfully, is a giant man, sitting awkwardly in the cargo hold, where vegetables produced in the residential plateau would normally be loaded with his body folded uncomfortably.

Even though its quite cold inside the ship because theyre flying in the sky, this man is bare-chested, showing off his muscular body.

His skin is red, and his short-cropped hair is white.

Two horns are growing from his forehead.

Yuuhi! Youre just spouting nonsense again!

Nonsense? Im strong! Thats an undeniable fact! GAHAHAHAHA!

Gishi glared at the giant man, Yuuhi, who was laughing heartily, and rebuked his irresponsible remarks.

Yuuhi, on the other hand, is unfazed.

Its their usual quarrel.

Haha.

Seeing their quarrel, the tension in Takatakas expression seems to have eased a bit.

Takataka smiled slightly, and then turned to Gishi, sitting beside him.

Gramps, Im not turning back. Ive already decided.

And he looked at him with a strong gaze.

!!

Gishi was speechless, looking at Takatakas face.

Because that face

Those eyes, filled with strong determination

Looked exactly like his father who was once called a legendary airship pilot.

Air is my friend. Air saved me. So so

Takataka, quietly speaking, turned his gaze back to the front.

And what he saw was a giant floating object in the distance.

Now its my turn to save Air! Ill never let her be a sacrifice!

Floating above the sea of fog is the place where Takatakas precious friend, Air, is being held captive

The Sky Kingdom of Neverfall.

Hey, Ijokis-san. You know the way to Airs room, right?

Of course, leave it to me.

Takataka then spoke to a woman in a maids outfit, Ijokis, who was sitting in the cargo hold with Yuuhi.

Shes Airs personal maid, and she escaped from Neverfalls royal palace to the residential plateau where Takataka and the others live, with Air.

That was the beginning of the story.

Then, were good! Well sneak in, taking advantage of the commotion caused by the anti-Prime Minister faction Sneaking in is our specialty. After all, Im the Small Mouse.

Huh? Brat, didnt you hate being called Small Mouse? You were a Wolf, werent youuu?

Yuuhi grinned and said that to Takataka, teasingly.

But Takataka calmly shook his head, and clearly

In a confident voice

Im fine with being the Small Mouse. There are things that only the Small Mouse can do!

He declared that!

Heh!

Yuuhi laughed happily, hearing those words, and Gishi silently wiped away his tears.

Even Ijokis, with her poker face, had a slight smile on her lips.

Atta boy!

Youve grown, Takataka!

Well definitely rescue the princess!

Nui, Lusa, and Litto also cheered, laughing happily.

A-Anyway!

Perhaps embarrassed by the warm atmosphere inside the ship, Takataka, blushing, took control of the situation and began reconfirming the itinerary for the rest of the trip.

Well make a detour, and then land at Neverfalls third landing platform, blending in with the other cargo ships! Gishi-jichan, youll stay on the ship! Everyone else will go rescue Air, following Ijokis-sans lead! Any objections!?

No objections!

Then lets do this Ill be praying for your success!

Leave it to us, Captaaaain!!

Im the captain, you idiots!

Takataka, turning his back on the lively and noisy crew, gripped the steering wheel tightly and glared ahead.

The giant figure of Neverfall, floating above the Eserem Sea of Fog, standing the test of time since ancient times, was gradually approaching.

Gulp.

Takataka involuntarily gulped.

But its majestic appearance couldnt break his burning spirit.

Hell definitely rescue Air.

With that single thought in mind, Takataka continued to move forward.

What kind of ending awaits their challenge?

Of course, they dont know what the future holds.

But even so, theres no one in this Small Mouse who wants to run away!

* * *

Now then

Of course, they dont know what the future holds.

I mentioned that earlier, but

Theres something else they dont know.

And that is

That at this moment, clinging to the bottom of the Small Mouse!

Like a wharf roach, clinging flat!

Is a black-haired, black-eyed girl Emi Rune!

Airships!

A Sky Kingdom!

And another race (in humanoid form)!

No doubt about itthis is fantasy!