We landed a bit away from Rose Barony not to alert them about our arrival. The last thing I wanted was to be called suspicious by other people as Jane, the maid, was still with Sandra with the horse. Of course, they didn't bring the carriage, as I had already put it in my inventory.
The magic carpet too. Once we jumped off of it, I put it inside my inventory for safekeeping.
"W-We are safe! It's land!"
Eliza smiled widely as she jumped around like a little kid. She was spinning with her arms spread wide, causing her skirt to flutter and exposing her panties.
However, she didn't seem to realize that as she went and hugged the trunk of a tree near us.
"A tree! I am truly on land!"
Somehow, her personality seemed to change a lot due to her fear, regressing her to be like a little child. I got to admit that she was kind of cute, but I preferred her normal personality better.
"Eliza, come back to earth. I don't want your parents to see you getting crazy like this." I called out to her and pulled her away from the tree.
"N-No! I don't want to part with Mr. Tree! You will bring me up in the sky again!"
"I won't. We will walk to your home now."
"Really? Promise me."
"Yeah. I promise we will walk this time."
How bad was her fear with the height that she let out a long sigh of relief only after I promised her? I should probably fix it in the near future. That would be detrimental for a mage focused on <Wind Magic> like her, as she would need to fly around to take advantage of her enemies.
That was the advantage of being a mage specialized in <Wind Magic>. But if she was afraid of heights, that advantage would become obsolete and meaningless.
I would remember to ask Emilia to train her about that. For now, we began walking through the grass plain toward the small city, Rose Barony, in the distance.
Eliza had reverted to her default personality, the tsundere one as she walked a bit away from me. Meanwhile, Emilia held my left arm and buried it between her breasts.
It would be bad if the citizens watched us, as I was her student and a Paladin to boot. When I told her that, her response was this.
"I will let your hand go when the guard spots us."
I shrugged my shoulders in response. I got to enjoy her soft melons, which was great too, so I didn't complain. Emilia wasn't stupid enough to destroy my reputation either, so I believed her that she would do what she said when we got close to the city.
Eliza's eyes kept darting between the road and me, especially my arm that was between Emilia's breasts, all the time. She looked nervous and, at one point, tried to hold my other arm but chose not to. She hesitated and then let out a long sigh.
I noticed that and so was Emilia, as she giggled playfully.
"She's kind of cute, holding herself like that." She whispered.
"I know. That's why I like her." I replied and smiled, glancing at Eliza, who crossed her arms under her chest, causing her breasts to bounce slightly.
When we got closer to the city, Emilia released my arm as promised. The warmth was gone, and my arm felt slightly lonely. I still had a reputation to uphold, so I would wait.
And I also had a target in this city. It would be bad if she took me as a playboy, not that I would mind being called that. I had many girls sleeping with me already, so I was already in the range of a playboy. I might even be worse than that, but I wouldn't admit it myself.
The guard around the wooden gate noticed us and shouted something while pointing at Eliza. Looking at the smile on their face, I guessed they recognized the daughter of their lord. They began to run around, opening the gate for us.
While walking toward the gate at a walking pace, I turned to Eliza.
"How do you feel, Eliza? It's been a long time since you've returned, no?"
"Aren't you too? We left together 3 months ago." Eliza replied with a soft smile. Somehow, she looked a bit out of it earlier. Her head was hung down low as she continued.
"To be honest, I don't know how to face my parents. I know you have fixed the engagement problem by taking care of Duke Bluerose, but…"
"You're worried they don't believe us?" I finished the sentence for her, and she nodded firmly.
"I also don't know how to face them, knowing my father wanted to send me to the Duke or to the Sin Kingdom if we found no solution. I… I don't know how to react, Arthur. I don't know what to do if it's not for you."
She raised her face, looking at me with a beautiful smile.
"So thank you. And… if possible, please accompany me to meet them. I want to be a bit selfish this time, can I?"
'Selfish, huh?'
Being selfish was not a problem. Rather, I wanted my girls to be selfish, have their own personalities, and not be dependent on me.
And being selfish as a tsundere was a big step for her, to be honest. That, in itself, was a personal growth that one could be proud of. Although I knew I was the one who was kind of forcing her to grow from this experience, I was glad she told me about it.
"Go ahead and be selfish," I answered her with a soft smile. "And I will help you and accompany you anywhere. I already told you about it, no? Besides, I am your childhood friend, so it's natural for me to help you and like you."
"Yeah… Yeah! Un, you're right. D-Don't be mistaken about what happened when I said 'I love you,' got it?! I also meant that as a childhood friend! And we also helped each other, s-so last night because I was your childhood friend. Hmm, that's right!"
Eliza spoke in a fast tone as her face reddened and her index finger pointed at me—a typical tsundere move, just like the usual.
"Yeah, I understand." I nodded at her and turned back to the gate. The guards smiled when they saw Eliza and shouted to greet her. "I guess you're really home, huh?" I muttered with a long gaze.
Home. One word that I failed to gain even after all my efforts to return. I knew I would eventually be returned to my home when I died in this world, but…
'How long would that be?'
Killing myself was something I'd rather not have done. And with the happiness I felt, maybe it would take a long time before I would return to my real 'home.'
'I will just enjoy myself in this world first, resting from my long 5-year battle.'
Only when I was satisfied and did everything on my bucket list would I return to my real home.
"What are you saying, Arthur?"
Eliza's voice pulled me from my deep thoughts. I looked at her, and she looked rather offended.
"It's our home, not my home. You also came from this city, remember?" She continued, bloating her cheek in a pout.
I chuckled at her sight. True, Arthur was from here, Rose Barony. While I had no memories of it, this body's home was this city.
"You're right." I stretched my hand toward Eliza's head and ruffled her hair. She tried to stop me but to no avail. I grinned at her and pulled my hand when her hair was already in shambles. "We're home."
I realized this world and this city wasn't half-bad to be called a second home. And there was a milf here that I could get to become my mom as well as my woman. Truly perfect.
