Got Engaged to the Man They Call Ugly - Chapter 9
Her eyes sparkled.
It was fascinating how these strangely scribbled letters she’d never seen before were being etched directly into her mind, readable as clearly as if she’d known them forever.
“Reading and writing letters are also part of wisdom.”
Noticing her gaping blankly into empty air, Nerva spoke with a gentle smile.
“Through Monetta’s counsel embedded in the ‘Crown of Wisdom,’ you shall glimpse the knowledge I’ve gathered over my lifetime. Yet, wisdom, no matter how vast, is meaningless unless one uses it properly and at the right moment.”
…Hmm. In other words, it meant she had to get good at searching.
Just like how, even when connected to the same internet, some people find exactly what they’re looking for immediately by using precise keywords, while others either take forever or fail to find the information altogether.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, I think I see what you mean.”
Interpreting things entirely in her own way, she nodded. She was just applying human logic to divine methods.
“You truly are a clever child.”
But Nerva seemed pleased with her response anyway.
Deep dimples appeared in her chiseled cheeks.
“Now, it’s time for me to fulfill my second promise.”
With a smile, the Goddess of Wisdom struck her spear firmly onto the floor.
Thud!
With a heavy sound, space itself split open.
Literally like curtains being pulled aside, a large carriage descended through the gap that appeared.
“Get on.”
When she merely blinked, unable to believe what she was seeing, Nerva kindly reached out her hand.
After hesitating a moment, she took Nerva’s hand and barely managed to climb over the high step onto the carriage.
Decorated with snakes and owls, it looked more like a chariot than an ordinary carriage.
Even the creature pulling it wasn’t a horse, it was something she’d never seen before.
With fierce golden eyes, large folded wings at its sides, and sharp front talons, it looked like a giant bird at first glance. But its elongated lower body and tail clearly belonged to a beast.
“Despite its appearance, it’s a gentle creature. It won’t harm you, so rest assured.”
…Is that an eagle or a lion?
Seeing her frown, and frightened expression, Nerva spoke gently.
“All gods have their own symbolic bird.”
Come to think of it, she had seen peacocks and swans pulling the two carriages flying away earlier.
【Griffin. Nerva’s sacred beast. Its sharp talons symbolize invincibility, and golden eyes signify the wisdom overlooking all things.】
But there was only one griffin.
Could one griffin really pull a chariot this huge? There were two people riding, and the chariot itself seemed quite heavy.
However, her doubts vanished the moment the chariot started moving.
As soon as the griffin spread its enormous wings, which were large enough to completely cover the chariot, and began racing forward, it became clear.
Its overwhelming size and speed suggested that if there had been more than one griffin, their wings would’ve collided, making it impossible to properly pull the chariot.
Moreover, Nerva’s chariot was completely open on all sides.
Though there was a roof, there were no windows, so even a slight turn of her head brought leaves brushing against her cheeks.
“U-um, e-excuse me, Lady Nerva…”
She couldn’t find the words to bring herself to express how scared she was.
How could she, with Nerva controlling the chariot, eyes unblinking against the fierce wind?
“What is it?”
“…Oh, nothing. Your chariot is really fast and impressive…”
She simply shut her eyes tightly.
Every time her body tilted slightly, she had to desperately grip the handle in front of her as if her life depended on it.
Fortunately, some kind of magic seemed to stabilize the ride shortly after. The wind still felt sharp as blades, but gradually dulled to something bearable.
It felt somewhat like riding an amusement park attraction, although having no safety bar was quite a big difference.
‘It’s actually not as bad as I thought, right?’
Gathering courage after a while, she opened one eye slightly.
Fog drifted around her ankles.
Mist? Were they passing by a lake?
Curiously, she opened her eyes wider and looked down.
“…Ah.”
She quickly realized it wasn’t mist. There were clouds.
Because far below, she could see distant mountains and rivers.
…Oh, God help me.
To hide her faint-hearted expression, she quickly ducked her head again.
* * *
Suddenly, the chariot came to a halt.
Yet her body still felt like it was soaring through the sky.
Everything in front of her spun in dizzy circles.
“Elinne, are you alright?”
“…Yes, yes, I’m fine.”
She felt ready to vomit but struggled to answer calmly. She didn’t want to disappoint her.
“You’re the first mortal ever to ride my chariot.”
“O-oh, I see.”
Was that perhaps because no one had ever survived the ride?
