# Day After Ear (3)
—
Whirrrr!!
The propeller noise was incredibly loud compared to when it was heard from afar. It seemed even louder than modern helicopters?
Roxanna, who was in the front seat, handed me something like earplugs and said something.
Though I couldn’t hear her clearly, by her lip movements, it seemed she was saying, “Use this.”
With the earplugs on, the propeller noise surprisingly decreased, and I could hear Roxanna’s clear voice.
“Now you can hear me, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“It’s really amazing. We used hand signals and flags among ourselves…”
That’s true.
While the airship doesn’t have the propeller noise, the distance between the bodies was so vast that we needed signalmen to communicate.
Of course, there were also magic engineering communication devices that we had used before, but…
They were unnecessarily expensive. With a repeater, the range could extend quite far, enough to communicate from Hill 921 to the Azoff coast during the Quernen War.
“This only has a range of about 3 km. It can’t contact the ground, only for squad and gunner, assistant gunner communications.”
Roxanna enthusiastically explained about the new equipment related to aviation.
“But haven’t you flown this aircraft before, Roxanna?”
“This is my second time. Including the prototype, it’s the fourth time.”
“How did you…?”
“Didn’t Captain Lumina or Chief of Staff Claude tell you?”
“…I guess they didn’t think it was necessary for me to know.”
I couldn’t just spend the whole day stamping documents, so I gave some autonomy to Lumina and the staff.
It seems there were several more flights in between.
Thinking back, there might have been an observation request before… Maybe I refused because I thought it was Diabolus’s flight.
‘It was a combat aircraft. I didn’t know.’
I am indeed too busy.
It’s been a long time since I took proper rest.
Every day, I was so busy that I would collapse into sleep and wake up early to handle my schedule.
“I need to adjust my workload. Maybe reorganize the department.”
“The aviation side is taken care of by us. But Major is unusually busy, hahaha…”
“So, recently, with the establishment of new doctrines in armor, my mind is all over the place.”
Roxanna smiled bitterly, and I couldn’t help but do the same.
“Still! While flying, you’re free. Relax without any worries!”
“Of course. Captain Roxanna’s excellent piloting skills are known throughout Okhraine, aren’t they?”
“Huh…!? Ah, ah… um, yes.”
“?? Why are you so surprised?”
“Oh, no! I’m just grateful you see me positively.”
Roxanna waved her hand and turned her head. I peeked and checked the instrument panel.
Sure enough, due to the extremely early model and the unique ‘magic’ system, the Manfred Combat Aircraft’s instrument panel was quite simple.
There was one section displaying external information including altitude.
One section showing the fuel level of the combat aircraft and the status of the auxiliary magic engine.
And finally, the control stick. That was the entirety of the instrument panel.
The rear seat, as Major Erich said, only contained an emergency escape device.
Other than that, it was just a Gebiar machine g*n mount and the 7.52mm ammunition in the magazine.
It was simple enough that someone who learned how to operate the equipment could use it.
“But is this also purchased from Okhraine?”
“Yes, we’ve already signed a contract for 30 units.”
“Hmm…”
I started to worry about the national finances.
Of course, despite the considerable exports of our 57mm Grizzly howitzer and defensive barbed wire, which were completed by our outstanding Research and Development Department and approved as national projects.
The cost of the combat aircraft can’t be compared to the barbed wire and howitzers…
‘That’s the job of the Ministry of Finance.’
As in the previous world, I wasn’t particularly good at mathematics.
I immediately felt a headache coming on and shook my head to clear it.
“Three minutes until squadron departure!”
“Check your safety gear? We’ll depart soon!”
Just as the order to deploy the Manfred training squadron, including Roxanna, came through.
I tightly adjusted the seatbelt and checked the footrest, then tapped Roxanna’s shoulder and said,
“No problems.”
Roxanna also checked her safety gear and raised her thumb.
‘Really looks like a real pilot.’
Even the pink-haired mage had grown so much. Thinking about her work in the Third Mage Battalion made me wonder if it was even the same person.
For a moment, I was caught up in nostalgia.
“Squad, depart!”
Whoosh!
With the blast of the bugle signaling the start of the training, the single-winged red-bodied aircraft began to accelerate on either side.
Whirring.
Roxanna poured her magic into the engine, expertly starting it.
“Departing!”
Rumbling, rattling─!
Whoosh!
They ascended toward the high sky.
*
—
Facing the sky isn’t new. I’ve ridden transport planes or helicopters countless times.
Even after falling into Haowazhe, I became part of the Paratrooper Mage Battalion and was the first to use an airship for military purposes.
But controlling an airplane was a first.
Actually, I was just sitting in the back seat, but being the co-pilot makes me a pilot, strictly speaking.
A sea-like expanse of sky.
Hair fluttering endlessly, and perfectly clear air.
The sensation of sunlight directly touching the skin was truly refreshing.
Different from riding an airship.
“Major! How is it?!”
“It’s… beautiful. Were you enjoying this scenery alone, Roxanna?”
“Hehe, I knew you’d like it!”
Roxanna nodded towards another aircraft flying parallel as she spoke.
The body of the other aircrafts tilted and quickly descended out of sight.
This training flight tested not only formation flying but also individual flying abilities, requiring them to disperse at various altitudes and regroup.
“I’ll go inside the clouds! This is one of the test items.”
“Go ahead.”
But after a few minutes inside the white clouds, I felt something ominous. Why does my b*tt feel like it’s floating?
“Roxanna, are we going straight now?”
“Yes!”
“It feels like the angle is tilted…”
“The parallel lines are fine?”
Inside the cloud, I couldn’t identify the situation with my eyes. However, the chilling feeling that crept up my spine. I kept checking the instrument panel and asked Roxanna.
“What’s the altitude?”
“2800, stable.”
“…Something’s wrong. Can you try turning the nose down?”
“Just a moment.”
When Roxanna was about to turn the handle downward.
Bang!
Trrrrrr!!
With a strange sound, the propeller stopped rotating. The aircraft started tilting sharply.
“Why, why is this happening?!”
Roxanna’s calm voice was now filled with panic.
“Cosine Zero Three, currently awaiting response!”
Desperately calling the surrounding aircraft, but the radio was silent.
Roxanna tried restarting the engine, turning the handle, and using her magic to maintain lift, but the magic engine was completely dead.
The sensation of falling rushed through my body.
“Major Anok! Use the emergency escape device!”
“Just a moment, please wait!”
The aircraft was falling almost vertically, the opposite of when we ascended. I turned my head quickly to secure a view.
Activating the escape device from an awkward position could be dangerous.
Especially in the north. How could we know if we were in the middle of the Calpas Mountains?
Without any equipment, getting stranded in the snow mountains would be disastrous.
“Roxanna! Try to slow down somehow, pull the handle to maximize air resistance!!”
“Ghh…!!”
Roxanna pulled the handle with all her strength. When I glanced sideways, the parallel lines were still intact.
It seemed the entire instrument panel was malfunctioning.
Even if we regained lift, normal operation was impossible. We had to make an emergency landing.
“Altitude 2100! We’ll exit the clouds soon!”
“Prepare for emergency landing!!”
“1800!!”
Emerging from the clouds where we couldn’t see anything,
In front of us was a village.
“Ah─!!”
“Turn the nose! There, there! Into that lake!!”
My scream was swallowed. I gasped for breath. I grabbed Roxanna’s shoulder tightly and braced myself against the accelerating force.
The aircraft skimmed past the village and turned.
Before I could exhale in relief,
“Collision!! Collision!!”
“Ghh…!!”
We were sucked into the lake.
