Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Hao Ren had no idea what the exact content of the conversation between Marcus and Veronica was, but he was sure that they would talk about the ancient guardian’s background. It had nothing to do with conspiracy, but about situational alertness and thoroughness, which anyone in their positions would have.
The sudden appearance of the ancient guardian and his misfits as well as the world surrounding him had aroused suspicion. Even though the princess believed him initially, she was not a three-year-old; she was doubtful. But Hao Ren could not care less.
When Hao Ren discovered what type of enemy the mortal race in this world was facing, he knew that Veronica would treat himself as her own. In the face of the Chaos, all people of the World of Order were natural allies.
Not to mention that he carried more than 20 kg of sacred objects.
The team rested for a night in Fort West. At the border of Chaos, there was no distinction of day and night, but the people still needed to keep a routine. So they used a mechanical clock to demarcate the day and the night in the fortress. In the morning, Hao Ren saw Veronica and Sir Morian again. Veronica had changed her clothes. To fix her broken and blood-stained armor was not an easy feat. And since there was no armor in the fort that fit her body size, the princess dressed in a white warrior robe. Sir Morian had changed into a casual dress, combed hair, shaved, and looked neat. A sword was hanging from his waist, and he looked as if an old nobleman going for hunting.
Even with a night of short rest, they all have recovered their energy.
“We set off for the Royal City today,” Veronica said to Hao Ren. “Your Venerable Guardian, although I said it yesterday, please allow me to extend my official invitation to you again: I would like to invite you to go to Taros’ Royal City, White City. You will see my father there.”
“I was thinking the same thing.” Hao Ren smiled and nodded. “After I got your Royal Capital, I will need your help on many things.”
The team gathered in the square behind the fort. General Marcus appeared with a group of elite soldiers. Bowing slightly as a sign of respect, Marcus said to Veronica, “Your Royal Highness, the road to the Royal Capital is full of danger. So I have arranged three airships for you. It is faster than the horse.”
Veronica did not decline. Meanwhile, three small dots in the sky had caught Hao Ren’s attention.
He saw three aircraft-like things that came out from behind the spires at the top of the fort, and then slowly descended toward his direction. Soon the three objects came into view. They were indeed aircraft, which seemed to be transformed from watercraft. With sleek hull spliced with metal and wood, the aircraft had pairs of paddle-like but more full white plates hanging from the sides of the ship, almost like wings. At the rear end of the boat was some propulsion system that spurted with blue light.
The three ‘ships’ had a magical rune on their surface, which clearly showed the type of power source.
This thing was the airship that Marcus said. Humans in Collow had aircraft!
Hao Ren was stunned. He had to adjust his evaluation of his rating of this civilization. This job had almost become second nature to him.
“Your Venerable Guardian,” Veronica saw Hao Ren’s reaction and could not help but ask, “haven’t you ever seen airships?”
Hao Ren came out from his thought and quickly gave a perfunctory reply. “Oh, I know. But I’ve seen before was bigger than this.”
He was not lying. The three airships were dozens of meters long at most while small spacecraft like the Nolan was at least ten times bigger. But in the ears of Veronica, this seemed to exude another meaning: Her Royal Highness had thought of the lost ancient knowledge.
“That’s great. With these things, we could reach the Royal Capital in no time,” Hao Ren said. He had noticed the awkward atmosphere and quickly steered away from the conversation. “Do they have self-defense firepower?” he asked.
“Airships are also warships. They cannot be compared with the magic-powered warships, but they are faster and more agile, which is very suitable for you,” Marcus said. “Beyond the chaotic border, the sky is as dangerous as the earth. But in the Kingdom of Order, the sky is at least safer than land. So you should not worry about the journey. I also brought my most elite Galeknights, who are good at air combat and escort missions. These warriors will escort you to return to the Royal Capital all the way.”
“General, you don’t have to do this.” Veronica immediately declined to accept the escort. “The war in the west is critical; you can’t afford to divert more manpower away.”
“As big as the western front, there is no shortage of a small team of knights.” Marcus smiled. “But if they could escort your back to the Royal Capital safely, you would be able to send me more than a few reinforcements.”
Since the general insisted, Veronica had nothing more to say.
The soldiers were well-trained, and the airships were also ready to take off. The general of Fort West did not like pleasantry, so Hao Ren and Veronica boarded one of the airships.
As the magic furnace of the airship made a low humming sound, the floating runes and the royal wind-surfing runes began to glow. Hao Ren felt a moment of vibration came under his feet, and the unique Collow Indigenous Aircraft lifted off. Everything in his vision began to sink below.
General Marcus stood on the ground and waved at their rising airship. Hao Ren poked his head out and glanced down, waving back. He then said to Veronica, “General Marcus is tall. He is… What’s wrong?”
He was surprised to see that Princess Veronica was freaking out. Standing away from the side of the airship with her sword planted on the floor, she tried to remain calm and look as usual. But her stiff expression and the drifting gaze had sold her out.
She was afraid of heights.
“Veronica?” Hao Ren was a little dumbstruck and couldn’t help but ask, “You’re afraid of heights?”
Veronica stiffened involuntarily and then continued to put up a serious, brave face. Every word she uttered seemed to be squeezed out of her throat. “I-am-of-course-not-afraid-of-heights.”
“Then you…”
“I am seasick.”
Hao Ren was stupefied.
But he felt that the princess suddenly became more approachable.
It seemed that Veronica’s condition was more than what seasickness could explain. Hao Ren had guessed that the princess also had altitude sickness. The aircraft of Collow was terrific, but it was not that good concerning comfort and other details. The giant airship was mainly a large wooden ship lifted off in the sky by floating magic. It lacked the sealing technology and pressurized fuselage. People who were not adapted to this environment would easily feel sick. It was just that Hao Ren did not expect the might princess had such a weakness.
After stubbornly staying on the deck for a while, Veronica finally bowed to the power of nature and was escorted back to her room by several close knights.
The three airships climbed to a sufficient height and flew across the sky in an arc, bypassing the mountain peaks around Fort West and headed straight to the Royal Capital.
Hao Ren was feeling great. He stood with Sir Morian on the bows and looked at the horizon in the distance and the movements in the clouds.
The other two airships escorted them on both sides at only a few hundred meters away. When they rose to a certain altitude, the two escort airships would disappear into the clouds and reappear again.
It was a scene of fantasy.
“General Marcus is a descendant of the Iceborn giants.” Morian suddenly said. Seeing the perplexed look on Hao Ren’s face, Marian smiled and explained, “Answering your question earlier.”
“Iceborn Giant?” Hao Ren repeated. It was an unfamiliar name.
“Their hometown is the Kingdom of Fimbulvinter, a place of glaciers and frozen soils. During the tide of Chaos three centuries ago, their kingdom was destroyed. Later, the remaining Iceborn giants joined the country of Frost Witch and Ice Dragon. According to the ancient covenant signed by the ancestors of the various races on the frozen soil, a quarter of the Iceborn giants who lost their motherland had gone to the kingdoms on other continents, at the expense of lifelong loyalty in exchange for the assistance to revive their kingdom in the future. General Marcus was one of the descendants of the Iceborn giant. He has guarded our country for one hundred and twenty-seven years. Fort West has never fallen in his hands.”
The old knight continued. “He is plain-spoken but also overly direct, and his relationship with the Royal Family has always been cold, but is highly respected among the traditional soldiers.”
Hao Ren nodded. He had no intention to be close to the Taros aristocratic class, but he still silently recorded this useful information.
Looking up, he gazed at the gloomy sky in the distance.
The airships had passed the western mountains. On the Order-side of the barrier, the power of Chaos and darkness had weakened rapidly.
The dark masses in the sky gradually turned into natural clouds. White clouds began to appear, and a light was shining through the thinnest clouds and sprinkling down the land below.
The three airships had crossed the last dividing line, and the surroundings instantly brightened up.
Hao Ren had to squint his eyes. Looking at the warm glow on the horizon in an instant, and he looked at the hot light of the sky, his heart began to beat faster.
He saw the sun of Collow.
There was still a star shining in this world.
