Terror in the Skies
Whenever I board an airship or any vehicle, something always happens. Is it because this is a magical world?
The airship I saw upon entering the airport was enormous.
It was three or four times larger than the biggest planes from my previous life—truly mind-blowing.
I wondered if something that size could even be built with science alone.
While gawking at the massive airship, I handed two tickets to a man who looked like a flight attendant.
"Confirmed. Mr. Abel and Ms. Mist, please take seats E-13 and E-14. Thank you."
Following the attendant's guidance, I boarded the airship, sat in my assigned seat, and lit up a cigar.
In my previous life, smoking inside a plane would be forbidden, but this world had no such rules—which was the one thing I actually liked about it.
Having brazenly achieved the feat of in-flight smoking, I leisurely waited for takeoff.
Chiiiieeeek.
After some time, with the distinctive hiss of steam venting, the airship began to rise vertically and soon took to the skies properly.
Once it reached an altitude where the buildings on the ground looked like miniature toys, an announcement came over the speakers inside the airship.
Announcement: We promise a safe journey to all passengers aboard this flight. Destination: the village of Elea near the Imperial Capital.
"Elea?"
"What's that? Isn't this a direct flight to the capital?"
Nobles and wealthy merchants muttered to themselves upon hearing the announcement.
The next broadcast amplified their doubts even further.
Once again, the destination of this flight is the village of Cromiel near the Imperial Capital.
The destination had changed again.
Once could be a mistake.
Humans err, after all. But hearing yet another announcement, people's anxiety began to accelerate.
"Is something happening?"
"Hey, go ask the attendant what's going on. That's an order."
Jijijijik.
As if sensing the growing unease, another announcement crackled over the speakers.
But this one wasn't the smooth voice from before—it was filled with unpleasant noise.
Jijijiji... Announcement... this... desti... destination is !@#!@. @@$%.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The end of the garbled announcement trailed off into a mechanical, repetitive drone.
Hearing it, everyone froze involuntarily.
They'd thought it was just a glitch or operator error at first, but no one could deny this was something more serious.
The silence shattered as people began ordering their servants to investigate.
Everyone in first class was either a noble or a tycoon, so surprisingly, no one panicked outright.
"Shall I look into it?"
As I watched them, Mist, seated beside me, spoke up in her usual expressionless tone.
I chuckled lightly at her unchanging face and waved her off.
"Nah, it's fine. I'll handle it."
Fuuu.
With those words, the smoke I exhaled began to move.
The smoke, spreading slowly along the floor, slipped out of the first-class section and infiltrated every corner of the airship.
Business class, economy—scanning the seats revealed a spectacle.
Trembling passengers gripped by fear, parents with children screaming to be let off right now.
Fear and madness are contagious, as they say.
I knew rationally that panicking like that wouldn't help, but expecting people to stay cool forever was unrealistic.
Where is it?
Scanning the seats turned up nothing suspicious—no standout objects or people.
"What happened?"
"We'll check shortly. We're contacting the cockpit and broadcast room. Please wait just a moment..."
"No way! How can we wait after hearing that broadcast?!"
Using the shouting in first class as background noise, I began compiling intel from my dispersed smoke.
The captain... yeah, no issues there. He looks clueless too. Same with the co-pilot.
At least it wasn't the worst-case scenario of the cockpit being seized.
Given the airship's massive size, it had dedicated rooms like a galley and broadcast booth.
Oh, bingo.
In front of the broadcast room door, attendants were desperately trying to force it open.
It was locked, so they were slamming into it with their bodies.
Slipping past them, the scene inside was a sight to behold.
Blood.
The broadcast attendants, all slaughtered. And men in red uniforms standing in formation.
"Ha..."
Recognizing them instantly, I sighed despite myself.
Kwang!
It's open! What the...?
Congratulations, gentlemen.
They were a breed entirely different from underworld syndicates.
Like how mafia and indiscriminate terrorists aren't the same thing.
Yeah, that makes it clear.
In this world of empires and kingdoms, a group disillusioned with it all, fallen into socialist ideals.
But those ideals stagnated, twisting into madness.
And farewell.
Nazis.
The most fitting description for them right now.
"Those guys won't listen to reason."
I muttered upon seeing the broadcast room situation.
They were steeped in Nazism.
Though the roots differed slightly from what I knew, their ideology was eerily similar.
Kikikikigik.
Just as I sighed, another grating noise heralded a new announcement.
Not just here—everyone in every seat and among the crew focused on it involuntarily.
It wasn't the mechanical drone from before—it was a human voice.
But that human voice only heightened the ominous dread.
Probably to induce panic.
In reality, they'd only seized the broadcast room, but the psychological pressure...
Classic tactic—spreading false info on purpose.
Oh, quick work. They've taken the engine room.
A sniffling voice, as if truly regretful.
The nobles and merchants around me flushed red hearing it.
As if aware of the first-class stir, the voice halted their actions.
The broadcast ended there.
I stood up immediately and headed out of first class, with Mist following a step behind.
"Wait a moment!"
As I approached the door to leave first class, an attendant blocked it with his body.
"You can't! If you go out now—!"
His pupils trembled with fear, breath ragged—a clear pre-panic state.
"Didn't you hear them?! Red Dawn Society! Those lunatics never bluff! Please return to your seat!"
"..."
"I beg you!"
I stared silently at the attendant, then glanced back at Mist following me.
By now, every noble and merchant was watching me.
"Can I say it?"
"Yes. From the moment you entered the duke's family, you may use that name freely."
"Du... duke's family?"
The attendant's face drained of color upon overhearing us.
Even on a flight full of nobles, the weight of "duke" was no small thing.
"Nebla."
"Pardon?"
"We're from the Nebla Duke Family. Here's our proof."
Nebla Duke Family.
The true kings of the imperial south.
But they had an even more infamous title.
King of the Underworld.
"We'll handle this. Sound good?"
The attendant nodded instinctively at my calm words.
Thanks to my ability, I'd long since grasped the full situation on the airship.
So I headed straight for the engine room, ground zero for the Red Dawn Society.
"Tch, defying my control."
The engine room was a slaughterhouse—piles of attendant corpses like mountains.
Blood reeked heavily in the air.
Red Dawn Society members held revolvers to the captain and co-pilot's heads.
"Didn't you hear me? Or are you deaf, perhaps?"
Exaggerated, theatrical gestures.
"Such a pity. Your recklessness dooms everyone."
Pulling a bomb switch from his pocket, he flashed a mad grin, showing it off to me.
"See this? It's the detonator for the bombs planted on this airship."
Kkadak.
"Know that your arrogance dooms us all?"
I listened quietly, puffing my cigar and exhaling a heavy sigh.
Fuuu... Pathetic scum... Judging by this, your grand ideology's trash too. No wonder you have no support.
I was already in a foul mood—my favorite bar half-destroyed lately.
Tolerating these hijackers' drivel on top of that, spouted like third-rate villains...
My sharp retort slipped out.
"What...?"
The man's face hardened, body trembling.
"How dare you... insult us! Our dream!!!"
"..."
"I won't forgive you. Dare—I'll feed every scrap of you to the dogs!"
As he ranted hysterically, I exhaled cigar smoke and addressed him coolly.
"Engine room: 12 bombs total. Floor: 2. One per wing, plus extras everywhere. 22 in all. Right?"
The count from my smoke reconnaissance.
"I've neutralized every last one."
You have revealed advantageous information.
The enemy now knows their key plan is foiled.
Ability destructive power slightly increased.
A status window after ages.
Seeing it, I smirked contemptuously at the Red Dawn Society members staring blankly.
"Let's end this quick. Too much hassle."
Nostra Family Imperial Capital Branch.
The top floor of what could be called the most vital branch in the empire.
Breck was preparing to receive Abel, who was due today.
"Perfect."
Having neatly compiled info for Abel, Breck habitually activated the mana screen to catch up on news.
The announcer's urgent voice pierced his ears as he sipped self-brewed coffee.
"Huh?"
Wait. Wasn't that the airship ticket I gave him?
"No way..."
Out of all airships, on this exact date skipping countless others?
What cosmic joke was this?
Breck truly thought so.
Nebla Duke Family heir.
Combining those facts pointed to one person Breck knew.
Abel.
"Oh, for heaven's sake..."
Realizing that, Breck rubbed his temples and sighed.
The drug commission hadn't even started, and already this spectacle?
Was the guy favored by the gods of revelry and madness?
Breck truly thought so.