Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Black Feather Hawk
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"Sh-ship... the ship's flying in the skyyy!"
"No way, did Master do this for...!"
"Hiyaaak!"
'Ah.'
Right after the Black Feather Hawk soared high into the sky, he belatedly remembered upon seeing his disciples' reactions. He'd only told them he'd bought a ship, but hadn't explained exactly how he planned to use it.
He'd originally intended to explain once the golem core was complete, but Olbern's little mishap at the mansion entrance had made him forget. The fact that none of them had asked about the core the whole way here suggested the shock of her blowing up the mansion door had been pretty substantial.
'Well, whatever.'
In any case, the airship was a resounding success. The propulsion core worked without issue, and the flotation core installed inside was stable. The runes engraved inside and out on the Black Feather Hawk showed no problems either.
It didn't take long for the disciples' hysterics to die down. They started by nervously looking around, then shifted to dazed expressions as they slowly made their way toward the bow where he stood.
"Master... when you said you bought a ship, you meant this...?"
Durel's question drew a light chuckle from him as he draped his arms over the railing. The sky stretched out closer than ever before. Even knowing he couldn't grasp the clouds, he instinctively reached out a hand. A surge of emotion made his body slip from his control.
He grinned like a carefree little girl. The laughter spilling from him spread softly, and the disciples soon echoed with faint smiles of their own. Right now, in this moment, words weren't needed.
The vast expanse of sky offered all sorts of inspirations. He felt it himself immediately—plenty of sensations washing over him. Flashes of insight came with the faint whisper of mana.
And with it, he noticed a small problem.
'How the hell do I stop this thing...?'
He'd only thought about flying through the sky. The flotation magic merely lifted the ship into the air. He'd wanted the propulsion core to sail the open heavens. He'd even engraved runes for turning, but stopping? That hadn't crossed his mind.
A minor oversight.
'For now, I can spin in place using the sails and turning runes...'
If that wasn't enough, maybe use Gentle Wind to slow the ship down.
'Gotta keep this from the disciples.'
He glanced sideways.
A quick peek at Durel, Simo, and Olbern's faces. All three stared out at the endless sky, lost in contemplation. He couldn't ruin their moment. After all, they'd spent their lives bound to the ground— this was their first taste of the heavens.
These kids had real talent as mages. The inspirations stirring in their minds might birth new spells. Without a word, he shut down the propulsion core.
"Now we can go anywhere. We've never been this free."
"Best not tell the other mages. Even with my limited knowledge, I can tell this thing's value is beyond imagining..."
"Master...! This is an invention for the ages! Transportation, war...! A-and all sorts of other things will change completely because of the ship you made!"
Durel broke the silence first. Taking his cue, Simo and Olbern chimed in with their own thoughts.
Their words perfectly captured their personalities. Durel dreamed of freedom, Simo worried about safety, and Olbern envisioned a future transformed by technology.
Perched on the railing, he turned to Olbern. Was it because she was a scholar driven to unravel mysteries and advance technology? Her mind seemed filled with visions of a world where airships were commonplace.
She wasn't wrong. The moment this airship tech went public, the world would change overnight. But he had no intention of letting that happen. The technology would stay exclusive to the Infinite Archive School. No leaks, no sales.
"Olbern. This technology belongs solely to the Infinite Archive School. No leaking it, ever."
"Gasp...! Of course!"
With that, he used the runes engraved on the ship's underside to turn, then fired up the propulsion core again. The Black Feather Hawk, which had been pressing forward, slowly veered right with the wind and began heading toward the massive rock mountain.
"Master! Where are we going now?"
"Back to Azgal Rock. I want to buy furniture to outfit the ship and some daily necessities. You all need your own rooms too, right?"
"Rooms...! I'm getting my own room on this awesome ship?"
He nodded at Olbern's question and started walking. Come to think of it, he hadn't shown the disciples the interior yet. As he took the lead, the three trailed eagerly behind him.
Opening the large door to the cabins revealed a wide corridor. Looking at the seven doors lining both sides, he addressed his disciples.
"Pick any room you like. Leave the biggest one— that's mine."
The moment he finished, Durel and Olbern bolted forward. They dashed about, flinging open doors one after another, clearly eager for the best spot.
Not that it mattered. All the rooms were identical inside.
"Kids these days..."
Simo watched them with a faint smile, muttering under his breath. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he hurriedly glanced at him.
"What?"
"N-nothing... You said pick a room... Which one's good..."
It took no time at all for the airship to reach Azgal Rock. They'd simply followed the waterway back toward the sea, and Reedville now lay directly below.
'Not as fast as I thought...'
The airship's speed fell short of his expectations. Probably due to the number of propulsion cores and the Black Feather Hawk's sheer weight. He couldn't pin down the exact figures, but he estimated around 200-300 km/h depending on core output.
The real issue was stopping precisely where he wanted. Shutting off the propulsion core wasn't enough; he had to max out Gentle Wind to decelerate. Even then, he needed the wind runes under the ship to spin it in place and halt.
He brought it to a stop near Crystal Canyon, quite a ways from Reedville. Leaning over the railing, he peered down and carefully adjusted the flotation core. As the airship's altitude dropped toward the ground, he cut the core's power.
Not bad for a first try. The massive hull touched down without so much as a jolt.
Reedville was a good distance away. To make it back before sunset, they'd have to hustle. With one foot on the railing, he pulled the golem core from his pocket and tossed it out.
The core shot forward, activating as it absorbed mana and nearby crystals. What emerged was a new tortoise golem with a crystalline body.
Boom!
"We're heading to Reedville now to buy supplies... but someone has to stay here."
Unfortunately, the airship wasn't portable. Someone needed to guard it. He turned to his disciples emerging from the cabins, hesitating for a moment.
'Durel... still too green... Simo... strong, so he can carry stuff. Olbern...'
Not a single one he could fully trust to leave in charge. Ignoring their sparkling eyes for a beat, he spoke up.
"You three go. I need to work on magic tools... Pick up some stuff suitable for making them while you're at it."
"Got it. Planning to sell the magic tools you make as used goods again?"
He nodded at Durel's question. As Simo and Durel turned to leap off the airship, Olbern, who'd been watching, tilted her head.
"Why sell the magic tools you made yourself as used? Direct sales, consignment, or taking rune engraving commissions from magic workshops would net way more money..."
He already knew that. Leaning against the large sail, he replied.
"No certification. It's illegal."
"Ah...! In that case...!"
Olbern's eyes lit up as she rummaged through her bag. She shoved her head into the sack stuffed with odds and ends, twisting around for a good while before pulling out a gleaming golden card.
"That's..."
"Ta-da...! Engraving mage business card issued in Tenern. It's guaranteed by the Dwarf Artisans' Association, so it's valid in other countries too. Use this when selling your magic tools, Master, and there'll be no issues. Of course, opening an official shop requires local permits..."
He'd momentarily forgotten. Olbern was an engraving mage—and a scholar—who'd been active in Tenern. Her youthful looks and status as his disciple had made him overlook her background.
If he could sell magic tools legally, no need to shop around other countries. Approaching Olbern, he patted her shoulder.
"I'm proud of you, Olbern."
"Hehe..."
She'd given him such huge help—he couldn't just sit idle. By the time Olbern, Simo, and Durel boarded the tortoise golem and set off,
he picked up the bag she'd left behind and pulled out the core inside.
'Time to give this a little tune-up.'