Chapter 189

Episode 189

Life on the airship was more convenient than I expected.

The hull barely shook and wasn’t affected by the weather.

I didn’t know what kind of power source it used, but there was no engine noise at all. Only the occasional sound of steam erupting could be heard.

It wasn’t particularly fast, but since it wasn’t restricted by terrain, it seemed like we would reach our destination faster. Machines didn’t need to rest.

Moreover, the interior was equipped with various amenities.

‘It’s not luxurious, but it feels like being on a cruise ship.’

Dwarves loved metal and alcohol.

The airship had a pub that served alcohol and various snacks, and next to it was a facility where people could enjoy simple gambling.

Of course, it wasn’t decorated with luxurious materials like the salons in the capital, but it was enough for casual enjoyment.

“Hey, human! How about a drink and a card game? It’s rude not to play poker on an airship!”

I blinked in disbelief. A dwarf wearing an apron…?

I had seen it a few times before, but it always surprised me.

He was a famous figure on the airship. His name was Torum, and he ran the pub and gambling den.

Among the dwarves, he was called “Master.” He was a dwarf that all dwarves trusted and relied on, and he was as well-known as the captain on the airship.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll have to decline for now. I have something to do.”

“Hahaha! It’s rare for a human to ride this airship. Come anytime!”

Dwarves might have a rough way of speaking, but they were warm-hearted. After spending a few days with them, I could understand their culture to a certain extent.

My past life experiences helped me understand them.

They weren’t much different from the image portrayed in various media. Stubborn and grumbling, but diligent beings who faithfully carried out their duties.

Craftsmen who took pride in their work.

And sometimes, brave warriors who faced danger head-on.

That’s exactly what they were like.

That’s why this airship also had a training ground where dwarf warriors could train.

I decided to head to the training ground.

As expected, Selendis was there, swinging her sword fiercely. Perhaps because the Savion reclamation operation was approaching, she had increased the intensity of her training.

A few dwarf warriors were gathered on one side, watching her.

I didn’t want to interrupt, so I watched for a bit before returning to my room.

Since boarding the airship, I had been working on a manuscript. It wasn’t a literary work, but reports to be submitted to the Imperial Family and Duke Kalisto.

As it was an official report from House Walker, I was writing it myself instead of leaving it to Jericho.

I intended to record the events so far from an objective perspective. I also had to include my future plans, so I had to write it myself.

‘If the construction continues like this, the project in the north will be completed successfully. The problem is the Nordics.’

I pondered, holding my pen.

Exporting the district heating system to other regions was already part of the plan.

But the Nordic territory was a different story.

Apart from the negotiations with House Whitefield, we also needed the Emperor’s permission.

The Empire had been sending support from all over to prevent the Nordics from advancing south.

‘If we can prevent an unnecessary war, it will save us a lot of money, so no one will object. Foreign Minister Apellai might vote against it, but his influence isn’t what it used to be.’

I came to a positive conclusion and moved my pen quickly.

*Scratch, scratch—*

I continued writing for a long time.

After about two hours, I had created two sets of reports: one for the Imperial Family and one for Kalisto’s main castle.

The contents of the reports were slightly different, so I had to create them separately. It wasn’t like we had a copier in this world.

‘I also need to include the Savion royal family matter in the report for Kalisto. There’s a lot to write about, so I’ll stop here for now.’

I stretched. I was a bit tired, so I lay down on the bed.

The most impressive facility on this airship was the bedroom.

There was a single bed of a reasonable size, a work space on one side, and even a device for hot water.

Considering the dwarves’ lifestyle, these amenities were unnecessary. And as Torum had mentioned earlier, it wasn’t like other races frequently boarded this airship.

In other words, there was a reason beyond the world’s setting.

‘Judging by the details, this is definitely a mount that can be used in the game. It will probably become a means of transportation for playable characters in the mid to late game.’

There were many important elements in games, and one of them was ‘transportation.’

This game was set in a medieval world. Even though magic existed, it was heavily restricted, so there were no common teleportation portals. I wasn’t sure if there was a teleport spell.

The reason I specified ‘mid to late game’ was because as the scale of the game expanded, a faster means of transportation was needed.

If an airship was given to you at the beginning of the game, it would break the balance.

‘I should use this airship from now on. I need to ask Torum if I can buy it.’

Sometimes, there were things I enjoyed about possessing someone in a game, and this airship was one of them.

So I planned to enjoy this facility without hesitation.

Just as I was about to take a nap…

“Hey, O’Brien!”

The door burst open, and Ophelia appeared. When she saw me lying on the bed with my eyes half-closed, her face flushed red, and she hurriedly closed the door.

*Knock, knock—*

She was such an interesting girl.

“Come in.”

The door opened cautiously, and Ophelia entered. Her long staff had become her trademark.

“Why didn’t you come when I asked you to? I waited for ages.”

“I didn’t hear anything about that.”

“Huh? I specifically told Lady Freya.”

I simulated the situation in my head. Ophelia had a willful personality, and Freya disliked her.

The answer was clear.

“Did Freya say she would tell me?”

“Uh… I don’t think she did.”

“Then it’s not strange that she didn’t.”

Ophelia’s face flushed red again. This time, it wasn’t from embarrassment, but anger.

“Did you ignore me? No, are you ignoring me right now? Me, with the title of Flameheart?”

“Maybe you didn’t ask nicely.”

“What do you mean by ‘ask nicely’?”

“If I understand you correctly, you probably said something like this: ‘Hey, Freya, tell your master to see me for a bit.'”

The key was a slightly arrogant tone.

As expected, Ophelia flinched. It seemed like I had reenacted it perfectly.

“…Is that wrong?”

“Of course it’s wrong. Even though Freya is my subordinate, she’s not yours. She’s a member of House Whitefield and a great warrior of the north. You have to treat her accordingly.”

“But she was banished from her family and lost her bow after losing to you. So she’s neither, right?”

So this is how you lose your social skills when you enter the Magic Tower from a young age. I learned something valuable.

“There are many ways to treat people, but the method I prefer is to treat them based on their future, not their past or present. It’s a kind of investment. But there’s one prerequisite: I have to give them something in return, more than what they give me. A healthy relationship requires mutual stimulation.”

“Ugh… I hate it. That sounded like a lecture from the Tower Master.”

“Anyway, you’ll be spending more time in the outside world than in the Magic Tower from now on, so you’ll meet all sorts of people. It won’t hurt to listen.”

“What are you talking about? I have to return to the Magic Tower after helping Lady Selendis.”

“I think things will be quite different by then.”

I had successfully taken the first step towards magic reform. Now it was time to break down the existing order and create a new community.

Jericho, Ophelia, and her twin brother Fabian would be a great help in this process.

That’s why I planned to show Ophelia the vast world.

To show her that what mages needed wasn’t the Magic Tower, but the outside world.

“But why did you want to see me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing special. I just thought it was a bit strange. Is there any reason why I have to go all the way to Walker Barony? This airship is suffocating.”

“Shouldn’t comrades go everywhere together?”

Ophelia sighed deeply at my matter-of-fact statement.

“I hope we don’t go to the underworld together…”

“That won’t happen. I won’t let you die.”

I said it jokingly, but her face turned beet red. Would it be rude to enjoy teasing her like this?

“The person I serve knows how to cross the Veil Sea. It’s the story you’re most curious about, so it won’t hurt to listen, right?”

“The person you serve? You mean Duke Kalisto? As expected of the Swordmaster of the Empire.”

“No, his daughter, Lady Lucia. She’s the one who founded the Lucius Inspection Unit.”

“…You serve the Duke’s daughter?”

It wasn’t a new reaction, as I had experienced it a few times before.

It was common for skilled individuals to serve a lord or the lord’s son.

“She’s not your typical lady. You’ll see when you meet her.”

“No, more importantly, how does she know how to cross the Veil Sea? Don’t ladies usually stay in their mansions?”

“I don’t know the details either. But she’s the one who took in Selendis, so she must know the secret.”

“I’m curious.”

I stood up, opened the door, and went outside.

“If you’re bored on the airship, I can teach you something fun. Do you know how to play card games?”

“Cards? No?”

“Do you have any gold?”

Ophelia lifted her robe and showed me the inside. There were three pouches of gold coins hanging there.

This was good.

“What about alcohol?”

“Hmm… I drink a little?”

“Then how about a drink and a card game? I’ll gather some people to play with, so wait for me at Torum’s pub.”

“Who are we playing with?”

“Lady Selendis is training, so I’m thinking of asking Freya and Hassale. Let’s start with the four of us and gather more people as we play.”

Ophelia hesitated for a moment, perhaps wary of Freya’s presence, but she eventually nodded.

They would naturally develop camaraderie as they got caught up in various fights later on, but as someone who had interests in both sides, I wanted to help them get along.

“Are you good at card games, O’Brien?”

“Not at all. I just know the rules. I’m guessing the others don’t know much either.”

“Then it’s fair. Hurry up and gather everyone.”

Such a naive girl.

In my past life, I used to go to Hold’em pubs and often stayed up all night playing with my friends.

I was the one who won money in most games. In poker, it was important to calculate probabilities, but it was also important to read the expressions of your opponents.

Finally, the time had come to teach these people the thrill of Texas Hold’em.

I planned to charge them a hefty tuition fee.