300 Full Speed Ahead! (2/2)
Leon was somewhat speechless.
He could tell that Faelyn was not a fast runner. She would not have asked that question otherwise.
As he was wondering what to say, an arriving airship in the sky caught his attention. This airship came from the east and carried quite a fair bit of civilians. At this moment, the airship was heading straight for the workshop tower.
Considering the workshop tower only had four docking bays on its top floor, there was nowhere for the airship to land. All four docking bays had been wholly occupied.
Apart from the Lancaster's transport airship occupying one bay, the other three bays were occupied by one newly completed airship and two other airships in the making.
Leon gave Faelyn a smile and said, ”Alright, we'll be taking the airship to the World Tree. If you don't need to prepare anything, we leave right away.”
”If you were going to take the airship, why did you need to ask if I was quick on my feet?” Faelyn asked with confusion, before adding, ”Oh, I get it. You don't want me to tag along, right? That's how it is, isn't it?”
”That wasn't it. I only thought of it just now.” Leon shook his head and admitted bluntly.
An airship travels much quicker than any steam-powered vehicles, but it was not much compared to Leon's own movement speed. However, the travel speed of an airship could increase drastically with good wind.
A bit unsatisfied with Leon's answer, Faelyn still had no choice but to accept it.
”Fine.” Faelyn pouted and said, ”I don't need to prepare anything. How about you, Supreme Elder?”
”I'm good to go.” Marquis Haldir answered with a light smile.
”Then let's head over to workshop tower to borrow an airship,” Leon stated, before turning to a palace guard. ”I'm counting on all of you to guard this place well during my absence.”
”You can leave it to us, your Highness!”
”Good! I'll be leaving then.”
”Have a pleasant trip, Your Highness.”
The palace guards saw them off.
…
”Father-in-law, I need to borrow one of your airships to go somewhere far.” Leon immediately made the request upon arriving at the workshop tower with the Supreme Elder and Faelyn.
”This brat… You only come to visit me whenever you need anything.” Ignis grumbled with complaint.
Leon gawked with guilt and embarrassment. He scratched the side of his cheek and prepared to apologize, but the Duke stopped him and said, ”Never mind that. You're a busy person, I understand. Hmm… the timing is just right. The new airship needed a test flight anyway.”
”However, you will need a crew to help you pilot the new airship. I suppose I need to arrange this for you too. Am I right, boy?” The Duke asked.
”Yes.” Leon smiled wryly with awkwardness.
”Alright, just sit around and wait a bit. I'll have it done in a jiffy.”
Half an hour later, the Duke saw the new airship take off into the sky with his wife, Amelia Lancaster, by his side. They were rather moved that the newly installed levitation stone was working well.
The first official working levitation stone reproduced by them!
As the airship slowly rose, particles of light could be seen gathering towards the airship. The runic mechanism on the levitation stone was working in full throttle, transforming the light particles into available artificial spirit energy to enable its anti-gravity function.
It did not take long before the airship reached an altitude of 500fts in the sky.
…
On the airship's deck, the crew's captain turned to Leon and asked, ”Where are we heading, Your Highness?”
”We are heading to the World Tree. You don't need me to tell you where that is, do you?” Leon said with a joking tone.
”Hahaha, surely you jest, Your Highness.” The airship captain laughed.
The World Tree was so big, it could be seen from several tens of thousand miles away, let alone several hundred miles away. Only a blind man would not know where it is.
Shouting out several orders, the rest of the crew got to work, feeding the coal into the combustion chamber to heat the boiler and work the steam engine as the airship propellers begin to spin.
The captain spun the helm, and the airship turned its head towards the direction of the World Tree.
”If you may, I'm in a hurry, Captain,” Leon said.
”Understood, Your Highness.” The airship captain said before shouting, ”Full speed ahead!”