章 56: You Screwed Up
"Your launch is scheduled to be in half an hour." A staff member from the harbor wearing a cap told him while looking at his cupboard. "The flying process is mostly automatic from a harbor to harbor. Since you are an adventurer, you can drive it manually, but it's unrecommended."
"Understood," Nikolai said while grabbing the rails of the ship. The staff member nodded at him and took out a remote control from his pocket. After pressing some buttons, Alias began to move.
"Whew! We are moving!"
"It's the preset launch route," Nikolai explained as he went into the ship's cabinet. There was a captain cabinet and two compartments below the deck. The two were a core room and a bedroom. "You can have the captain's cabinet."
"I don't know how to fly this thing!" Sergio replied in shock.
"You fly it using the core. The captain is the only one to navigate and make calls. The core masters are the ones who take his commands."
"Still, you should take the captain's cabinet, bossman." Sergio shook his head. "I'll take the room below."
"And blow it up right beside the core?" Nikolai smirked. "Not a chance. The only reason I'm giving the cabinet to you is for you to create potions."
"Can I?!"
"Not the destructive one, though. We'll need a lot of potions for our trip. You'll be working overtime."
"I can handle whatever as long as it includes brewing," Sergio said with a grin as their ship docked into a different stream. The fluid, which wasn't water, kept the ship in place.
"Launch will be in 10, 9, 8, 7..."
A countdown began as the doors in front of them were opened. Alias gave a soft hue as the core started working. The core generated wind currents that would propel them forward through the sky.
As the ship began to advance, the fluid beneath glowed. As if in tow, the vessel started to levitate through the air.
"We're flying!" Sergio ran to the railway and shouted excitedly.
"The fluid was what held the ship to the dock." Nikolai walked over as well. "The moment they inject mana into it, the fluid loses its adhesive function."
Their ship rose and flew through the narrow airway until it reached the doors. The night sky was being washed away by the light of dawn as their flying vessel soared.
"We wish you a pleasant and safe flight."
"They're so nice." Sergio turned back to Dimond Harbor. Nikolai smiled and didn't say anything.
"They expect us to die," Nikolai said as he grabbed the shrouds and began climbing. He reached the highest point of the mast, where a small viewpoint was.
"Bossman, be careful!" Sergio held into the railway as a mighty wind arrived. Their sails were down because they were only there in case the core broke.
Nikolai held into the ropes until he climbed to the viewpoint. The City of Rohan presented itself for him with its ancient building, ever stretching river, and sleepy lights. The Ro River split the city and the forest in two as it chased the horizon.
"Finally, I've got away from that lifetime." Nikolai grew sentimental. Leaving this place meant that he escaped from his past life forever. There was no way it would be the same anymore.
"Bossman! The guide here says to be wary of wandering flying monsters!" Sergio shouted from below, holding a thick book.
Nikolai climbed down and landed on the deck with a refreshed smile. Without saying anything, he opened the hatchway and jumped into the bedroom. There were two bunks, a toilet, and a desk.
Opening the door on the side, Nikolai found the core room. The middle of the core room had a spherical object floating while chained to the ship's hull. There was a plate with a keyhole in front of the core, which Nikolai could navigate.
"Bossman, how are you going to fly this thing?" Sergio asked after he jumped after him.
"Using mana." Nikolai placed the key in and injected mana into the plate. Symbols appeared beneath his hands as the core gave a soft glow.
"We're not going to the next city?" Sergio asked with concern. "They said the destination was pre-determined for us."
"That's to avoid going into dangerous placed." Nikolai grinned. "We're going west."
The ship began turning as the core generated wind to the side. All Nikolai had to do was make sure they were high enough to avoid mountains and low to flee from dangerous monsters.
"Done." Nikolai let go of the panel, and the ship flew on its own. "We should arrive at our next stop in a day or two."
"Next stop? Not our destination?" Sergio furrowed his brows. "How long is it going to take us?"
"Well, in total, the trip should take a month." Nikolai calculated. "Are you regretting coming along?"
"Not with my debt." Sergio grinned. "I can just enjoy my time here."
"Good." Nikolai nodded. "I hope you'll say the same when we reach the Bestial Kingdom."
"Huh?" Sergio blinked at him. "Did you just say... the Bestial Kingdom? Aren't we at war with those?"
"Hm, I guess we are." Nikolai nodded as he left the core room and ascended to the deck. "This will make it harder to breach the border."
"Bossman?" Sergio ran after him. "Please tell me you're kidding? The beastmen will use my small body as a toothpick. We're not going there, right?"
"Adventure!" Nikolai smiled. "Plus, the image of the beastmen is simply ruined by the kingdom. They're as bad as humans and just as good."
"We are at war!" Sergio pleaded. "Aren't there other places you want to explore? Maybe the sweet and chilly kingdoms up north?"
"You'll come to love the beastmen. Don't worry. You'll thank me later." Nikolai smiled.
"You don't know that!"
Nikolai glanced at Sergio and shook his head. How can he tell this alchemist that before Nikolai's death, Sergio lived among the beastmen all the time?
The ship flew west as Nikolai programmed it to do. They passed by the Ancient Ruins of Rohan and the desert that came after it.
Their first day was scorching, so they spent it in the room below. Sergio was reading a book as Nikolai practiced using his Blood Energy.
When night arrived, it was finally cool enough for the two to go upstairs. They were in the middle of nowhere, and the stars mottled the dark sky. With no light to obstruct them and no smoke to cloud the sky, the stars felt reachable.
"To the stars!" Sergio raised his fist and declared with zeal. Nikolai shook his head with a smile. It was at that time that they heard some rattling noise coming from the crates.
"Hm?" Sergio turned around with a frown. "Did you bring a pet, boss?"
"It's either a rat or someone who sneaked into the ship using the crates." Nikolai took out his gun. "Either way, you screwed up."
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