The steam airship lifted off with a loud rumble, emitting billowing black smoke as it glided up while a dark line of exhaust fumes trailed in the sky in the distance.
At first, when Angel stood on the deck, he could still feel the blowing wind as he comfortably recalled the past. But soon, the dirty black fumes from the exhaust completely filled the deck. All of a sudden, everyone on deck returned to the airship and headed below.
After Angel returned below deck with the flow of people, Promi returned to his room. Angel began chatting with David in the hall. Inside the hall was a porthole with transparent gla.s.s, which clearly shows the situation outside. At this time, one side of the outside world was completely covered by black smoke.
Angel looked at the black smoke and could still faintly smell the pungent odour of burning coal. Moreover, he felt the floor under his feet constantly shaking, giving him the illusion of the airship falling apart at any moment.
Seeing the worry on Angel’s face, David smiled and tried to comfort him by saying: “Don’t worry, this airship has always been like this, ever since it was bought. It discharges a large amount of pollution, has weak manoeuvrability and has jerky movement. But even with all of these problems, there has never been a problem with getting to its destination.”
“It’s a lot worse than The Savage.” Angel slightly frowned as he said.
“That’s for sure. The Savage was ordered from Sky Machinery City within the organization while the airship was purchased privately. Both the price and the channel are weaker by more than one order of magnitude.” David replied.
With David’s explanation, Angel understood the difference between The Savage and this airship.
It turns out almost all airships docked in Windmill Town port were privately owned. The owner of this airship is a third level wizard apprentice who purchased the airship to earn ticket money. In addition, since the travel speed isn’t very fast, this ship can only take on shorter routes.
When David finished his explaination, he pointed at somewhere out the porthole and said: “Look at those people.”
Angel then looked and saw several people flying in the distant sky. Some fly with spells while others directly ride on flying crafts. There are also some people which can be seen galloping along the vast surface while riding demon mounts.
“Those who can fly will travel by flight or those who have transport vehicles will travel by ground.” David heavily sighed as he said: “After a while, I also want to head to the Resource Allocation Hall to buy my own flying craft. Although travelling this way isn’t pleasant. It still take us less than a day to get from the Savage Grottoes to Shadow Demon City, which is far faster than riding on a train.”
“Why don’t you try learning how to cast a flying spell?” Angel asked.
David shook his head and said: “There is too much knowledge involved in order to learn how to fly. I think it will take at least several years to start learning from scratch. The price of learning to cast this kind of spell is also expensive, and I won’t consider learning flying spells until I at least reach third level apprentice.”
“But you can also make it yourself instead of buying a flying craft.” Angel recalls the scene of meeting David for the first time and said: “If you continue your study and work on your Spiral Aircraft, can’t this eventually become a flying craft?”
David’s face looked a little embarra.s.sed when Angel mentions his Spiral Aircraft: “It’s just a purely mechanical device. It can’t manage to carry people.”
“Study it slowly.” Angel actually intends on studying how to make his own flying craft. But this is only a tentative idea for the time being. He will go back to see < Basic Collection of Primary Alchemy > for further details. He remembers there are several kinds of flying craft actuators in it. But the scope of application is still unclear.
“I also want to study it slowly, but Frost Moon Channel which leads to the periphery of the Abyss will be closed in three months. I have to go there before it closes, so I am bound to buy a flying craft by then.” David said.
After the two chatted for a while Angel said to David: “I haven’t had any chance to rest since our alchemy session yesterday night. I’ll go back to my room and go to sleep for a while. I’ll talk to you again when we arrive.”
David nodded and said: “Well if you can fall asleep in this environment, take care. I’ll follow and do the same later.”
Stepping on the shaky floor, Angel felt a little dizzy as he walked to the lounge.
When he returned to his room, Angel slightly sighed as he took Toby out from his pocket and placed him in his palm.
Toby fluttered his wings and combed his raised feathers with his beak.
Angel also helped him smooth some of his rough feathers, and then he asked in a low voice: “Where’s your music box?”
Angel clearly remembered not seeing the music box when he went to the attic to look for Toby in the morning. In other words, Toby left with the music box when he went to see his little friend.
However, Toby didn’t bring the music box back home when he came back from outside at noon. Angel felt this was very strange at the time, but remained calm. He didn’t ask until this moment. Angel planned to have a good heart-to-heart talk with Toby before asking questions.
Angel’s inquiry all of a sudden made Toby freeze. Then he turned his head and blinked innocently. He gave an expression as if he didn’t understand anything Angel was saying.
Toby offered his big tactic of “feigning innocence.” After all, they are different species. If he doesn’t want to answer, then Angel can’t force him.
In response, Angel could only say: “I have a goal in my heart, so I am desperately working hard every day to reach this goal. Meditating, alchemy, studying… My time is almost completely occupied by these pursuits. I even rely on dry food to satiate my hunger every day. If it’s been boring for you to follow me all the time, then I’m very sorry about this. I’m also very sorry for failing Lord Gloria’s trust.”
It seems that because of Angel’s mention of Gloria, Toby no longer pretended he was unable to understand. Instead, Toby “mumbled” in a low voice to express how much he misses her.
Because Angel learned that something had happened to Gloria in the Winter Plane from the < Infinite Potential and Desolate Plane Exploration Record >. Angel had been feeling guilty about hiding this news from Toby in his heart. Just like at noon, Toby broke his morning appointment with Angel but he wasn’t angry because of his sense of guilt.
“Even so, I’ll let you go out. I won’t stop you from making friends.” Angel said this and paused at this point: “But what I want to tell you is that even if there are moral and legal constraints for mortals, there are still bad and evil people among mortals. Not to mention the Wizard Plane which has no constraints. The vast majority of all people are motivated by profit. Even if they haven’t necessarily committed any great sins, they aren’t necessarily kind either. These people are cunning from mind to mouth.”
After criticizing his fellow man, Angel continued by saying to Toby: “You can understand the gravity law insight, so I am not worried about your safety. But what I am worried about is if you’ll end up being used by others.”
Toby bowed his head and remained silent.
Angel felt his “fatherly education” should have played a role, so he gently coaxed him: “You don’t know much about the complexity of the human world. So when we go home after this time. Make sure to let me meet your little friend. I’ll help you judge their character, okay?”
Angel looked on with a gentle expression, waiting for Toby’s response.
It was a long time before Toby looked up. But his little eyes were still full of innocence as he showed the expression: I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
When Angel saw it, he let out a cry and collapsed on the bed in the room out of frustration.
“Well, since you don’t want to listen to my advice. You can do whatever you want. The music box I gave you, I’ll let you handle it. I don’t care whether you throw it away, give it away or anything else. But remember, don’t be completely distracted by anyone and don’t trust others completely. This is for your own good.” Angel advised.
After hearing Angel’s words, Toby waved his wings and mumbled a few words.
“You said you only lent the music box to others?” Angel understood Toby from his gestures.
Toby nodded and mumbled a few more times.
“When you get back, will your little friend return the music box to you?” Angel asked.
Toby continues to nod.
Angel didn’t say anything else. He didn’t have much confidence in this. The music box isn’t a great thing, but it is at least a work of art. Even Lord Mirror Ji, who stands at the pinnacle in the world praised it, which shows that his refined music box still has a certain circulation value.
In the Wizard Plane, where personal interests are paramount, will others return back to you what is worth circulating?
Angel doesn’t have much expectations of this anyway.
But he didn’t point this out to Toby either. Instead, he nodded and said to Toby: “That’s good. After all, the music box I made for you also took much thought and effort.”
Having said that, Angel decided to wait until Twilight Deep Well to buy some echo flowers. After Toby has been severely educated by “the indifference of reality.” He will make him a new music box.
For Angel, Toby is his best friend. This is also a good lesson for him with the music box. It can enable Toby to recognize the reality in the Wizard Plane.
In any case, Angel will not personally p.r.i.c.k his fairy tale bubble. He hopes Toby can grow up on his own. It’s kind of like living up to Gloria’s trust.
Although the heart-to-heart talk with Toby was a little effective, it was considered a failure as a whole. However, Angel isn’t worried. Only after he has experienced many things, can he realize the truth. No matter what others say, it’s meaningless.
Time pa.s.sed by and it was three hours later. When the distant sky was covered with rosy clouds and a red glow, the airship finally arrived at its destination.
Angel took a short nap, so when he came down from the airship, he was much more energetic.
The airship landed in the middle of a slope at about a thirty-degree angle. There was a wide flat ground, and the airship landed in the middle of this flat ground.
There wasn’t much temperature difference on the airship. But when Angel got off the airship, he felt a deep chill.
Although it is midsummer now, the temperature of Paramjit Plateau is cold all year round. As can be seen from the white snow on the hillside. Today is actually a good day, at least there is no snow.
Angel noticed there were some round bunker-like buildings on the flat ground and two dark caves near the mountain wall with a railway track connecting the two caves.
David then walked over with Promi.
“It’s only a half an hour’s ride from here to Shadow Demon City by the underground train. Let’s wait here for a while. The apprentice from the private airship is in contact with the Shadow Demon City train management station. We have now landed, and I think the train will be arriving at the station soon.” Promi said.
Not long after Promi’s voice fell, a burst of smoke came out from the cave. What accompanied were sounds of steam and wheels on rails as a long train was arriving. It seemed to be completely covered in steam.