Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Two days later than scheduled, the airship from the Sky City finally took flight. Adorned with pearl dust and gilded accents, its silhouette was sleek and streamlined, like a slender fish. Even the most aesthetically uninclined would have recognized its elegant design. As it ascended, its segmented tail fluttering delicately, the sight was breathtaking. However, the beauty was only skin deep.
Inside, the airship was sparse, cold, and rigid. General Soluten, a veteran of twenty such journeys, had once grumbled that it was little more than “a tin can with chairs bolted in.” But the weight an airship could carry was limited. To maximize capacity within those limits, all non-essential elements had to be stripped away.
Thus, safety features consisted solely of parachutes for crash landings and flimsy seatbelts. Amenities for a comfortable flight were practically non-existent. Every time the airship lurched in turbulent air currents, passengers braced themselves against the hard seats, praying their belts would hold.
Air travel was risky and uncomfortable. Consequently, high-ranking nobles rarely undertook such journeys. In fact, before the Young Marquis Benjamin Lenota joined the 26th Hazard Investigation Team, such a thing was unheard of.
Now twenty-three, Benjamin was tall and handsome, with refined features. Though his gentle appearance might have been considered a flaw, the longer one looked, the more striking his beauty became. Furthermore, his strong will and decisive nature transformed his seemingly delicate exterior into an intriguing contrast. He was even audacious enough to volunteer for this descent to Downstream.
As the airship took off and the cabin shook violently, even Benjamin, despite his composure, paled with instinctive unease. He refrained, however, from cursing or frowning. General Soluten, head of the Hazard Investigation Team, who sat opposite observing his expression, clicked his tongue.
When the turbulence subsided, General Soluten quipped, “I’ve never seen someone so composed on their first flight.”
A veteran leader of numerous Hazard Investigation Teams, General Soluten once again headed this mission. Yet, he couldn’t speak casually to the young nobleman before him. Although General Soluten held a non-hereditary honorary title, the Lenota marquisate would be passed down through generations. Their social standing was different.
Benjamin narrowed his emerald green eyes, making it clear he recognized the empty flattery.
‘This will be troublesome,’ thought General Soluten, anticipating future difficulties. Those who were keenly aware of their high rank and took it for granted rarely followed orders well.
“Compared to the indignity they inflicted upon us, the discomfort of takeoff is bearable.” Benjamin’s voice was laced with thorns.
Two days prior, upon arrival at the airship dock, their departure had been abruptly postponed by Downstream. The curt message they received read: [Marquis Tygra unavailable. Postponed. Two days.] Infuriating, but there was little they could do. Forcing the issue would only lead to further complications. General Soluten had expressed his “strong regrets” and rescheduled the departure.
This incident had clearly displeased Benjamin.
‘How dare they,’ he’d seethed at the time.
Two days later, his anger still simmered. “How dare Downstream dictate to the Sky City. Those ground-crawling vermin.” Benjamin’s lips curled in disgust. It seemed his true anger stemmed from the Sky City’s acceptance of Downstream’s decree.
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