Chapter 94
‘It?’ Arietta, eavesdropping, wore a curious expression. Was there another way to connect Sky City and the surface besides the airships? The more she heard, the more it seemed the answer lay in the swamp. She considered the instincts of an animal. If it had ‘escaped’ Sky City, the rare creature would have been in a state of panic. Animals generally fled because they were frightened. In that state, descending a dangerous path would make the swamp the most likely place for an accident. Why hadn’t they considered this obvious possibility before now? Arietta sighed, her opinion of the Sky City inhabitants’ intelligence plummeting further.
“I hear Marquis Tygra has drilling equipment.”
Benjamin, commendably, hadn’t forgotten her words. He, too, understood that increasing Arietta’s perceived value was his only ticket to Sky City with her. He was aware of the coldness in her gaze, of his own less-than-stellar performance during the Downstream mission. But his domain was Sky City. Any points lost in this unfamiliar territory could be regained up above. Benjamin thought of the Marquis Lenota’s estate, a mansion Arietta would surely adore, and all the other sights to see. Sky City was nothing like the stark, functional Downstream. Everything was delicate, ornate, and vibrantly alive with color.
Arietta, a woman of refined taste, would be delighted. And then, he could begin to bridge the distance between them. It was also a small comfort that Arietta didn’t seem to utterly despise him. Benjamin recalled the forceful, passionate kiss Isaac had given Arietta right in front of him. It was an unpleasant memory he tried to suppress, but it kept resurfacing. More troubling was the unsettling flicker of arousal he’d felt. Their bodies pressed together, their ragged breaths, the slight flush on Arietta’s face. Sometimes, his oblivious lower half would rear its head, demanding attention. In those moments, the refined young gentleman from Sky City had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, consoling himself with the thought that the next person to kiss her would be Benjamin Lenota.
‘That brute had no manners.’
Of course not. He was an uncultured beast. When Arietta warmed to him enough to accept a kiss, Benjamin would teach her the art of a respectful, gentlemanly kiss. He would show her how mutual affection, expressed through a soft, feather-light touch, could ignite a shared fire, how the intimacy of that moment could deepen and become something cherished. A relationship with him would be vastly different from her time with Isaac.
“They requested drilling equipment from the Plant?” Isaac asked Gamon, needing confirmation of what he’d just heard. Gamon bowed his head. “Yes.” Isaac let out a hollow laugh. “That’s Arietta’s thinking.” He didn’t need to see it to know. The search party, after twenty-five trips down, consisted entirely of imbeciles who hadn’t considered the swamp. Perhaps it was because the airship landed in a wide-open space, its back to the swamp. The Sky City people seemed to forget the swamp’s existence entirely. Isaac hadn’t bothered to remind them. He knew the swamp was the most likely place for the remains to be preserved, but as Downstream’s ruler, his job wasn’t to expedite their search. It was to feign cooperation while dragging it out.
“…My collection is proving to be an inconvenience.” Isaac frowned. Gamon studied his master’s face. Annoyance was evident, but there was no sense of alarm. Gamon couldn’t tell if this was simple complacency or an unusual leniency towards Arietta. His master spoke as if he cared nothing for her safety, yet he remained acutely aware of her every move. Even now, with her actions causing such a disruption, he didn’t seem to consider eliminating her.
“Weapons research hasn’t reached its final stage. It would be problematic if they achieved their objective and ended the exchange.”
“It doesn’t matter. Not yet. Nothing of interest will turn up in the swamp.” Isaac stated firmly. Gamon felt a momentary urge to ask how he could be so sure. But he possessed the wisdom to avoid prying too deeply.
“It might be best to remove the… collection.” Gamon suggested subtly, framing it as an objective analysis. But Isaac remained silent, and Gamon felt a pang of disappointment. Isaac still prioritized Arietta above all else.
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