Chapter 416 The Prince Who Conquered the Sky
With the return of the Great Sage, the dark clouds pressing on the tower finally dissipated, and the anxious scholars finally felt relieved.
With a demigod-level strongman standing in charge, it is unlikely that any young person will bully them again.
During this period, the magicians in the school were not only worried about being regarded as Alister's accomplices, but also worried about problems with their students or teachers. They were also worried about being recognized as Prince Colin's group... Even the twelve sages were uneasy.
This may seem a little difficult for outsiders to understand.
Although in the previous turmoil of the labyrinth trial, the person who really stood up to wipe Xuebang's ass was His Highness Colin, this loyal and honest Highness was not the winner.
He is also a victim.
But fortunately, this catastrophe has finally settled, at least for the vast majority of people who were not implicated.
By the way, even the weather in the northern wilderness has improved a lot since the great sage came back. It seems that it was the wisdom of that sage who awakened the sleeping sun...
Outside the Artisan Street, the breeze on the snowfield is gentle, unlike the severe cold a month ago.
Thanks to the grace of the great sage, the warm sunshine shines on the white snow, reflecting dazzling light.
In a clearing cleared by magic, a huge monster with a strange appearance was lying quietly, like a sleeping giant.
That is the work of Alberto's workshop.
However, unlike the previous "Unit No. 1", this "Unit No. 2" completely abandoned the bloated spherical design and changed it to a spindle shape that was more in line with "fluid mechanics".
A solid wooden keel supports a huge spindle-shaped air bag, and countless pieces of thick leather tanned with special alchemical potions make up the skin of this giant beast. The "stitches" at the leather seams are fine and neatly tied with thick hemp ropes. From a distance, it looks like a work of art.
Hung below the airbag is a cabin shaped like a small boat. The cabin is equipped with a rudder and pedals that can control the deflection device.
Several movable wings imitating the structure of "flying fish fins" are also installed on both sides of the cabin to maintain stability and precise steering in the wind.
These are the ideas of His Highness Colin.
By the way, the so-called "fluid mechanics" is also one of the concepts proposed by His Highness Colin, and together with aerodynamics and thermal science, it serves as the design guiding ideology of Alberto Workshop.
According to His Highness, he got the inspiration from flying cannonballs. How he got the inspiration is unknown.
Alberto is not yet curious enough to inquire about the empire's military secrets. Even if His Highness Colin doesn't mind, he doesn't want to know any more.
It is not a good thing to know too much.
He is just a craftsman.
While Alberto was leading a group of apprentices around the airship to make preparations, James Walli, a visiting scholar from the Magic Science Laboratory, was also holding a notebook and pacing back and forth nervously around the airship.
The monocle on the bridge of his nose slipped from time to time, and he had to fix it hurriedly.
"Alberto, are you sure that the seams of the air bag can withstand the internal heat pressure? According to His Highness's empirical formula, the pressure peak after expansion should not be underestimated!"
"Don't worry, mentor!"
Just after checking the last cable connecting the cabin, Alberto patted his chest. His rough palms were covered with engine oil and sweat, but his face was filled with a confident smile.
"I used a double-layer staggered suture method and reinforced it with Warcraft tendon glue. Not to mention the heat, even if it is filled with magma, it will not leak out!"
When he said this, he suddenly changed the topic and expressed the nervousness in his heart in a teasing tone.
"I'm more worried about your calculations than His Highness's empirical formulas. To be honest, how long have you not touched those things?"
"Don't worry, don't say I've only been away for less than a year, even if I haven't touched these things for another ten years, I won't forget them!"
James grinned, and the tense atmosphere at the construction site eased a lot.
He looked at his former student, his expression suddenly became complicated and guilty. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke.
"Alberto... you'd better stop calling me that. I couldn't let you stay in the academy back then, and I really don't deserve to be your mentor."
Hearing this, Alberto was stunned for a moment. Apparently, he didn't expect that his tutor would still be resentful of such a small thing as his failure to stay in school.
Looking at those guilty eyes, he suddenly laughed heartily twice, rubbed his nose with his oil-stained sleeve, and said with a grin.
"Teacher, what are you talking about! You have taught me so many interesting things, why are you not worthy of being my mentor?"
James whispered.
"But... that is your dream after all."
"Dream? Not to mention, that is at best one of the ways to realize your dream," Alberto smiled and waved his hand, saying nonchalantly, "And I am living a good life now. I have my own shop, and I have endless time, so I can do what I like freely."
As he said that, he turned his attention to the man-made giant beast standing on the snowfield, looking at the masterpiece he and his mentor had created together, his eyes sparkling with pure light.
"If I had really stayed in the tower, staring at a pile of moldy files, and being forced to make do with my colleagues like you, I would never have had the chance to make something so interesting."
James looked at the open-minded student, and the guilt and regret in his heart were instantly replaced by a strong feeling of emotion and resonance.
Yes——
This is the real pursuit of these "others".
He almost forgot that he initially entered the Academy for the pure reason of pursuing the truth. Why did I lose all hope and forget my original intention as soon as I left the school?
“I never thought that one day I would be educated by my own students.”
Looking at those eyes full of innocence, James showed a relieved smile on his face. He took off his lenses, wiped them lightly with a handkerchief, and then put them back on.
The moment he put on the lenses, his eyes became extremely determined.
"So... let's get started."
Okay!"
Alberto shouted excitedly, then jumped into the cabin hastily and pulled down a brass lever.
With a low roar, the alchemical furnace below the cabin was instantly ignited, and a stream of hot orange flames spurted into the opening at the bottom of the airbag like an angry dragon's breath!
The huge air bag that was originally slumped on the snow like a deflated skin bag began to make a "ho ho" breathing sound.
The leather was stretched taut, and the wooden keel made a heart-wrenching "crunch" sound. It trembled and squirmed, like an ancient behemoth waking up from its slumber!
Under the breathless gazes of the two engineers and countless apprentices, it slowly but surely straightened up its huge body.
"It's moving! It's moving!" the craftsman's apprentice standing next to the airship shouted excitedly, his glowing eyes as if he had witnessed a miracle.
The same goes for James.
Although he did not shout out, his heart was filled with shock. I'm afraid even if Saint Sith came to him, he wouldn't be able to be so surprised.
That is not a power driven by magic—
It is not a god either!
They used the power that mortals can touch to lift a ship that could only travel in the sea into the sky!
The cables of the airship were stretched straight one by one. After dragging on the snow for several meters, there was a slight friction sound from the bottom of the pod, and then there was a sudden light.
This creation, which mainly relies on natural wind and buoyancy rather than powerful magic, is like a giant that has broken free from the shackles of the earth, slowly rising into the clear blue sky!
"Hahahaha! Tutor! I'm flying!"
Alberto, whose hair was ruffled by the wind, poked his head out of the porthole and laughed excitedly like a child. It wasn't until he was given a mouthful of wind that he honestly retracted his head, closed the porthole, and faced the dazzling joysticks again.
"Let me see... it should be this one."
He held the steering wheel tightly and recalled the operating instructions attached to the footer of the drawing, just like a captain who set sail for the first time, starting the first "driving" in his life.
He tentatively pulled the steering wheel to the left, and the airship's bow suddenly sank and turned at a precarious angle.
This scene was so frightening that James, standing on the snow, had his heart skip a beat and almost pulled out his wand.
Saint Sith is on top——
If such a big ship really fell from the sky, his magic would not be able to hold it up!
Looking at Alberto who was messing around in the sky, he shouted loudly.
"Be gentle! Alberto! Its keel is still very fragile!"
His voice couldn't reach that high at all.
Unlike the frightened Professor James, Alberto, who was at high altitude, had no fear at all and instead let out strange screams of excitement.
"Oh, oh, oh! This is so exciting!" He hurriedly corrected the course in reverse, clumsily adjusted the wings on both sides, and tested each component again.
The airship swayed in the air, like a drunken fat man, drawing a crooked arc in the sky.
Although the posture was awkward, it did not fall after all, and eventually became stable after reaching a certain height.
Alberto cast his gaze to the ground through the window and was completely fascinated by the sight in front of him.
The houses on Craftsman Street turned into exquisite models under their feet, and the high tower of Xuebang in the distance seemed to be within reach, like a lighthouse inserted in the snowfield...
The airship hovered over the snowy field for a week. After confirming that all control systems could "respond", Alberto began to land without feeling satisfied.
The broad belly of the ship was like a sled, plowing a deep ravine in the snow, and finally stopped.
The burning stove was completely extinguished, and the airbags held up by the hot air also relaxed. Also relaxing were James' heart in his throat and his right hand holding the wand.
Hence Saint Sis...
Happily there was no accident!
"We...we succeeded! Mentor! We succeeded!"
Alberto excitedly jumped down from the cabin, rushed to James, who was already waiting on the ground, and gave him a solid bear hug.
James was equally excited, his face flushed, he smiled and patted his student's shoulder hard.
"Damn it! You brat almost scared me to death!"
Alberto said with a smile.
"Hahaha! Isn't there nothing wrong?"
Two middle-aged men, who together are almost eighty years old, are as excited as two undergrown children at this moment.
Including the craftsmen and apprentices standing around, they all excitedly cheered for the victory, whistled and high-fived each other.
This is not only the success of an airship, but also the best proof of the value of these scholars and craftsmen who have been marginalized by the mainstream academic circles!
Perhaps for powerful magicians, flying is not a great miracle, but just a matter of waving a magic wand.
However, for mortals who do not possess extraordinary powers, soaring into the sky is a dream that almost everyone has had.
Now they can finally stand up proudly and answer with a confident voice——
We can do the same!
Alberto wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned to the still excited apprentices, and shouted loudly with an unprecedentedly excited voice.
"Quick! Go to the Tower of the Great Sage! Tell His Highness the Prince! Our "No. 2 Unit"... No! Our "Voyager" can finally fly!!"
…
Unlike the sparkling snowfield, Professor Hector's office is dimly lit and the air is dull, like a gloomy dungeon.
The mountains of documents on the towering bookshelves are almost overflowing, squeezing the entire room into only a narrow corridor.
Since the labyrinth incident, the great sage's lukewarm attitude towards him, as well as the overt and covert ostracism of scholars from other factions, have made this professor, who has always been rigorous in his studies, feel very anxious.
Since the "Servant of the Apostle of Chaos" appeared beside him, many mentors and professors who had worked closely with him have alienated him intentionally or unintentionally, and he can only face this mountain of work alone.
At the same time, perhaps because he was worried that he was exhausted, the senior management of the Tower of the Great Sage suddenly began to block the budget for his new project.
That's just a budget, not a virtual realm. He really doesn't understand what these people are reviewing. Wouldn't it be better to just approve it to him?
With the financial support of the empire, when has Xuebang ever been short of money?
Hector threw a rejected research budget application on the table irritably, and the papers were scattered on the floor.
He felt that the entire tower was against him, and every gust of wind passing through the window lattice seemed to be mocking.
"When people are unlucky, their teeth are choked by cold water..." He muttered an old proverb, shook his head and waved his wand, causing the budget application that had fallen on the floor to float back to the table.
At this moment, there was a short and light knock on the door, and Hector answered impatiently.
Come in.”
The door was pushed open and Assistant Coach Corgi walked in. He still walked briskly, but his face, which usually had a smile on his face, looked a little heavy at the moment.
He gently placed a letter and an exquisite wooden box that was kept at a constant temperature with magic runes on the only empty space on Hector's desk.
"Professor, His Highness Colin sent me." Corgi reported briefly, and then stood aside with his hands down, waiting for instructions.
Hector frowned, his heart full of doubts.
This guy who never plays by the rules always goes straight when he comes to visit me, just like going back to his own home. When did he become so formal?
He waved his hand suspiciously, indicating that Corgi could retreat.
After the office door closed again, he turned his attention to the two items on the table, and then reached out and picked up the wooden box that exuded a faint cold air.
The moment the lid of the box was opened, a sweet fragrance mixed with pure magic instantly filled the entire dim room.
Five round and plump fruits are lying quietly on the velvet cushion. The clear fruit shell is like transparent glass, reflecting the bright luster of the stars.
Hector froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.
This...is this "Starfall Fruit"? !
He subconsciously picked up one, and the cold and warm touch penetrated into his heart through his palm. Just sniffing the intoxicating fruity fragrance was enough to make him feel peaceful.
Hector quickly closed the box without hesitation.
Of course, this kind of good thing must be enjoyed slowly, and everything from the shell to the pulp must be fully utilized. Exposing even a little bit of aroma is a waste.
Hector took a deep breath, as if to inhale the missed aroma, and finally calmed down his restless heartbeat.
However, it didn't take long for the ensuing confusion to catch up with him, leaving a puzzled expression on his face.
"It's strange..." He muttered.
That prince who always took advantage of him would actually be so kind as to give him a gift? And it’s such a precious thing!
Hector had only heard of it. Even in the garden of the great sage, such top-notch magic materials were rare.
It is simply not available on the market.
With suspicion and trepidation, Hector put down the box containing the fruit and reached out to the unopened letter.
Although he hasn't seen the content of the letter yet, he can guess it with his toes. That kid must have caused himself a big trouble again.
Based on the principle of being soft-spoken and short-handed, Professor Hector thought that he still had to help His Highness.
It's a pity that I can't protect myself now, so I'm afraid I won't be of much use...
It has to be said that this honest and honest professor may not understand "His Royal Highness Colin" better than his own Corgi assistant.
If His Highness wanted to entrust him with something, he would never write a letter or send a message. He would always talk about the matter in person.
The moment he opened the envelope, the guy who never played his cards according to the routine, unsurprisingly, once again exceeded his expectations.
The letter paper has a faint fragrance of ink, and the handwriting on it is as elegant and powerful as ever. In a few lines, I wrote farewell and cherishment.
【……这段时间承蒙关照，煽情的话我就不讲了，那不是我的风格。 As for the five fallen stars, just think of them as my return gift. 】
Hector was stunned.
Colin...
Leaving? !
What's going on? !
Thousands of emotions surged into my heart in an instant, but the most overwhelming one was reluctance. It was only then that he suddenly realized how good the guy who seemed to be taking advantage of him was to him, but he had never realized it.
The old professor's eyes flashed with a trace of loss and hesitation. With mixed feelings, he sat at the table in silence for a long time, and finally turned into a long sigh.
This man from the Holy City was like a gust of wind, coming suddenly and hurriedly, and leaving too unprepared.
But he was not surprised.
He had this feeling a long time ago. The scorching sun does not belong to this snowfield. It will leave one day, just like the sun will eventually set.
"...Take care."
May you shine brightly in another sky.
…
In the Magical Science Laboratory, the afternoon sun was warm and bright, and everything seemed orderly in front of the huge windows.
Bain and Harder were arguing fiercely around a drawing, while Ilana was in her seat preparing the manuscript for the next issue of "Science". Even Ophia, who had always been active, was rarely holding a thick classic and reading quietly.
While the mysteries of mathematics are fascinating, they can also be frustrating to those with mediocre qualifications.
After realizing that she could not surpass Ilana in mathematics, Ofelia began to work hard in the field of magic.
This is a shortcoming that Ilana cannot overcome in any case. The young lady of the Castellon family only makes a little effort, and the miracle of the gods will naturally come to her.
This world is so unfair, even in a school that advocates equality and pursues the truth.
While everyone was enjoying the quiet daily life, His Highness Colin's assistant teacher Miller suddenly walked in from outside the laboratory.
That face, which is always full of energy on weekdays, now carries a seriousness that no one has ever seen before.
He did not speak, but silently walked to the window of the laboratory, clapped his hands, and motioned for everyone to come and gather.
"Everyone, please put down what you are doing for the moment. Our respected mentor wants to show us the...miracle he has recently completed."
He didn't know what words to use to describe that incredible masterpiece, so he used the all-purpose word miracle.
When all the students in the laboratory gathered in front of the window curiously, Miller slowly raised his arm and pointed to the distant sky outside the window.
Following the direction of his finger, everyone saw a huge spindle-shaped object rising slowly from the snowfield in the direction of Artisan Street.
It is like a seed that breaks free from the constraints of the ground, flies into the blue sky, and plants incredible dreams in the cloud field.
Ophia's eyes widened in astonishment. She tried hard to identify the strange creation, and subconsciously expressed her first impression.
"A flying...walnut?"
She seemed to have seen the sail!
The Castellon family has many, many ocean-going cargo ships, but she has never heard that any of their ships can fly into the sky!
This is incredible!
Her innocent and out-of-line metaphor made many apprentices laugh. As the atmosphere became lively, excited chatter spread among the crowd.
Listening to the discussions among the young boys and girls, Miller's heavy expression felt a little more comforted, but the sadness on his brows did not dissipate.
His eyes did not leave the gradually rising spectacle, and he tried hard to cover up the sadness in his heart with a calm tone.
"His Royal Highness the Prince said that it is called an 'airship'."
"Although its birth was accompanied by a miracle of magic, its lift-off did not rely on any spells... but completely relied on the most basic scientific principles he taught you in science class."
As soon as his words fell, exclamations sounded from the side.
"Doesn't rely on magic?!"
"How... is this possible?!"
Harder and Bain blurted out almost subconsciously, with disbelief written on their young faces, as if the assistant coach was joking.
But Miller was obviously not joking, and just said in a normal voice.
"The secret of its ability to fly into the sky is hidden in the books he left behind."
When he said this, he suddenly paused, as if conveying an extremely heavy motto, and changed into a low tone.
"In addition, he also asked me to tell you something——"
"Never give up the search for the truth."
This intriguing sentence left many people stunned.
Ophelia was the first to come back to her senses. Her jewel-like pupils were filled with disbelief, and she asked eagerly.
"Wait...why did that guy ask you to tell us?! Why didn't he tell us himself?"
Because she was so anxious, she forgot about decency and elegance for a moment, and even used the inelegant wording of "that guy".
Why did she come here? !
But now, he told her... that he was leaving? !
Ilana also came back to her senses after hearing this question. For the first time, her always calm face was filled with confusion and anxiety.
And a trace of reluctance that even she herself was unaware of.
Jimmy and Ram quickly moved to the window, looking at the airship flying farther and farther away, and exclaimed softly.
"It seems that it has not come back."
"Your Highness... Tutor, is he really going to leave?"
The faces were filled with confusion and reluctance, as well as a trace of uncontrollable sadness.
Although many smart apprentices have long felt that His Highness Colin has been preparing to leave the school, including establishing the journal "Science" that focuses more on academics rather than identity and authority, including encouraging them to give lectures on the podium of science classes, etc...
But none of them thought that this day would come so suddenly that they would be caught off guard if they were not ready.
Before Miller could answer his question, Ofelia rushed out of the door without saying a word, her slender shoulders trembling slightly.
Ilana glanced out of the corner of her eye, and there seemed to be a few crystal drops of water hanging from the corners of her red and swollen eyes... The princess didn't want others to see her shameful side.
out of concern for her good friend, Ilana did not hesitate and followed Ophelia's footsteps.
Even at this moment, she was extremely sad in her heart, suppressing tears, and wanted to bury her face in the pillow and cry...
Jamie and Ram looked at each other, speechless for a moment. Harder and Bain were like eggplants beaten by frost, with their shoulders slumped and silent.
The sadness of farewell pervades the laboratory. There are bound to be many sad people in this mage tower today...
Miller doesn’t want to look at their faces, because he is afraid that the sad atmosphere will contaminate him and break the strength he has built up in his heart.
Taking a deep breath, he restrained his emotions and bid farewell to the sail that gradually disappeared into the sky with a cherished look.
“He said...this is the last lesson he teaches us.”
"He flew here, so he will leave by flying."
"He hopes that you will never give up the search for the truth, and never forget why you came to this desolate snowfield."
At the same time, on the top of the tower, a kind gardener was also watching the direction in which the airship left.
The corner of Dosuq's mouth turned up into a smile.
Although Norvell's divine choice has a lot of savvy and often does little things under his nose, he has still kept his promise honestly.
Xuebang does not need "science".
His servants only need to bury their heads, keep their ears straight, and complete their instructions step by step.
Of course, he allowed them to call themselves "scholars."
His thoughts drifted away as the airship drifted away. Dosuk suddenly thought of the apprentice he sent to the south, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up with a playful smile.
"I forgot to tell you."
He faced the blue sky and said in a voice that was almost a whisper, "I also prepared a "gift" for you in the south."
Arrogance and conspiracy are not enemies.
And greed, naturally it is not...