"So... What now?" Ena asked.
"Well, we need to head to the teleporter to get to the airport," Leo said.
Isaac tilted his head a bit. "I thought portals were forbidden for short-distance travel?" he said.
"Portals and teleporters are different," Haruo explained. "As Kilian said before, portals are only for long-distance travel, like moving between different worlds. Due to their wide range and the environmental issues they cause, we can't use them for short distances."
"Teleporters are easier to use, though they can't get you very far—maybe half a mile, or a full mile if you're skilled enough to make a proper magic circle. They're great for traveling, but they drain too much mana and cause a lot of fatigue if used excessively," he added.
"Oh, I see. So, where's the teleporter?" Isaac said, finally understanding the difference.
"I have no idea," Haruo said.
***
It didn't take long for them to find the teleporter tucked in the corner of the hall. After stepping onto the platform and showing their tickets and IDs to the attendant, the runes lit up with a soft glow. In moments, they were sent to the airport above the building.
In front of them stood a large entrance, beyond which was a machine identical to the one from the last building—the same type Ena had broken earlier. Its sleek, metallic form gleamed under the lights, a stark reminder of their previous encounter.
The division arrived at the airport, which was far larger and more expansive than they had anticipated. As they took some time to explore, marveling at the towering architecture and bustling crowds, Isaac noticed Haruo right beside him, looking like he was on the verge of a stroke.
"...Are you okay?" Isaac asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"That fucking hurt... I knew it would take a lot of mana, but not that much," Haruo said, placing a trembling hand on his abdomen.
"Do you have a mana disability or something?" Tatiana asked.
"Just shut up. The more I talk, the more it hurts. Let's just go," Haruo said, his feet trembling as he walked toward the entrance.
"Now, we just need to enter the gate and book a flight," Leo said, wrapping up his tutorial on airship navigation.
***
After passing through the gate, they arrived at the airport without any trouble. The city beyond looked vastly different from the outside—thick smoke filled the air, giving it a distinct steampunk atmosphere. Towering buildings loomed over the crowded airport, where waves of people bustled about.
To their right, the docks stretched far into the distance, lined with massive airships resting on the platforms. Each one stood by, ready for departure, with towering balloons looming above them, tethered like waiting beasts.
The entire place felt less like a mere airport and more like a sprawling city suspended high in the sky.
"Holy..." Ena's eyes sparkled as she took in the breathtaking sight.
"This is pretty cool, not gonna lie. Feels like we just stepped into a steampunk movie or something," Ena said.
"Didn't I say to be quiet? My body still hurts from the teleportation, and you talking isn't helping," Haruo said, slumping onto a bench. "Can you just sit down and enjoy the view without talking?"
"I could, but just staring isn't gonna cure my boredom. And waiting sucks."
They were waiting for the others—Leo had gone to book their flight, while Tatiana had business to attend to with someone at the airport.
Theodor and Isaac had followed Leo after their tickets got mixed up with two other passengers, leaving only Ena and Haruo behind. With nothing else to do, they remained near the docks, surrounded by the constant hum of airships and the chatter of travelers rushing to their destinations.
"Do you think if my dad were still alive, we would've had the same lifestyle as before? Like when you kept chasing me around like a goose going after people?" Ena asked.
"Even though it was just a week, supervising you was kind of annoying. It felt like trying to raise a rebellious teenager. Like, seriously, aren't you supposed to be three years older than me? How are you the kid in this situation?" Haruo said.
"Oh, come on! I wanted to go outside too, you know? My whole life just revolved around being stuck in the house or at school! I wanna touch grass and buy my own shit instead of just flipping through TV channels all day!" Ena said.
"I mean, look at this! A badass steampunk airport floating way up in the sky—how cool is that? I wanna visit other cities too, you know!"
"What are you, some cliché cartoon princess trapped in a castle with her dragon or something? At least you had a home. I spent two years sleeping on the streets and had a brother to feed," Haruo said, throwing his arms up in exaggerated frustration.
"And let me tell you, those bugs are no joke when you're sleeping on the streets! Sometimes they'd crawl on my face while I was asleep!"
He sighed and slumped back onto the bench, letting his body sink into the worn wood.
"Scooch over I wanna sit!" Ena said.
"Oh, so now you wanna sit? Get your own bench," Haruo said.
Ena rolled her eyes before settling on the ground, leaning against the bench beside Haruo's leg. She pulled up her right knee, wrapping her arms around it as she let out a small huff.
"You're such asshole," Ena said.
"Why do you think if I changed my entire personality, anything would be different?" he said with exaggerated frustration.
"No, this seems perfect as it is," she said, resting her cheek against her knees.
"Were you a noble? You definitely look like a pureblood, so how come you're so poor?" Ena asked.
"Purebloods… or more specifically, semi-purebloods. After the first period ended, most of the population's genetics began to mix. Naturally, some sought to preserve their bloodline, refusing to marry outside their ethnicity or nationality." He said before putting his arm on his head as a cushion.
Ena listened intently, taking in his words with quiet curiosity.
"Keeping our genetics pure became nearly impossible as the population grew. Finding someone who was semi-pure, especially of the same ethnicity, was difficult. Sounds exhausting, don't you think?"
"You're not wrong. I mean, that's exactly why my father found it so annoying and pointless," Ena said. "He sold the family mansion and bought a regular-looking one—like those average nobles."
"Though there were some exceptions like our kimono's and other stuff. but aside that, he practically stopped the preservation."
"Why was your father's name Leon anyway? That's a foreign name—not exactly something you'd expect from someone trying to preserve traditions and genetics," Haruo said.
"I think he said it was because of my grandpa's dead friend. He decided to break tradition and name his son after him... probably? That's all i remember." Ena said.
"Ugh, what's taking them so long? We've been stuck here inhaling smoke for the past hour—I'm surprised I haven't developed a lung infection yet!" Ena exclaimed.
"You called?" Leo said, finally arriving with the others.
"If I waited any longer, I would've just gone there myself," Haruo said, standing up from his reclined position—only to accidentally hit Ena's head with his foot in the process.
"We're ready to go. Luckily, our flight is about to depart," Leo said before pausing. His gaze shifted to the side, an awkward smile tugging at his lips.
Haruo raised a brow as he looked at Leo's expression.
"Why are you making that face?" Haruo said, with his suspicion rising.
***
They made their final preparations before heading to their ship. It was grand—far larger than they had expected, towering above them like a marvel of engineering. Their eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as they took in the sight, gazing up in awe.
Until the massive ship departed, revealing another one behind it—a much smaller vessel in comparison.
"That's our ship?" Haruo said, his tone dripping with disappointment and disbelief as he shot a look at Leo and the others that came with him earlier.
Their ship was much smaller than they had anticipated, standing out from the others. While it still had the large balloon keeping it afloat, its design looked outdated.
The model lacked the sleekness of modern airships, and the massive front of the ship made it look almost mismatched. Still, an airship was an airship.
"This ship looks like it can hold fifteen people at most—maybe even less. Are you sure it's safe to ride?" Haruo asked.
"Doubt it can even hold us once we're in the air," Ena said, eyeing the airship with a sharp glare.
"Don't underestimate her. You'd be surprised how fast she can go," a voice spoke from behind them—a familiar one to both Ena and Haruo.
The entire division turned around to see who had spoken. The moment Ena and Haruo laid eyes on them, their expressions darkened.
"Yo."
It was Ren—the same person Ena had fought during her fifth test.
Haruo and Ena looked like they had just seen a ghost, their expressions tightening with the realization that this was bad. Very, very bad.
"You must be the captain. Nice to meet you, we're the Artifact Restoration Division," Leo said, introducing them. He raised a brow, confused as to why Haruo and Ena were sweating so much—especially Ena.
"Why are you so uptight? If this is about the test, don't worry—I hold no grudges. I already achieved what I needed from the tests," Ren said to Ena before walking past them and boarding the airship.
This comment shocked both Ena and Haruo. At first, they thought they'd be kicked out because of what happened during the fifth test. But since that wasn't the case, Haruo let out a quiet breath of relief before following Ren onto the airship.
The others got on without asking any questions, even if they were a little confused. Meanwhile, Ena was still stiff as a board—what she did to him back then wasn't exactly nice.
'His got to be lying... I mean like, cutting my points all the way to one just to piss him off surely triggered a nerve. Especially the middle finger i gave him..." Ena thought before entering the ship with caution
"Alright, before we start moving, let me see your tickets," Ren said, holding out his hand.
None of them looked surprised—they'd been expecting this. One by one, they handed over their tickets, and after a quick check, he slipped them into her pocket.
He turned and walked off without wasting a single second. "You guys are heading to the northern regions, right?"
"Get inside and make yourselves comfortable. We'll leave in five minutes."
"It was surprising, sure—but nothing to make a big deal out of," Haruo said with a sigh before stepping into the ship's cabin.
"That wasn't why I was surprised. It's because—" Leo began, Before being halted by a static.
"You're the captain here, just a quick reminder—avoid any rash decisions. This ship isn't in the best condition for a nonstop flight to the northern regions."
Haruo's expression darkened as he slowly turned his head toward Leo. "We're going there... In a single flight?"
"It wasn't my intention, okay? When I went to book our flight, I only found out that Kilian had already booked one for us—just ten minutes before we arrived!"
"What's the problem? Isn't a single flight better for us?" Ena asked
Isaac suddenly realized what it meant. His face went pale as he quietly sat on one of the compartments near the edge, close to the glass window. The others soon joined him, settling in together as they sat facing one another.
Not long after, Tatiana—and then Theodor—grew gloomy as the realization sank in.
Ena noticed and couldn't hold back her curiosity. "What!? What could possibly make this a bad thing?"
"There are pros and cons to this. You only looked at the benefits and ignored the problems," Haruo said, his hands clasped together on the table while leaning on it.
"Like what!? We're getting a free flight across the continent in a private airship—there are beds, and tables that could fit six people each! What could possibly be the downside?" Ena exclaimed.
"How long do you think our rations will last?" Haruo asked.
Ena, a bit confused, answered honestly, "About a week or two?"
"Alright, now that we know, what do you think we prepared before leaving? Camping gear, and some other essentials. And since this flight will probably take three months—if we're lucky—we've also planned to hunt, so if we run out of rations, we can still eat."
Ena still didn't quite understand where he was going with this, but she stayed quiet and listened.
"You probably already know there's one type of hunting we can still do."
"Yeah, duh. We can just go sky fishing," Ena said.
Everyone's mood grew even gloomier when Ena said that. The atmosphere felt suffocating, and Ena couldn't understand what was wrong.
"Sky fishing is a... tedious process," Isaac said.