Steel and Mana

Chapter 357 – Returning to Ishillia

The faint, high-pitched sound of wind rushing past us resonated through the corridors of the Camelot, a steady sound that accompanied us while flying high above the clouds, heading towards the Imperial City of Ishillia. Leyla stood near the reinforced glass of the observation deck on the top floor, her brightly glowing eyes scanning the endless blue sky and white clouds below us. In the past decade, the Camelot had a few retrofits, including the top floor becoming a kind of luxurious, diplomatic deck. After we moved the airplane catching system to the bottom of the ship, the top was changed to where I sometimes welcomed guests whenever I had a meeting with foreign diplomats. It was the best way to use my favorite tactic:

Shock and awe. It just works.

Right now, I was up there with my kids, watching them with a proud smile. Sometimes, I fail to perceive how time passes... but looking at them, I had to realize how quickly they grew up.

Looking over their shoulders, watching the same endless view, I began thinking about what the future had in store for us. Ten years, although long from one point of view, short from another... There was still so much I had to do and bring to this world that another ten years didn't even seem enough. Most of my past years were all about selling knowledge to Mirian and Atuvia or others who came to visit Avalon... Then, replace that sold knowledge with new ones in Avalon itself. Like a new train. While steam engines were just spreading through the region, last year we introduced a new type of train for our people. One that was a diesel engine, thanks to our improved refineries.

Now, if I can finally secure a stable source for latex, something Atuvia brought a sample to me three years ago... I can finally start up a proper rubber manufacturing plant. It took long enough, but it was in arm's reach now, mainly because I learned that Roblesia and the Theocracy have the needed plants in abundance; they just don't use them. Or not well enough... If I remember correctly, they utilized the sap to seal their ships or something.

With a half-smile, I realized that thinking about issues like this showed how the world seemed so peaceful in the past few years compared to when Pascal was in charge. Even more so from up here, looking so untouched by the complexities of politics and the constant haggling for deals.

"We're going to be there soon," Leyla exclaimed with a sigh, pressing her hands against the clear glass. Her breath fogged the surface for a moment before fading, returning her grinning reflection. "Finally, a chance to see the Imperial City with my own eyes! Isn't it great, Arthur? The castle Dad took down, the markets Mom Luna uses in her novels, the people from all over the world coming there? It’s going to be incredible!"

"People come to our city from everywhere," Arthur answered as he stood a few steps away, arms crossed, posture stiffer for some reason.

I felt something was bothering him, but... If he didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't press. He would say it when it was time. He always did. Of course, despite his answer, I knew that he wasn't uninterested—far from it—but his mind, indeed, was elsewhere. What I didn't realize was that it was because the voice he told me about when he was little had returned. It had remained with him since that night, and even now, it didn't let his thoughts wander away from the message. From that strange pleading.

"Arthur, come on!" Leyla turned toward him, grinning. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and her thoughts were too preoccupied with the excitement of the trip to pierce the fog in her brother's mind. "Aren't you excited? This is history in the making, you know! We are the first official Avalon delegation heading to an intercontinental summit, going there on our very own airship. One that is already famous throughout the region. We may have dealt with the different countries and their delegations privately, but did we show up like this before all of them? No. This is the first. This meeting will be in the curriculum in less than five years, you'll see!"

"I get it, I get it," he replied, letting out a small chuckle. "It's incredible. The Camelot is a marvel. Everything about this ship is the pinnacle of our technological progress. Yeah, yeah. I heard the usual speech too many times to count... I wonder if they would be surprised we now have more of them."

"Probably. But you are not supposed to say it out loud." I nodded, stepping up to them and giving a gentle squeeze on his shoulder.

"I know. Keep your cards close to your chest." He nodded, smiling at me reassuringly.

And it was true. The Camelot wasn't just a lone airship anymore. It had sisters, three in fact. Of course, those three were smaller ones, barely half its size, all built for a specialized role. One was a designated troop carrier for my elite paratroopers. The second was built for our expanding mechs, directly made to serve my Knights and be their mobile base. The third, the newest one, was built to be an airship carrier. It was housing my latest upgrade, replacing some of our aging bi-plane squadrons with models brought forth from my memories of the Second World War. With being able to produce diesel at a rapid rate, they were also upgraded, primarily to create dive bombers.

I had a long debate with myself about introducing firearms to this world. I was afraid of one thing: escalating the possibility of wars on the continent. One way or another, all that I bring over will spread: trains, tractors, airplanes. Atuvia and Ishillia are already pushing to buy my plans for the biplanes, and I am thinking of trading them away. But... I don't know how I feel about guns. It could plunge this world into chaos, and, honestly speaking, if it spreads, old grudges would flare up, and the killing would restart with how easy it would be to arm the people compared to how it is now. It would change warfare... and not for the better.

So, the weaponry I put on the new generation of my planes was only known to a few people. Its parts were built separately, assembled by a selected few, and installed on the airplanes, giving them, as we called them, assault cannons to fire at monsters. They were designed to penetrate their magical shields. Still, we were disguising the armaments themselves as magic-fueled weaponry, making it less likely to be asked for, even if its existence gets discovered and the news begins spreading.

"Dad?" Arthur asked, seeing my expression shift a few times.

"I'm sorry. I got caught up in my thoughts," I said, looking at my daughter bobbing up and down next to us.

"Planning something new? For the ship? I still think the best idea was this observation deck," Leyla said with a gleam in her eyes, spinning on her heel to face us. Her boots clicked against the polished floor, and the sound was sharp and precise as if she were tap dancing. "Can we come up one night, too? To see the stars?"

"Leyla," Arthur sighed, shaking his head, trying to reign in his overexcited sibling. "We are not going on a science trip. We need to present ourselves well when we arrive; it will be our first public appearance as heirs to Avalon's throne! And as future mages. They will for sure know the last part!"

"So?" Leyla pursed her lips but shrugged in the end. "Yes, I know, it is important to keep up a good image of Avalon. But it is also good to show them they are the ones who need to conform to us and not vice versa! You should know that better than anyone, future Sovereign."

"..." Arthur stiffened at that, and I couldn't help but chuckle. She had spunk in her, alright. That's my girl! Still, I also knew that the title always felt heavy for Arthur, so I stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, squeezing him reassuringly, letting him know I was and would be there—always. "I know..." he said quietly, glancing back at me over his shoulder with a thankful smile.

"Something's bothering you," Leyla noted, sensing the same thing I did, probably even more deeply thanks to their connection. I watched her step closer to Arthur; her eyes narrowed slightly, and she studied him with a mix of curiosity and concern. "What is it?"

"Um..." Arthur hesitated. He wanted to tell us... But... The timing was not right? That was the feeling I got from my son while holding his shoulders.

Leyla was his closest friend, not only a sibling but one of the people he trusted completely. There it was again. I felt it... Time. In time. But… not yet. I had enough to worry about; that was... his thoughts. They were almost directly flowing into my own mind. This summit was too important, and he wouldn’t add an unknown threat to the pile. Not when he didn’t even understand it himself.

"Okay..." I sent back in a thought, making his shoulders relax under my touch. "I will always trust you, son."

"Nothing serious," he finally said out loud, keeping his tone neutral, his thoughts sending the same message to Leyla, too, who seemingly came to the same decision as I did. "Just thinking about the future. About what it means to represent Avalon."

"Sure." She smiled as she tilted her head, her expression softening. She knew him too well to believe that was the whole truth, but she also didn’t press him further. Instead, her smile widened, and she nudged his arm playfully. "It means we get to go to the Imperial City, dressed in fancy clothes, and eat extravagant food while watching old men argue. Fun~!"

"Fun?" Arthur snorted, a genuine smile breaking through his somber expression. "That's one way to put it. I would call it boring."

"Maybe!" She winked at him, her energy levels climbing. "You should lighten up, Arthur. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!"

"Not really," he countered, his tone deflated. "I'll probably have to go to a lot of these summits in the future."

"Okay, true," Leyla admitted, rolling her eyes. "But this is our first. And I, for one, plan on making the most of it. I’ve already got a list of all the places I want to visit. The Grand Market Square, the Palace Gardens, the Underground Library… Oh, and I heard there’s a café in the city that serves desserts made from a two-thousand-year-old recipe. Can you believe that?"

"I don't think the Library will be open for us." Arthur chuckled, shaking his head.

"I can open it," I added, looking at my children. "Let your daddy use his influence."

"See?" Leyla grinned, "We can go there after the café!"

"You and your sweets." Arthur shrugged, smacking his lips, "You’re going to spend the entire trip eating, aren’t you?"

"Absolutely," she declared, her eyes sparkling. "And you’re going to help me find all the good spots. Consider it your duty as my big brother!"

"Just don't leave smudge marks on the books if you do get down into the Library..." I added, thinking about what kind of face Mirian would make if she found an ancient tome covered in cake frosting.

Before Arthur could respond, footsteps echoed down the hall, and both of them turned as one of the ship's officers approached us. The man was tall and broad-shouldered, his black uniform immaculate, and his ranks showed that he was part of the bridge crew responsible for navigation. He stopped a few feet away and gave us a respectful salute.

"Lady Leyla, Lord Arthur, my Sovereign," the officer greeted, his voice deep and steady. "Captain Kustov wanted me to inform you all that we are nearing our target destination, and soon, we will begin landing procedures."

"That was fast." Arthur glanced at Leyla, who was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Oh, we should go to the bridge!" she beamed, clapping her hands together. "The Imaginary gives us the best view!"

"Let's go," I said, pushing them before us and nodding at the officer. "It has been ten years since I last came to this city. It will be nice to see it without setting it ablaze."

"Captain Kustov did mention..." the officer muttered under his breath, walking ahead of us, "That he hopes the locals won't get scared after seeing the Camelot again."

"Shock and awe," I laughed, making the officer smile, "What can I say? I just can't get enough of it."