After leaving the audience hall, the man hastened his pace through the palace passageway and took off his outerwear roughly. He only exhaled in relief after loosening his tight collar. Formal wear was elegant, but was hard to breath in. Under his outerwear was a medium built body that didn’t look trained. From this, it was clear that the man wasn’t a knight or a craftsman.
“Sigh, the acting king is scary. Never mind, it’s thanks to his support that the Levitate Ship get to take to the sky.”
His name was Horacio Collazo. He had yet to celebrate his 30th birthday, but he had already climbed to the top of Žaloudek’s national technological development, and held the important post of central research workshop director, a fast track career.
That was because he — or rather, his clan— and the theory they propositioned, which was acknowledged by the weapons they developed, propelling him to his current status. His clan discovered the theory of ‘Pure Ether Usage’. The power that moves this world was Mana, and their focus was on the form Mana had before that, Ether, which yielded a wide variety of technologies. With the official funding by Žaloudek, they achieved a crucial result, the ‘Etheric Levitator’. This engine that was the representation of the ‘Pure Ether Usage’, and the first practical flying ship was born in human history.
“I am very grateful to His Highness, but this is getting overwhelming.”
The debut of the Levitate Ship coincided with the completion of the new Silhouette Knights model, as if a powerful force was pulling the strings from behind.
The royalty of Žaloudek inherited the same ambition every generation, which was the revival of the legendary super country that dominated the entire west through force. The power of flight granted by a new theory, combined with combat strength that couldn’t be matched by the old generation— the new model of Silhouette Knights fanned these flames of ambition.
“Things are getting hairy, the sharp gazes of the nobles is sure prickly.”
Bringing the ‘Pure Ether Usage’ theory out from their home town was the wilful decision by Horacio alone. He had a dream, and to fulfill this dream, he needed a large amount of funds, the backing on the level of an entire country. That was the reason he went as far as betraying his clan in order to help the Žaloudek Kingdom. From the way things were, his plan was moving in the direction of being realized.
“Ara~ where might my Levitate Ship be soaring in now? I wish this useless war will end already, I want to fly freely in the sky soon.”
He looked up into the sky from the corridor, and a moment later, his plain face turned serious. He walked towards the Levitate Ship hangar with large strides again, preparing to return to the central research workshop that was as good as his home. As only a limited number of Levitate Ships were built so it wasn’t widespread, he had the authority to use it as a personal means of transport as its inventor.
“Oh? That is…”
When Horacio reached the hangar, he happened to run into the princess who was about to board a Levitate Ship to Kuscheperca, Catalina. He then recalled the conversation he heard at the audience hall and an idea came to his mind. He hurried to Catalina.
“Pardon me, Your Highness Catalina, can I have some of your time?”
“You are… Horacio? What’s the matter? Isn’t your ship over there?”
Catalina was confused by Horacio who appeared suddenly, and pointed to the ship right beside hers.
“I know that Your Highness. I just wish to enquire about something with you.”
“... I need to hurry to Kuscheperca, please make this quick.”
Horacio offered his thanks, then gave a long speech:
“As I have said to Prince Carlitos, my job is to strengthen the power of the Black Knights and the Levitate Ship, but this isn’t something that can be done by being holed up inside my workshop. I need information… And the easiest place to get those is from the battlefield where the Black Knights and Levitate Ships are being used frequently… Kuscheperca.”
Catalina’s eyebrows twitched.
“In order to utilize my full potential and strengthen our nation, could you allow me to go with you to Kuscheperca?”
Horacio suppressed his urge to smile, he was bowing respectfully after all.