Chapter 224: The Luxury Life of a VIP
The Noble-Class Private Dirigible slowly left the ground.
Its ascent was smooth.
So smooth that if someone wasn’t looking outside the windows, they might not even realize the giant airship was already moving.
Below the vessel, powerful winds spread outward.
Dust rose from the airport grounds.
Loose papers fluttered.
Several workers instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces as the massive airship climbed higher into the sky.
Ezra and Lucy had already made their way to the Observation Chamber.
The two stood before the giant panoramic windows that stretched from floor to ceiling.
From there, they watched the airport below gradually shrink.
The docking towers.
The smaller Dirigibles.
The passengers moving across the terminals.
Everything slowly became smaller as the airship continued rising.
Soon...
The airport itself became only a small section of the scenery.
The surrounding districts of Lumithar began appearing.
Roads stretched across the city like threads.
Steam-Carriages moved through them like tiny insects.
Smoke rose from factory chimneys.
Buildings that once looked enormous now appeared small from this height.
Lucy couldn’t take her eyes off the view.
After the Dirigible finally pierced through a layer of clouds and reached its cruising altitude, the vessel shifted smoothly into forward motion.
The journey toward Northwick had officially begun.
Ezra stood quietly by the window.
His black eyes reflected the sprawling city below.
The entire city of Lumithar could now be seen.
The sight reminded him of satellite images from his previous life world.
A strange feeling briefly surfaced within him.
Then disappeared.
Eventually, he walked toward one of the observation sofas and sat down.
Meanwhile...
Lucy remained standing with her hands resting against the glass.
Her eyes moved everywhere.
Below.
Ahead.
Above.
Every direction seemed interesting.
"Wow..."
The word escaped her naturally.
She looked like a child seeing the ocean for the first time.
Her eyes sparkled.
"This is incredible."
Her gaze shifted from the endless sky ahead to the world below, then an idea suddenly struck her.
"I should take pictures of this!"
Without wasting another second, she hurriedly pulled out her Starlix 11.
Click.
Click.
Click.
The camera function activated immediately.
She began taking pictures one after another.
The sky looked especially beautiful that afternoon.
The sunlight spread across the clouds, making some looked like floating islands, others resembled giant mountains made of white cotton.
Golden light poured over them from above.
The scene looked almost unreal.
Lucy continued taking pictures enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, Ezra’s attention had drifted elsewhere.
He wasn’t focused on the scenery anymore.
His gaze wandered toward the structure of the Dirigible itself.
The giant framework.
The positioning of the engines.
The distribution of the weight.
The placement of the propulsion systems.
Everything interested him.
His mind automatically began analyzing the vessel.
If I were to build one...
The thought surfaced naturally.
His fingers lightly tapped against the armrest.
The more he looked around, the more ideas appeared.
At the same time...
Another curiosity surfaced.
Military Dirigibles.
The Noble-Class Private Dirigible already possessed mounted defensive weapons.
When boarding earlier, Ezra had clearly noticed several concealed cannons positioned along the sides of the vessel.
There were also reinforced ballista installations.
Some sections of the hull appeared thicker than others.
His senses had even detected high concentrations of Cognis flowing through various sections of the airship.
Those weren’t random.
They were clearly parts of complex Alchemy formations.
Ezra rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Now I’m even more curious about how the Main Family weaponized their military Dirigibles."
He muttered quietly.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Although..."
A pause followed.
"I’m not expecting anything too impressive."
His voice remained calm.
"We’re still stuck with the problem of proper gun innovation."
Of course...
That didn’t stop him from imagining what military airships could become.
Heavy artillery.
Rotating cannons.
Bomb deployment systems.
Long-range weapons.
His previous life’s military knowledge immediately supplied countless possibilities.
Still...
Those thoughts remained thoughts for now.
Everything depended on his future.
Especially after entering the Royal Academy.
Only then would he have enough influence to begin introducing larger ideas.
"Mr. Ezra."
A female voice interrupted his thoughts.
Ezra raised his head.
"Yes?"
The sudden appearance of the attendant didn’t surprise him, since his senses had already noticed her approach.
The female attendant stood beside him with professional posture.
A pleasant smile rested on her face.
Unlike the BNC representative who escorted them earlier, this attendant appeared to be one of the airship’s hospitality staff.
"Would you like anything to drink?"
She bowed slightly.
"Tea, coffee, juice, or perhaps something else?"
"I’m fine."
Ezra replied immediately.
Then he pointed toward the other side of the Observation Chamber.
"You can ask her instead."
The attendant followed his gaze.
Lucy was still taking pictures.
The enthusiasm hadn’t faded even slightly.
The attendant smiled, then headed toward her.
At that moment...
A faint mechanical sound echoed from above.
Several panels on the ceiling shifted.
Then a large holographic screen materialized over the center of the Observation Chamber.
A theater performance soon began playing.
The image quality was impressive.
The sound spread evenly through the room.
Lucy finally finished speaking with the attendant and returned.
She dropped onto the sofa opposite Ezra.
"Ahhh..."
A long breath escaped her.
The exhaustion on her face looked genuine.
For someone who had spent the last hour doing nothing but admire the scenery, she somehow looked like she’d finished a day’s work.
"I’m exhausted."
She leaned back. Her shoulders relaxed.
"I just kept taking pictures. Again and again, and then more pictures."
The attendant returned shortly afterward with a glass cup of cold orange juice rested on a silver tray.
Ice cubes floated inside.
A slice of orange sat neatly along the rim, and a straw completed the presentation.
The drink itself looked refreshing.
Lucy immediately accepted it with both hands.
"Thank you."
She bowed politely, then took a sip.
The reaction was immediate.
Her eyes widened.
The satisfaction on her face became obvious.
Another sip followed.
Then another.
The exhausted expression disappeared almost instantly.
For the next several hours, the two remained inside the Observation Chamber.
Sometimes talking.
Sometimes simply watching the endless scenery outside.
Eventually...
They moved to the Dining Salon for lunch.
The experience itself felt luxurious.
Soft orchestral music flowed through the room.
Violins played slowly with the Pianos and other orchestras music instrument accompanying them.
The melodies blended naturally with the atmosphere.
The food itself was equally impressive.
Every dish looked carefully prepared.
Every plate looked artistic.
Even Lucy hesitated briefly before eating.
The chefs clearly treated food as a craft.
After lunch...
The two separated.
Ezra returned to his private suite.
The study section of his room quickly became his temporary workplace.
Documents floated across his holographic screen.
Presentation drafts.
Auction notes.
Blueprint explanations.
He used the travel time to continue refining everything.
Meanwhile...
Lucy fully embraced the luxury experience.
The young maid wandered throughout the airship.
The Tea Parlor.
The Observation Chamber.
The Grand Lounge.
Wherever she went, she enjoyed herself.
Like that...
The days passed peacefully, with nothing major happening.
Ezra completed his presentation withing that time.
Lucy enjoyed life as a VIP guest.
From time to time, announcements echoed from the control room.
They informed passengers about nearby cities and landmarks.
Whenever something interesting appeared below, Ezra and Lucy would head to the Observation Chamber.
One day it was a city.
Another day it was a mountain range.
Sometimes it was an industrial district.
Sometimes it was a river stretching across the landscape.
Then...
One afternoon.
A shadow swept past the panoramic windows.
Lucy immediately looked up.
Her eyes widened.
The shadow returned.
This time accompanied by several more.
"It’s as large as a Steam-Carriage."
She stared outside.
A flock of giant birds flew alongside the airship.
Their wings spread wide.
Their feathers were snow-white.
Their red eyes reflected sunlight and their claws looked capable of tearing through steel.
"Those are White Volcans."
Ezra replied.
His gaze followed their movements calmly.
The birds continued flying.
Yet none of them seemed to notice the airship.
An attendant standing nearby smiled.
"Please don’t worry."
She folded her hands politely.
"This airship possesses several defensive systems."
She pointed toward the window.
"We also have powerful Alchemists protecting the vessel."
Her smile widened slightly.
"And the Dirigible itself possesses high-grade Alchemy Circle engravings."
Lucy looked outside again.
The birds flew past.
Not a single one glanced toward the vessel.
As though it didn’t exist.
"It’s Illusionary Alchemy."
Ezra quietly muttered.
The attendant looked surprised, then impressed.
"You’re very observant, Mr. Ezra."
After sightseeing the White Volcans, the two returned to their usual routine.
At some point...
The feeling of traveling disappeared entirely.
The Noble-Class Private Dirigible felt less like transportation.
And more like a flying luxury hotel.
The movement was almost impossible to notice.
Everything remained smooth.
Comfortable.
Relaxing.
The best part was that the entire Private Dirigible had been reserved exclusively for them.
Every facility.
Every service.
Every room.
Everything existed solely for Ezra and Lucy to enjoy.
Like that...
Four peaceful days passed.
Then finally...
"WE WILL BE LANDING AT CAMFORD AIRPORT, NORTHWICK, IN THREE MINUTES. PASSENGERS, PLEASE PREPARE FOR LANDING."
The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the entire Noble-Class Private Dirigible.
The announcement carried through every corridor, lounge, dining salon, and private suite aboard the vessel.
By this point, Ezra and Lucy were already waiting inside the Reception Hall.
Their luggage had been packed long ago.
There wasn’t much to prepare.
The four-day journey had finally come to an end.
Several attendants stood nearby with professional smiles on their faces.
As the massive Dirigible gradually descended, some of them politely distributed commemorative BNC badges to Ezra and Lucy.
The badge itself was made from polished silver.
The crest of the BNC Broadcasting Group had been engraved onto its surface.
Lucy accepted hers carefully, examining it with obvious curiosity before pinning it neatly onto her maid uniform.
Meanwhile, Ezra simply slipped his into his pocket.
The airship continued descending.
Through the massive crystal windows of the Reception Hall, the airport below gradually became clearer.
The giant docking towers.
The landing platforms.
The countless people moving about.
Everything slowly came into view.
Soon...
The Noble-Class Private Dirigible landed smoothly.
The impact was almost impossible to feel.
The entire process felt so gentle that Lucy looked slightly disappointed.
She had expected something more dramatic.
"It already landed?"
She blinked.
The attendant beside her laughed softly.
"Yes, Miss Lucy."
The young maid looked toward Ezra.
"That was fast."
Ezra nodded.
"The stabilization systems are probably extremely advanced."
His eyes wandered briefly toward the structure of the airship, admiring the airship all over again.
The amount of Alchemy and engineering involved in constructing something this large is highly impressive.
The boarding bridge was soon connected.
Then the passengers—or more accurately, the only two guests aboard—were escorted out.
The moment they stepped outside...
A different atmosphere greeted them.
Camford Airport was every bit as busy as Lumithar Airport.
Not busier though.
Massive Dirigibles occupied numerous docking stations.
Some were luxury-class vessels.
Others were commercial transportation airships.
Several military-grade airships could even be seen farther away near restricted sections of the airport.
Workers pushed cargo carts.
Engineers inspected arriving vessels.
Passengers moved through the terminals.
Nobles.
Merchants.
High-class citizens.
Travelers from various regions of Britannia.
The entire airport buzzed with activity.
Steam hissed from nearby docking machinery.
Whistles occasionally echoed from distant platforms.
Announcements continuously played overhead.
The place felt alive.
Above them, another Dirigible slowly departed from one of the towers.
The giant vessel drifted into the sky.
Its shadow briefly covered a section of the airport before disappearing.
Lucy watched it until it vanished into the clouds.
Meanwhile, security throughout the airport was visibly tight.
Members of the Guards of Gale stood stationed throughout the terminals.
Their uniforms carried the crest of the Duke House of Galehart.
Several patrolled in groups.
Others monitored checkpoints.
Alongside them were State Guards.
Both organizations worked together to maintain order across the enormous transportation hub.
The level of security alone showed how important Camford was.
Eventually, Ezra and Lucy reached the exit.
Several BNC workers who had served aboard the airship stood near the boarding bridge.
The attendants bowed politely.
"Thank you for traveling with us."
One of them smiled.
"We hope to see you again."
Lucy immediately waved back.
A bright smile rested on her face.
Truthfully...
She looked happier than she had in days.
The luxury.
The sightseeing.
The food.
The experience of flying.
Everything had exceeded her expectations.
The satisfaction practically radiated from her.
If not for the maid uniform, she wore, many people would’ve likely mistaken her for the daughter of a noble family or a highly paid employee of a major company.
As for Ezra...
He simply raised one hand.
A small wave.
Then he followed the directions provided by BNC.
The two headed deeper into the airport.
The large halls stretched endlessly before them.
Crystal lights illuminated the pathways.
Polished floors reflected the movement of travelers.
The architecture itself felt different from Lumithar.
There was a more artistic touch to everything.
Decorative glasswork could be seen throughout the terminal.
Colorful stained-glass panels decorated certain sections of the walls.
Even the support pillars carried elegant engravings.
As they walked...
People began noticing Ezra.
At first, it was only a few.
A passing businessman.
A pair of young nobles.
Several workers.
Then more.
Whispers slowly began spreading.
"Isn’t that him?"
"The Phantom Rolls inventor?"
"I think that’s Ezra Ashenlocke."
"The one BNC invited."
People glanced toward him.
Some openly.
Others discreetly.
Ezra’s invention had traveled farther to the vast lands of Britannia.
The Phantom Rolls had become one of the most discussed topics in Britannia over the past few weeks.
Combined with BNC’s nonstop publicity campaign, his face had become familiar to many.
The whispers continued growing.
Especially because nearly everyone in Camford already knew about the upcoming Auction Event.
And more importantly...
The main attraction of that event.
"Welcome to Camford, Mr. Ezra."
A man’s voice interrupted the growing whispers.
Standing before them was a gentleman dressed in a wine-colored suit.
Black gloves covered his hands.
The BNC crest rested proudly on his chest.
His posture was straight.
Professional and polished.
Behind him stood a Noble-Class Steam Carriage.
The vehicle’s wine-colored body gleamed beneath the afternoon sunlight.
Silver engravings decorated its exterior.
The wheels carried polished steel reinforcement.
The entire carriage radiated wealth.
Ezra and Lucy politely returned the greeting with small bows.
At the same time, another BNC employee approached.
She handed them a beautifully designed tourism flyer.
"Welcome to Northwick capital city Camford."
She smiled warmly.
The flyer contained information about major tourist attractions throughout the region.
Entertainment districts.
Historical landmarks.
Famous theaters.
Glass museums.
Luxury shopping centers.
The employee briefly explained several locations before stepping aside.
Meanwhile, another female staff member collected their luggage.
She loaded everything neatly into the carriage.
Only after ensuring everything was secured did, she close the rear compartment.
The gentleman then opened the carriage door.
"Please."
Ezra entered first, then Lucy followed.
The two BNC representatives entered shortly afterward, leaving the last person who waved them goodbye.
The doors closed.
A few moments later...
The engine started.
Steam hissed through the pressure system.
The Noble-Class carriage smoothly pulled away from the airport.
As they traveled through Camford, Lucy pressed her face closer to the window.
Her eyes moved everywhere.
The city felt familiar.
Yet different.
The roads reminded her of Metallica.
Wide streets.
Steam-Carriages moving constantly.
Pedestrians filling the sidewalks.
The same organized chaos present in every major city of Britannia.
Steam rose from factory chimneys.
Small businesses had already opened.
Store owners stood outside greeting customers.
Delivery workers moved between districts.
The city bustled with life.
It was one of the defining features of a prosperous Britannian capital.
Still...
Differences quickly became noticeable.
Unlike Metallica.
Unlike Lumithar.
Camford carried a lighter atmosphere.
A more artistic atmosphere.
There wasn’t snow covering the streets.
There weren’t endless metal industries dominating entire districts.
Instead...
Large theaters appeared regularly throughout the city.
Massive broadcasting company buildings rose above surrounding structures.
Glasswork advertisements decorated many streets.
Even some buildings featured beautiful glass architecture built into their designs.
Northwick’s economy revolved heavily around entertainment and glass manufacturing.
Theaters.
Broadcasting groups.
Performance halls.
Glassworks.
Those industries dominated the region.
Of course, there were still countless other businesses operating throughout the city.
But compared to entertainment and glass production...
They clearly occupied a secondary position.
Lucy continued staring outside.
Meanwhile, Ezra quietly observed everything.
Because for the first time...
He had finally arrived in the capital city where the biggest auction of his life would soon begin.
