Chapter 263. The Albion Isles
November 7, 12th Year of Crossing Over
My mind has been in turmoil due to the issue with Elizabeth. However, I feel that I shouldn't be wasting time on a complicated relationship which I don't even know how it started. I need to focus on the task at hand. This trip wasn't for leisure, after all.
We're close to reaching the Albion Isles. I visited this place five years ago. However, Doctor said that the island had undergone massive changes in the meantime. I'm curious about the changes, and I hope that they are positive ones.
I wonder where Anna is now. I'm a little worried. Next time we meet, I plan to get her to keep me informed of her movements. At least I can provide her assistance in case of any emergencies.
Of course, I'll try to persuade her to stay on land instead. But knowing her character, that would be a tough task.
Just as Charles wanted to write the next line, a flash of light from outside the porthole caught his attention. He hurriedly wrapped up his journal entry for the day and walked over to the window.
Peering out, he saw a white beam of light cutting through the inky dark expanse—it was the glow from the Albion Isles' lighthouse.
"Mr. Charles, have we arrived?" Lily questioned as she scurried up his leg.
Under their watchful gazes, the silhouette of a brightly lit island slowly came into sight.
Known as the most famous island in the Northern Seas, the land size of Albion Isles made all other islands pale in comparison. Charles almost thought he had laid his eyes on a new continent.
The first impression Charles had of the island was the island's smokestacks billowing black smoke. He seriously wondered if the area of the cavern overhead Albion Isles had turned completely black from the soot.
As his fleet drew closer to the island, he could distinctly smell the pungent mix of sea brine and acrid smoke in the air.
"I don't remember there being this many smokestacks when I was last here..." Charles muttered to himself as he gazed at the distant island.
The most striking difference between Albion Isles and the other islands was the seemingly inexhaustible electricity supply. Even the noisy, chaotic port area was adorned with numerous yellowed light bulbs.
The yellow of the bulbs below and the black of the billowing smoke above were the main color schemes of the Albion Isles.
While Charles was observing the features of the island, a sound akin to an air raid siren suddenly echoed from the Albion Isles.
With the sounding of the siren, several battleships armed with high-caliber cannons headed toward them. Swiftly responding to the situation, the Hope Island fleet also sent a speedboat forward to meet them.
Charles had thought that their fleet might be held at the open seas and be denied from parking at the docks. However, they were surprisingly allowed entry.
"They didn't give you any trouble?" Charles asked the captain, who had returned from the speed boat.
"Governor, they said that friends from Hope Island can enter the port. But we must pay a docking fee," the captain reported.
"Friends, huh?" Charles let out a self-deprecating chuckle. He and Swann were far from friends.
"Let's dock the ships then. We should meet this friend of ours."
The majestic fleet drew the attention of the islanders on Albion Isles. Chatter and speculations rose among them as they tried to figure out the identity of the visitors.
"Since we're here, I'll make a move first. If you want to take a look at the contents too, then go to the University of Steam Engineering," Laesto said as he limped down the ladder toward the docks.
"Stay safe."
Laesto let out a snort. "I have more acquaintances here than you. Worry about yourself first. Don’t let Swann get the better of you."
Watching Laesto's figure disappearing into the crowd, Charles turned and boarded the car that was already waiting for him.
As a governor visiting another island, it was an unspoken rule of the entire seascape to meet the island's ruler.
Charles didn't bring many people with him. He only brought along Lily, Feuerbach, and the bodyguards under him.
"Where's the best shipyard here?" Charles asked the bearded driver while stroking Lily’s red fur.
"There are no private shipyards on Albion Isles; all of them are being controlled and managed by the navy. I don't really know much to answer your question, sir," the driver replied.
Hearing his response, Charles didn't press on further. He rolled down the car window to view the scenery outside.
As the car wheels rolled on, Charles and his party entered the island's central district. The City of Machinery truly lived up to its name. Mechanical devices that couldn't be seen on other islands were commonplace here.
The technological level on the island was also evidently higher. Charles even noticed some people meddling with large, bulky disk drives.
"Mr. Charles, look over there! That's the television you were talking about!" Lily exclaimed in amazement as she peered out of the window.
The screen towered almost as tall as a person. Though it looked incredibly shabbily made and bulky, it was unmistakably a television.
"The technological advancement here seemed to be proceeding too fast. These things didn't even exist five years ago. The things from Newbound City surely had a great impact on the Albion Isles."
If their technological developments were to progress at the same rate, it wouldn't take long for the technology in the seascape to catch up with the modern world that he knew of.
Time passed by, and finally, their car arrived in an area filled with factories. Looking at the ceaseless black smoke billowing from the chimneys, Charles's curiosity was piqued. He wondered what these numerous factories were producing.
Charles signaled to stop the car.
"Can we go in there?" Charles asked.
The driver nodded. "Of course, this is Mr. Jim's factory. His business has many dealings with Hope Island. I believe he won't object if he knows that you, Governor Charles, want to have a tour of his factory."
Charles stepped out of the car and walked toward the factory gates. Entering the compound, he found everything eerily familiar. The space and every component of the factory reminded him of the factories on the surface world.
It's so noisy. That was Charles' first impression as he entered the workshop. Enormous machinery, assembled from gears and pumps, sprawled across the center like a monstrous beast.
It seemed to be some sort of power machine, tirelessly driving a press that pounded relentlessly.
Despite being from the surface, Charles had never seen a machine like this, so everyone else from his party had also never seen such a spectacle. Expressions of surprise appeared on their faces.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Workers rapidly inserted gear parts into the machine's cavities for stamping.
Charles deduced that they were manufacturing parts for some machinery.
Observing the workers' weary faces and dark circles under their eyes, Charles was convinced that they were severely sleep-deprived.
Am I witnessing the horrors of the Industrial Revolution? Charles mused.
Seeing the exhausted workers, Charles was certain that the press had undoubtedly crushed many fingers.
"Wow!" Standing next to Charles, Lily wagged her tail in amazement as she took in the sights around her with wide-eyed wonder.
Just as she curiously observed her surroundings, something from under the machinery began to slowly creep toward her.
Suddenly, a shriveled little dark-skinned hand reached out from beneath the machine and grabbed Lily.
"Ahhhh!"
The moment Charles heard Lily's scream, he tensed up. As he turned around, a sharp black blade had already appeared in his hand.
Swish!
With a flash of cold light, the blade sliced through the air and severed the hand at the wrist. Crimson blood spurted out of the wound.
By the time Charles rescued the frightened Lily from the grasp of the unknown hand, the little mouse was in extreme shock. She clung to Charles' finger and couldn't stop crying.
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