Chapter 771: A Lazy Pilot, a Crowded Cabin ( 771 )
After leaving the grand hall, the night air greeted them. Hesbeirn trudged behind Javier, a bottle of liquor in hand, his heavy steps echoing against the stone. He let out a long sigh that sounded more like a growl.
Javier walked at his usual unhurried pace, hands in his pockets, until he stopped in the middle of the vast courtyard.
It'd be more fun to just ride Buddy all the way to the Dwarven kingdom…
But with Pekko speed, even tripled, it still means days on the road. Too long. Too exposed. And like Father said… don't be careless, don't be arrogant. Even knowing how strong I've become.
He raised his palm toward the open courtyard. Mana rippled outward, bending the air until a massive shadow took form.
A huge transport drone appeared, its polished frame gleaming under the moonlight. Its wings hummed faintly as it hovered, runes glowing softly along its hull.
Hesbeirn whistled low, then chuckled, swigging from his bottle. "Alright, boy! I'm going to sit at the back and enjoy my drink."
"Yes, yes… uncle Hesbeirn," Javier replied lazily.
"Oi! Don't call me uncle!" Hesbeirn barked.
"Yeah, yeah, sure," Javier said with a smirk.
Then he noticed two familiar figures approaching from behind.
"Young master," they both called at once.
Javier turned, his lazy smile appearing instantly. "Oh, Liana, Gloria."
"You're going somewhere?" Gloria asked, her tone calm, but her eyes sharp behind her glasses.
"Yes. My father asked me to fetch… ah, invite Chieftain Gumarak and his officers to the feast." Javier tilted his head lazily toward the massive transport drone humming behind him.
"With that?" Liana's brows arched as she gestured toward the machine.
"Yes," Javier said, smirking faintly. "After all, this is the fastest way to bring them here. If I use this and fly at full speed… I can get there and back within an hour, maybe a little more. Depends."
The two maids fell silent, exchanging a glance. Their eyes carried the same thought: Danger. Risk. What if something happens to him?
Javier chuckled softly, noticing their hesitation. He leaned back against the drone's frame, arms crossed.
"What's with the long faces?"
"Wanna join me?" he asked, his voice calm, teasing.
Liana smiled faintly. Gloria followed with her own calm smile. Neither said a word.
They simply moved past Javier and climbed up into the transport drone, slipping smoothly into the front seats.
Javier exhaled, shaking his head with a wry grin. "Heh… you two never listen, huh?"
He climbed up after them, settling into the pilot's seat. Liana and Gloria sat gracefully at either side of him, close enough that their presence filled the cabin with quiet warmth.
At the back, Hesbeirn had already claimed a row of seats, his massive frame sprawled comfortably. He tipped his bottle back with a hearty gulp, the clink of glass echoing faintly inside the drone.
Gloria adjusted her glasses, glancing toward the back rows. Her eyes lingered on the wide, cushioned seats, lined in polished metal and glowing softly with runes.
"This… can hold more than twenty passengers. Luxurious, too."
"This is big," Liana added softly, her hand brushing along the armrest.
Javier smirked. "Yeah. This is the biggest transport drone I've made. The others aren't suitable for passengers. Only for troops… or my special operations unit." His voice carried a hint of pride as he ran his hand across the controls.
He leaned back, cracking his neck lightly. "Alright. Seat belts on, and prepare. We're going to fly now."
Hesbeirn raised his bottle in the air, grinning. "Hah! To the skies, boy! Don't shake it too hard, or I'll spill!"
Liana rolled her eyes. Gloria only sighed. Javier chuckled under his breath.
Javier tapped on the floating magic screen, the runes flickering as it linked with the Sky Eye system.
"Destination: Dwarven land."
A glowing line stretched across the map projection, the route highlighting itself in steady light.
"We'll use this course and fly straight without detours. Since the only thing in the sky tonight is… well, this."
Liana leaned closer, her voice curious. "But what if a wild wyvern happens to be flying tonight?"
Javier's fingers moved smoothly across the controls. His tone remained calm and polite.
"This transport drone's built with a full magic sensor array. It detects anything that flies nearby. If something approaches, the system automatically shifts our altitude or changes course, so we won't crash head-on."
Gloria nodded quietly.
"And besides," Javier continued, his gaze steady on the screen, "wyverns don't usually fly at night. Not unless they're disturbed or being used for war."
The hum of the drone deepened as it gained height, clouds parting around them. Below, the land stretched endlessly, the rivers and forests glowing faintly under the moonlight.
Javier leaned back in his seat, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Still… I prefer our Pekko for travel. Moving on land is more fun for me. The scenery, the experience, the breeze. With them, it feels alive. This… this is fast, and we can see the view, sure...but it doesn't compare."
Liana smiled softly at his words, while Gloria's eyes lingered on him, adjusting her glasses with the faintest chuckle.
Hesbeirn in the back leaned against the wide seat, bottle in hand, chuckling as he enjoyed the view outside.
Then Liana spoke softly. "Ah… we forgot something, young master."
Javier glanced at her. "Hmm? What is it, Liana?"
"I believe Felicia and the other was following us before."
"Eh!? Are you sure!?" Javier's head snapped around, his eyes narrowing.
Before Liana could answer, Hesbeirn's loud voice rumbled from the back.
"You mean this catgirl, boy!? And this demon girl? Oh, and this silver-haired catgirl?"
Javier's eyes went wide. He twisted around in his seat.
"Oi! Since when did you three sneak in!?"
From the back row, three familiar figures froze, Mimi puffing her cheeks, Delya shrinking slightly with her hands clasped together, and Felicia sitting perfectly composed, her fan resting lightly against her lips as though this was all perfectly natural.
Before any of them could speak, Hesbeirn waved his bottle casually. "Hmm? I noticed them following me when I climbed up the back ramp.I figured you invited them."
Javier dragged a hand down his face, sighing heavily. Damn it… of course. Figures they'd sneak aboard.
( End Of Chapter )