Journey to Iron Mountain Fortress

The next morning, Victor brought Veronica to the dock in Wood Fort Town. They were going to take a boat to Northwind City first, and then travel overland from Northwind City to Iron Mountain Fortress.

Rogier was already waiting here with his fleet. This fleet was not very large, with only 3 ships, but they had all been modified and strengthened to be suitable for sailing in coastal waters. The center of gravity had been raised and hard sails had been added, and the ships could reach a maximum speed of 12 knots. It would only take less than three days to travel from Wood Fort Town to Northwind City.

After Victor brought Veronica aboard the ship and greeted Rogier ordered the fleet to set sail.

The mornings in mid-September were already noticeably cool, especially on the water. Victor led Veronica into the cabin.

When Victor was explaining the ship's advantages to Veronica interrupted him.

"Victor, even if this ship is fast, it will still take us four days to get to Iron Mountain Fortress by land, not to mention the round trip, which will take a full eight days. The experiment has entered a new phase, and my absence will affect the progress."

"My great scientist, don't worry, you have done an excellent job. I handed this project over to you in early August, and you have achieved such a level of completion in just one month. To be honest, I really didn't expect it. I thought it would take at least six months to see a decent prototype."

"You've already provided the blueprints and ideas. I just need to lead the team to verify your technical approach. It's not difficult at all. Don't interrupt me." Veronica was very anxious. The Internal Combustion Engine Number One was of extraordinary significance to her, and she was really worried about it.

Victor grasped Veronica's hand and said sincerely, "Okay, Ms. Veronica, just consider this a bit of a whim. You'll come with me on a short trip for 10 days. I promise we'll be back in the Two Rivers Territory by September 15th, and it won't affect the progress of the Internal Combustion Engine Number One project."

Veronica was a little annoyed, but she didn't pull away from Victor's hand. Victor understood that Veronica had tacitly agreed.

"Whether it's the Internal Combustion Engine Number One or the subsequent generator and telegraph projects, the territory's research cannot be separated from you, Veronica. But you must pay attention to balancing work and rest. You've looked a bit haggard lately, which worries me, so I planned this short trip."

"Alright, since you put it that way, you have to promise me it'll be 10 days. I need to go back to the lab on September 15th."

"Yes, madam."

Just then, there was a knock on the cabin door, and someone outside said, "Your Excellency, a letter has arrived from the General Staff."

Victor pushed open the door, and there stood Little Paru, now a 15-year-old boy, only a head shorter than Victor, standing at just over 1.7 meters tall.

This long journey was also to test the maximum communication range of Gale. Victor took Gale and Little Paru with him. Little Paru had been following the Eagle Tamer Morey for almost three months and got along very well with Gale. He was already able to drive Gale to carry out missions. Meanwhile, the Eagle Tamer Morey stayed at the territory's General Staff to handle the other end of the communication.

Little Paru handed the letter tube he had just taken from Gale to Victor. Victor opened the letter tube, took out the letter inside, Victor examined the code on the outside of the letter, and after confirming that it was from the General Staff, he unfolded the letter to read it.

The letter was quite long. In addition to carrying out the long-distance communication test mission for the Gale, the General Staff also attached a revised rank conferment plan, which was also a task that Victor had previously assigned to the General Staff.

Victor thought the plan was acceptable, as it understood his previous intentions. It wasn't complicated; it added the third rank and nine grades of captain to the third-level sergeant major, which was a simple variation of the military ranks on Earth in his previous life, and it also took into account the actual situation of the territory's army.

Victor glanced at the proposal briefly, then stamped it with his personal seal to indicate his approval.

He put the letter back in the mailbox and had Little Paru send it back to the General Staff.

Little Paru placed the letter in the leather pouch on Gale's left leg, tightened the leather strap to secure it, and then issued the command.

At this moment, the Gale gathered its dark golden feathers and stood quietly on the dew-soaked railing of the ship, like a lifelike statue.

But the moment he received the order from Little Paru, his amber pupils contracted sharply, and his steel claws slammed into the railing.

In an instant, black and gold wings unfurled with a roar, the golden feathers at their tips transforming into waves in the wind. Then, with a flap of wings, vortexes of air were stirred up, and the massive body pierced through the morning mist like an arrow released from a bow, becoming a golden silhouette that disappeared into the sky.

The crew members watching from the sidelines whistled and shouted, "So beautiful!" "So cool!"

Captain Rogier quickly dispersed the men to prevent them from disturbing the Viscount and his fiancée.

"So beautiful!" Veronica exclaimed.

"Yes, the Desert God Eagle, such as Gale, is truly a marvel of nature. Every time I see it soaring through the sky, it fills me with awe," Victor praised.

"I wish I could fly up into the sky like it. I wonder what that would be like," Veronica said with longing.

Little Paru, who was standing to the side, nodded in agreement.

Victor suddenly froze, then suddenly remembered something, and pulled Veronica directly into the cabin.

He left Little Paru with the words: "Don't disturb him for now. If the General Staff replies, wait until he comes out before giving it to him."

Little Paru stood there, stunned. At this moment, Rogier walked over from the side, shook his head, and said in a tone of someone who had been there before, "Kid, you're still young. When you meet a woman you like, you'll be just as impatient as the Viscount."

Little Paru suddenly looked at Rogier with disdain and said, "I've been a slave since I was a child. What haven't I seen? Your Excellency is not like you sea gamblers who can't control your lower bodies."

After saying that, he turned and left without giving Rogier a chance to reply. Rogier stood there muttering to himself, "How can a sailor's actions be described as being unable to control his lower body?"

Inside the cabin, Veronica, her face flushed, said with great resistance, "Victor, please don't do this. We're still on the ship. There were so many people on deck just now."

However, she didn't appear as resolute as she sounded; she closed her eyes and stood motionless.

After a while, seeing that Victor hadn't said or done anything, she opened her eyes.

She saw Victor drawing and writing on a piece of paper at a small table inside the cabin. Curious, she walked over to see what Victor was doing.

"A hot air balloon? What's that?"