The First Flame

Although Rowan knew that these three Jainas were mirror images given physical form through arcane magic, they looked no different from Jaina herself.

Once everyone got busy assembling the Steam Power Engine, Rowan could no longer tell which one was the real Jaina.

Every Jaina took the work in her hands seriously, her expression solemn as she carefully controlled the rate at which the fire elemental burned.

After Jaina fused the iron plates together, Rowan checked the integrity of the welds. Then he and the young blacksmiths ground them down, making the cylinder's inner walls smoother.

Everyone worked with enthusiasm to get the warship out to sea ahead of schedule, and they made rapid progress.

By nightfall, they had finished assembling the Steam Power Engine. Filled with anticipation, everyone gazed at the hulking machine, which measured more than 1.5 meters across and nearly two meters tall.

With no paint in other colors available to coat it, the Steam Power Engine before them looked more like a lump of iron assembled from scrap.

From a distance, ordinary people would surely have mistaken it for a rock.

Yet to Rowan, every inch of this steam engine radiated industrial beauty.

This was Rowan's first step toward building a fleet, and the most important one.

Rowan planned to hold a ceremony for the warship's departure the next day. He wanted every resident of Morris Town to see that even without wind runes, the Norwington Family could find other ways to send ships out to sea and keep them all safe.

Unlike the busy blacksmiths, Jaina had sweated right through her white shirt. In the glow of the furnace, Rowan could faintly make out the pale blue undergarment she wore beneath it.

After a full day's work, the blacksmiths packed up and went home, leaving only Rowan and Jaina in the blacksmith shop.

"You owe me a skirt, a coat, and a shirt." A lively ball of water rose above Jaina's hand. Like a nimble sprite, it rubbed and slid across her coal-ash-streaked face.

Rowan fell silent for a moment, then forced a somewhat awkward smile onto his solemn face. "Thank you, Jaina."

The ball of water hovering in midair stopped at once, then fell to the ground with a splat.

A wet patch spread across the floor. Jaina stared blankly at Rowan and said, "As long as you understand how I feel, that's enough. You don't have to thank me."

"I want to rebuild the Second Fleet and wipe out the pirates of Freehold once and for all." Rowan brimmed with drive. He had been in Azeroth for a month, and now he finally had his first clear goal.

Rowan knew perfectly well that although he was now the eldest son of the Norwington Family, he was still an ordinary person at heart. Jaina was different.

At sixteen, Jaina was already a Level Six Archmage. In the future, she would become one of the most powerful archmages in Azeroth. If I don't have a clear goal, the only purpose of my existence will be to give Jaina someone to worry about.

I, Rowan, came from another world, and now I'm the only son of Norwington Estate, with abundant resources and all the advantages of my position. If I can't change the world, how am I any different from a useless layabout?

Of course, the most important thing is still to marry Jaina first.

Since I can't become a mage anytime soon, I'll focus on building up my own strength and create a force powerful enough to shake the entire Kingdom of Kul Tiras.

"You have to take the road one step at a time. Don't reach too far too soon. Right now, your most important task is getting the sailing warship in the harbor out to sea. Tomorrow is when we find out whether steam power really works. Get a good rest tonight, and don't let us all down tomorrow."

"I will." Rowan stood and nodded.

Jaina gave him a happy smile. She gently pressed her dry lips together, then waved. "I'll come again tomorrow."

Early the next morning, the sea mist hanging over Morris Shipyard gradually dispersed.

It was only nine o'clock, but the shoreline beside the shipyard was already packed with townspeople.

Every year, when the fleet set sail, all the residents of Morris Town came to the shipyard to pray for the warships heading out that year.

This was a tradition in Kul Tiras. After all, no one could be sure whether a soldier boarding one of those warships was the son, brother, or husband of someone in the crowd.

Thus, in every town in the Kingdom of Kul Tiras near a shipyard, everyone took part in these grand departure ceremonies.

The people prayed for no other reason than to see the soldiers return safely from the sea.

Under the townspeople's watchful eyes, Byron rode toward the shipyard on his warhorse, bringing a large flatbed cart drawn by four warhorses.

The townspeople's gazes all converged on the lump of iron lying on the cart, and quiet discussions soon broke out among them.

"Surely Young Master Rowan isn't planning to put that lump of iron aboard the ship? It's so heavy. Won't it just make the warship even heavier?"

"I know this is a little disrespectful to the Norwington Family, but do you really expect a sixteen-year-old young master to solve a problem even Baron Delin couldn't?"

"Exactly. Young Master Rowan is probably just here in Morris Town to dabble."

"Enough of that. Since Young Master Rowan dealt with the Troggs that had plagued Baron Delin for decades, I believe he can get these ships out to sea."

To make the departure ceremony more impressive, Rowan had boarded the largest sailing warship in the harbor ahead of time.

The sailing warships built by Morris Shipyard were small-to-medium vessels within the Kul Tiras Fleet. In naval battles, they mainly handled maneuvering and supported the flagship in breaking apart enemy formations.

Byron brought the Steam Power Engine to the harbor. The workers secured it with lifting slings and ropes, then used a large wooden crane to hoist it up to the cargo hold at the stern.

The workers responsible for installing the Steam Power Engine had entered the cargo hold beforehand. They had all received some basic training from Rowan, so installing the engine was not difficult for them.

About half an hour later, the steam engine was securely in place inside the hold. Finally, Byron walked onto the deck carrying a large iron smokestack on his shoulder.

Byron worked with the crew to install the smokestack, completing the steam engine's installation.

At the last moment, a dazzling arcane light flared on the deck. Jaina had arrived at the shipyard through a Teleportation Spell.

The townspeople spotted Jaina from afar, and the departure ceremony immediately grew lively.

As the spiritual symbol of the Kingdom of Kul Tiras, the Daughter of the Sea, Jaina was loved and respected by the people wherever she went.

If I don't get this warship moving soon, this departure ceremony will turn into a welcome ceremony for Jaina, Rowan thought.

"Why don't you light the first flame?" Rowan invited Jaina.

Jaina nodded slightly and followed Rowan into the hold.