The Beginning of the Voyage

The Magic Empire was once a very powerful nation and an exceptionally brilliant civilization. In that era, they possessed countless crystallizations of magical wisdom. The magic ship was one of them, originally used to transport passengers between various floating cities. At that time, the people of the Magic Empire had largely abandoned the inefficient mode of transportation, such as horse-drawn carriages, and instead adopted methods like teleportation portals and magic ships.

The Moon Princess magical ship, is the most original prototype of this type of vessel. Built by Belmondo, one of the thirteen Arcane Mage of the Magic Empire and a master alchemist, it is 260 meters long and can accommodate over 2,000 passengers. As a magical ship, it lacks a waterline; the entire hull serves as its cabin. This is Belmondo's most prized masterpiece, its streamlined exterior resembling a crescent moon, hence its name. Designed by Arcane Mage, it contains fifteen massive anti-gravity arrays and, like the floating city, relies on the power of its "core" for propulsion. This ship, once a symbol of the Magic Empire, was decommissioned after 150 years of service and subsequently treasured by Belmondo in his proud exhibition hall. It is also one of the most valuable relics and books Li Lin received before the collapse of the Capital of the Magic Empire.

As a magical ship, the Moon Princess itself is not particularly conspicuous. It has no sails or anchor, and its exterior is entirely white and smooth. Apart from the Belmondo personal mark printed on the stern, there are only the symbols of the Magic Empire.

"This ship isn't bad at all."

Standing on the stable deck, Angela gazed in astonishment at the magical ship that was steadily floating in the air, and couldn't help but let out a gasp of amazement.

"Hmph... I never expected it to end like this. Those idiots on Earth, they'd risk their lives just to fight for the sky."

"Although I don't know how backward and barbaric the place where you are, Miss Angela, this magic ship is the crystallization of the greatest wisdom of the Magic Empire."

Yi Aier, who boarded the ship shortly after, would not miss any opportunity to confront Angela. Moreover, as the person in charge of magical weapon research and manufacturing in the Ringwraith City, she had also put a lot of effort into restoring the ship.

"The hull, constructed from Orichalcum Steel, minimizes the ship's weight and boasts excellent conductivity. The anti-gravity array, etched with an absolute golden ratio, is further enhanced by wind-resistant spells placed within the hull's layers. The 260-meter hull is flawless! Perfect as both a passenger ship and a warship. Ah... look at those nacelles, bisected by triangles... they can be used as artillery emplacements at any time. The superb isolation system ensures there's absolutely no risk of it falling. Truly a masterpiece worthy of Belmondo... This is more than just a magic ship; it's a work of art!"

"... So you... are interested in these things."

Angela's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she watched the blonde, twin-tailed maid, her cheeks flushed with excitement, almost unable to contain herself.

"Of course! Miss Angela! Magical creations are the crystallization of great wisdom, the most exquisite works of art! Not just the magic ship, but the core structure itself is breathtaking. Ah... although it is far less than a tenth of Ringwraith City uses, its complex structure and ingenious Magic Power transmission system are already an extreme embodiment of art! Yes, that is the epitome of perfection! In your world, I suppose there is no such wonderful existence."

"Those idiots are risking their lives just to fly."

Surprisingly, Angela did not refute Yi Aier's words this time.

"What can you expect a bunch of humans who believe they evolved from monkeys to produce?"

"Huh? Are the humans in Miss Angela's world evolved from monkeys?"

Upon hearing Angela's words, Yi Aier's eyes widened in surprise.

"How utterly barbaric..."

"Hmph. It's just a hypothesis anyway. In any world, there are plenty of idiots who rely on outrageous nonsense to attract attention. Humans are humans, and I have absolutely no interest in the masochistic mentality of insisting on acknowledging monkeys as ancestors."

Angela clearly didn't want to dwell on this issue.

"It seems you two are having a very pleasant conversation."

Li Lin's voice came from behind, causing the two women to immediately turn around. They exchanged a glance, snorted coldly, and looked away.

"Then, let's prepare to set sail."

After glancing at the two of them, Li Lin could only shrug helplessly and let them be. As long as Suoxiate was around, they wouldn't cause any major trouble.

Although a considerable number of people were involved in repairing the magic ship, none of them could leave the Ringwraith City. As for the mage apprentices who were still learning, they were already doing their best to master the magic system of the Magic Empire, and they simply had no way to control the ship's operation.

Fortunately, magic ships are different from ordinary ships sailing at sea. As long as they have coordinates and a route, magic ships will automatically sail to their destination. The crew members on magic ships have no special tasks other than observing and maintaining the core; their only remaining duties are serving the passengers. For now, the work of this ship is naturally entirely in the hands of Yi Aier.

After receiving Li Lin's order, Yi Aier gave Angela a defiant look, then swayed her two golden ponytails and ran into the captain's cabin.

"How are you, Angela?"

Walking up to Angela, Li Lin patted her little head triumphantly.

"This must be the first time I've ever traveled through a sea of clouds like this."

"It is indeed the first time."

Angela to the railing and looked down at the white sea of clouds and the vast, boundless land below.

"Master, you don't think I would go to the nose of an airplane to experience something like that, do you? How could I possibly be interested in something that's so unstable even when it's flying?"

To be honest, since Li Lin and Angela met, Angela had never flown even once. If a quick trip was needed, she would rather fly than take one of those "giant iron birds." Even when Li Lin flew for study or work, Angela was generally against it. Moreover, she absolutely refused to go with Li Lin, preferring to arrive at the airport early to pick him up rather than fly—a strange habit that Li Lin found intriguing.

"By the way, why do you hate flying so much?"

If it were just a matter of safety, Angela probably wouldn't care that much. Even Li Lin himself was initially quite concerned about the safety of this thing called an airplane. Especially when the airplane was jetting off, he would feel uneasy. However, because he possessed enough magic to protect himself, he didn't take the danger too seriously. Although Angela didn't have as many spells as he did, after living on Earth for so long, she surely had ways to protect herself.

"I only say such things in front of you, Master."

When Li Lin asked her question, Angela frowned slightly, seemingly disliking the topic.

"Don't you think that airplane, with its short and narrow shape, looks like a metal coffin? I can't possibly share a coffin with hundreds of other humans."

"..."

It's so good that you're asking this question after you've already come into this world.

Just then, the ship trembled slightly, and the huge magic ship slowly turned its bow and set sail towards the boundless sea of clouds.

"Would you two like something to drink?"

Just as Li Lin and Angela were talking, Suoxiate's voice came from behind them. Turning around, they saw that the previously empty deck had somehow been filled with two chairs and an elegant tea table, with a beautiful tea set on it, and fruit and pastries on a plate next to it.

Although everyone was currently high in the sky, the protective shield of the magic ship had already isolated them from the cold outside, so even standing on the deck, they would not be harmed.

Where did you take that from?

Angela sat down curiously in the chair, looking at Suoxiate with a puzzled expression. She remembered clearly that just a moment ago, there was nothing here. But now, everything before her was real; the comfortable chair and the soft tablecloth were definitely not illusions. The little girl was very confident in her senses. If Suoxiate had prepared these things with surprising speed while she and Li Lin were chatting, it certainly wouldn't have escaped her notice. In fact, these things seemed to have suddenly appeared on the deck after Suoxiate called out to them.

"I'm sorry, this is a trade secret."

In response to Angela's question, Suoxiate gave a rather formal smile and answer.

"So, would you two like something to drink?"

"Um... give me a cup of milk tea, no sugar."

"I am the same."

"I see."

Suoxiate nodded slightly. Then she turned around and picked up the teapot from the food cart behind her.

It's happening again.

Angela's eyes were fixed intently on Suoxiate, paying close attention to her every move. But just as Suoxiate turned to pick up the teapot, Angela was absolutely certain that there hadn't been a teapot there before. How Suoxiate had managed to produce these items was something Angela hadn't noticed at all. It was as if a scene in a movie had flown smoothly from one to the next, with everything in between omitted.

"To be honest, I've always been very curious."

Thinking of this, Angela asked.

"Sister Suoxiate is also a weapon, isn't she? So, what kind of power do you possess?"

"It's embarrassing to admit."

Although Angela's question was very sudden and presumptuous, Suoxiate still smiled very gently and formally, as if it wasn't a difficult question at all.

"Although I am the second of the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, I have no combat abilities whatsoever. In terms of strength, I am no different from a human girl of this age. Among the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, my purpose in being created is simply to serve my master's daily life, nothing more."

That's all?

Hearing this, Angela was also taken aback.

"As one of the Seven Weapons, yet possessing no combat ability whatsoever?"

"That's right. Compared to Nia or any other weapon, my combat power is zero. I don't have enough strength or Magic Power, so I can't use spells or physical attacks. That's why my master kept me by his side back then."

"But the illusion we saw at that time was..."

"That's my ability, not Magic Power, Miss Angela."

Suoxiate seemed completely unconcerned about exposing her shortcomings.

"As the 'Infinite Corridor,' my abilities are limited. It's regrettable that I cannot assist you in fighting on the battlefield. This is all I can do for you."

"This is also very important, Suoxiate."

Just then, Li Lin, who had been silently listening to the two's conversation, also spoke up.

"War isn't just on the battlefield. I'm very grateful for everything you've done; otherwise, I would have found it quite troublesome. Besides, you did me a big favor in the end, didn't you? There are never any useless weapons among the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, and I would never create anything without value."

Indeed, in the very end, Suoxiate was kept by Li Lin's side, thus proving the speculation that Magic Controllers could indeed control magical weapons like the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, and even confirming some of Li Lin's ideas. As for those Magic Controllers, although they used their abilities to control one of the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys, Suoxiate herself did not possess any special or powerful strength. Therefore, even if they manipulated her to attack Li Lin, it would be fruitless.

"This is what I, as a maid, should do, master."

Suoxiate lowered her head, making it impossible to discern her true thoughts.

"Well then... let's get down to business."

After putting down his teacup, Li Lin's expression became much more serious.

"Angela, I think you understand our destination and the significance of where we're going. You also know that Suoxiate has no fighting ability; we've brought her along solely to serve us. When negotiating with the dragons, we cannot show any sign of weakness. Dragons are greedy and stubborn creatures. I will persuade the dragons of the benevolent side; you should not interfere. However, when facing the evil dragons, I need you and Yi Aier to demonstrate your strength—to let them recognize your power without scaring them out of their wits. I think this shouldn't be a problem for you."

Please forgive my bluntness.

Hearing Li Lin say this, Angela showed a displeased expression.

"Why can't you just tame those winged Tyrannosaurus Rex and make them your pets? Then you can make them do whatever you want, right? Even if you want them all to die, would those reptiles dare to say a word?"

"They're not Tyrannosaurus Rex; their intelligence far surpasses that of dinosaurs—definitely no less than yours or mine. It's best not to underestimate them. Although those guys are reckless with money, they're all quite shrewd for their age. If I weren't confident I could threaten them through their gods, I wouldn't really want to deal with dragons... after all, their prices are never low."

Having anticipated Angela's response, Li Lin calmly explained.

"Furthermore, the dragon race has its own gods. The benevolent dragons, represented by the gold, Silver Dragon, and brass dragons, worship the Platinum Dragon God Bahamut, while the evil dragons, such as the white, black, and red dragons, worship the Chromatic Dragon God. We Arcane Mage do not interfere in the realm of gods; this is our principle. Moreover, their gods are currently being threatened by the God of Justice, God of Light revealed to me in our previous meeting... Gaining their assistance shouldn't be difficult if we utilize this information. However, dragons are a proud race. We only desire alliances, not salvation. If they consider themselves the saviors of the Magic Empire, they will become a burden to us. Therefore, we must demonstrate equal strength to show that we are not seeking their help out of desperation. I think you understand what I mean."

"I understand."

Upon hearing this, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Angela's eyes.

"However, I still hope that you, Master, can arrange a more relaxed job for me... If those guys who can perform in Jurassic Park after having their wings cut off dare to be disrespectful to you or me, then I won't guarantee what I'll do. I am a noble among vampires, an ancient and noble Vampire Species, how can I tolerate the insults of those inferior animals?"

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have brought you along."

Faced with Angela's frankness, Li Lin remained composed. Angela's arrogance was no less than that of the dragons, and perhaps even stronger. In this situation, if he could skillfully exploit this weakness to subdue the dragons, Li Lin was very confident. Especially the evil dragons; unlike the benevolent ones, those brutal, selfish, and extremely greedy creatures couldn't be dealt with simply by a few words. Li Lin could almost imagine the harsh demands and prices they would impose, but...

At that point... carrots and sticks will always have to go together.