Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Unto Tomorrow

Ya girl Marge is about to make a breakthrough!

Flying ships! Flying ships! Let’s make our own flying ships!

“Señorita.”

I turn around and Sophia—oddly wearing goggles today, but I can’t say I dislike the style—has the thing.

“Why, thank you!”

Merrily humming along, I plug the thing into another thing, which should make the whole thing a bit safer to test!

I take a step back and clean my hands. I’ve done a good job, if I say so myself…

The engine’s done! The new prototype’s about the size of a barrel. There are pipes running up and down the outside of it, but really, what idiot would put the mana injectors in the path of a swirling vortex of chaos in the first place, huh? It’s kinda aesthetic, anyway, so it’s fine? Meh, it’s a prototype—whatever!

“Señorita, where shall we test it?”

“Hm? Oh. Right. Testing.”

I hate testing. Can’t things just work? … Still gotta do it, though.

“Let’s go up on deck, then!”

***

We load the engine on a trolley and roll it up to the deck elevator. Going up on the elevator’s always so fun—it’s aeshetic!

Once we get on deck, I realize it’s nighttime. I didn’t think it took the whole day…

{Oh hey, Marge, what’s that?}

Is it just me or does Grey sound more upbeat tonight? But since he asked and I’m feeling pretty smug right now…

“Oh, this? This is a—” … w-what a blunder! I haven’t named it yet! “T-this is a new prototype magic engine!” Darn it!

{Ohh, a Margic Engine, huh?}

“Please! No! Not that kind of naming!” So embarrassiiing!

{Heh-heeeh—well anyway, I hope you’re gonna bolt it down somewhere, coz it’d really suck to find someone tossed overboard in this darkness.}

H-haha, scary…

“Don’t worry about it! It’s just a prototype, so I made it not even have enough power to move itself!”

{Huh, I guess that’s fine, then? Ah—hm? No, yeah, wanna say hi? Wait, I can do that?}

Huh, what’s he talking about all of a sudden?

{HELLOOOOO!}

…

“A woman?!”

{Jesuslordinchrist, that’s your first reaction?}

“H-how can this be! Thou art a vessel, and she, but a dame!”

I’m on my knees, sullen and sulky. A spotlight comes on and lands upon me. I see only my shadow, and the tears I practiced so hard to be able to summon at will in drama school!

“Why! Why not me, o Sir Grey!”

{Have you ever thought about how expensive your accident insurance could get?—Pfsh, you’re so mean to her, the heck…}

“H-hey now, that’s not even a joke.” Now I’m crying for a different reason. He’s right, I pay so much for mine…

{Anyway, just look out to portside for me?}

As I look out, the spotlight that was on me swivels out and points at a strange silhouette.

…

Silhouettes at night? The moon isn’t even out, though? Wait-wait-wait-waaaait—is that a ship?

“S-sophia.” My voice is still a bit quavering from thinking about my insurance.

“Sí, señorita, I can see it as well.” … she says, but she’s not reacting at all!

{Once again—helloooo! Nice to meet you both!}

Once again, I’m crying for a different reason. A spirit ship! I’ve spoken to two of them in one lifetime!

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“Grey! I love you! Who is this wonderful woman!”

{W-woah there. This is um—actually, do you wanna try introducing yourself?}

{Now you’re just being mean! It’s embarrassing!}

{Come ooon, it’s just a name!}

{Fine-fine-fine—fine! Nice to meet you two again. My name’s… November.}

{C’mon. With feelings.}

{That’s as far as you’re gonna get, bud.}

{C’mon, pal.}

{I’m not your pal, weeb.}

{I-I’ve buried that part of my life—fine, fine! You’ve got me!}

{Yes you do.}

{Shit. Real smooth.}

…

What’s with this blatant flirting in front of me.

“Sophia! We’ll be the better people and ignore this disrespect! Onwards to testing!”

 

We set up the trolley towards the fore where any amount of damage would be decently okay and not very collateral. There’s a bunch of attachment points for clamps and belts around the deck, so we use those to secure the trolley as best we could.

The engine itself is pretty darn well-secured to the trolley. I mean, I designed the trolley specifically for it.

I wonder if Grey and… November, was it? if they’re still talking over there. I hope they’re talking about my project. Hehe.

There aren’t any speakers towards the fore, but I’m pretty sure that if Grey dialed up the volume, we’d be able to hear him. Not sure if he’ll be able to hear us, though, so maybe he’ll hold off on talking to us about it until we come back.

The engine’s pointed out to the sea, so if it, somehow, exceeds my calculations by 2000%, and flies off, we’ll just lose a prototype.

All I really need is the data, anyway!

I connect the last of the cables on my side. On the other side of the engine, Sophia gives a thumbs up, so we both retreat back about 200 yards, practically right beside the command tower. I cast a blast barrier in front of us, and we begin the test.

There’s a yellow glow from the rear of the engine, punctuated by a humming noise. After a few seconds, the glow turns blue, then the brightest white, practically illuminating the whole deck and disturbing the air with a screech like an eagle.

Finally, the glow abruptly turns invisible, and the screech becomes a nice and soothing hum—all according to expectations.

Even if there aren’t any physical signs, the mana emission is crazy!

“Señorita, it seems to be vibrating.”

O-oh, whoops. I celebrated too early. Looking closely—huh, it really is vibrating. I guess the output’s a bit higher than expected? Oh well, that’s fine! It just means there’s more potential!

“Señorita, the exhaust nozzle seems to be overheating.”

Oh, that’s just fine. I didn’t really have anything up to the task anyway, so I expected that one to fail.

“Señorita, injector #3 is leaking.”

I immediately cast extra layers of blast barriers. Sure enough, the fore is lit up by a blue flash. My outer barrier breaks, but the five other layers are fine, catching bits of shrapnel here and there. Behind the dust, the prototype arcs over the ocean and disappears over the horizon.

{Uhh, Marge? That’s in the direction of Golden Port, you know?}

O-oh right. We’re basically right beside the command tower.

“W-well! It’s basically a wild rocket, so it’ll be fine! It definitely won’t hit anyone!—or anyone too important, at least…”

Mhmm. Yeah. It’ll be fine.

“Señorita, may I go back to my husband now? I have not slept in two days and these flirtatious ships remind me that I am married.”

Y-y’know, I thought Sophia’s been wearing goggles or something this whole time, but the circles under her eyes… “Uh, sure. See you again—in two days.” Yep. I’ll be nice this time.

***

On a sandy beach by the Golden Bay, Emperor Hiiro sheathes his sword, and his attendants nervously applaud his monstrous display of skill. Once the blade is completely ensheathed, he breaks into a hearty laugh. “Where is the person who sent this! I wish to do this again!”

Behind him, the remains of two halves of an engine smolder, hot to the touch. The sand underneath is glass, and the attendants surrounding it are particularly murderous today.

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