Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 216: First Flight

Charlotte allowed the audience sufficient time to absorb the information she had presented.

Once she had covered the fundamental construction materials and how the system operates, she proceeded with her explanation.

"...The passenger cabin of the airship is designed with two floors. The lower floor is equipped with a dining room, lounge, and control room, while the upper floor is an observation deck. If you want to feel the breeze and get a better view, this is the best place to stop. If the weather is too cold and you don’t want to be exposed to the wind, you can rest downstairs."

It was no wonder that Astrid, the author of the popular novel "The Overbearing Prince and His Runaway Bride’s Peerless Pampering," had a keen understanding of aristocratic psychology.

When Charlotte first stepped onto the airship some time ago, she was subtly moved by the interior decorations and furnishings.

The corridors lined with luxurious carpets, the walls embedded with fire elemental crystals, the wine storage room, the kitchen where servants could cook, and the dining room where one could rest and eat after sightseeing, the first floor of this airship was almost a miniature palace.

Astrid’s explanation for this was that those who could see the potential value of this airship wouldn’t care about its exterior decorations, while those who couldn’t would still enjoy the high-end configurations of upper-class society, indulging in the pleasures of being a noble.

Admittedly, Astrid made a good point. In Charlotte’s view, many nobles within the empire were indeed only interested in indulging in luxury.

Though they lacked real talent, they could at least provide some political support.

Gaining their favor wasn’t a bad thing, and the initial financial investment was nothing in comparison.

Hearing that the airship’s interior facilities were so comprehensive, the venue once again buzzed with whispers.

Almost everyone was surprised by the grandeur of this giant airship and Charlotte’s bold moves, and they genuinely looked forward to the upcoming test flight.

Whether it succeeded or not, this would be a major event recorded in the history of the Valeria Empire.

After the whispers subsided, Charlotte picked up the scissors placed on the podium and brought the blade close to the red ribbon at the exit behind her, softly saying, "If any distinguished guests are interested, you can board the airship in advance to tour its interior. Professor Elandor will explain the purpose of each structure in detail. After lunch, the test flight will officially begin."

"Please be patient and wait a little longer."

With that, a crisp "snip" echoed through the air as the thin red ribbon fell to the ground. The maids, who had been prepared in advance, lined up on both sides, quietly waiting.

"Clap, clap..."

Hibbort slowly clapped his hands, the sound soft but clear. Then, the venue erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Seeing the emperor stand up and walk toward the exit, led by the maids, to inspect the airship, the rest of the attendees quickly followed suit, joining the emperor in touring the airship. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

After a moment of thought, Gregor let out a cold snort in his heart and blended into the crowd of people inspecting this novel magic device.

Soon, only Charlotte, Astrid, and a few of the girl’s close confidants remained in the venue. The former handed the coat placed under the podium back to Astrid, whispering softly.

"Little Astr... how was my speech?"

"It was excellent, Lady Charlotte."

As a professor of magical arrays, Charlotte was no stranger to lecturing in front of students.

Although her mindset was different this time, the actual effect of her speech was just as good.

As she took the coat, Astrid said gently, "Lady Charlotte, you were truly captivating up on the podium."

Unlike the other guests who were seeing the airship for the first time, Astrid had already witnessed the grandeur of this magic device.

Thus, her focus wasn’t on the airship but on the person delivering the speech.

Hearing her niece’s praise, Charlotte’s nervousness dissipated slightly. She reached out to gently adjust Astrid’s hairband, her lips curving into a smile.

"It’s not as exaggerated as you say..."

The first half of the ribbon-cutting ceremony was over, but simply showing them a sample was far from enough.

The real highlight would come after lunch. Only by completing the planned route could this nationwide promotion of the magic device be considered a success.

"Since the emperor will also be boarding the airship, those with ill intentions probably won’t dare to act while in the air," Charlotte said.

If an accident occurred, the wind-specialized Arcanist level mage could safely land the giant airship. But doing so would essentially mean the failure of her and Astrid’s plan.

Hibbort must have anticipated this situation, which was why he had provided them with significant convenience on key issues and arranged to personally board the airship to deter any lurking threats.

He was an Middle Stage Crusader, capable of materializing his mental energy to fly through the air.

But even if someone knew this and tampered with the airship, the act would still be considered an attempt on the emperor’s life, a threat to the royal authority.

"Once the guests have finished their meals, we’ll do a final check," Astrid said.

As long as the airship could successfully take off, even the most conservative nobles wouldn’t dare to make any moves under the dual surveillance of Hibbort and Charlotte.

.......

At 1:30 PM, all the guests who had attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony had finished their lunch.

Under Charlotte’s instructions, Elandor entered the control room and pressed the button that would mark a decisive turning point in the history of magic device.

As the piston was compressed, magical energy began to flow along the engraved magical patterns, transmitting to the fire elemental crystals above the passenger cabin.

Upon receiving this command, the magical arrays within the crystals activated, and free-floating fire elemental particles began to emit heat around them.

The first set of fire elemental crystals was fully activated, providing enough energy to lift the airship according to experimental data.

On the first floor of the passenger cabin, several imperial nobles sat in the lounge, silently watching the lawn outside the window and the branches of nearby trees.

After what felt like a long time, everyone felt a slight tremor beneath their feet. In the next second, the scenery outside the window changed as the lush forest gradually descended in their view.

Among the passengers were many knights of high rank, who had precise control over their bodies.

As their vision shifted, they immediately felt a rising force beneath them, lifting their entire bodies upward.

The expanding gasbag emitted waves of heat, and the Sabertooth Wolf leather displayed its unparalleled toughness at this moment.

Under the sunlight, the animal hide adorned with honeysuckle patterns shimmered brilliantly.

Lydia sat beside Florence, near the window. This pure-hearted girl, not yet eighteen, had never experienced such a wondrous sensation.

She watched as the airship slowly distanced itself from the ground, and the once clearly visible shrubs soon turned into tiny black dots.

Suddenly, a bright clatter of high heels sounded in her ears. Lydia turned her head and saw a sable-clad woman with a slender figure and jet-black hair.

Charlotte held her staff, her gaze falling on the silver-haired, red-eyed imperial princess beside Hibbort. Her eyes softened for a few seconds before quickly turning serious again.

Stepping forward with her long, shapely legs clad in flesh-colored stockings, her skirt swaying and carrying a faint fragrance, Charlotte arrived at the front of the dining room, a spot where everyone could see her.

"Everyone..." Charlotte’s lips curved into a slight smile, her voice, usually devoid of emotion in front of others, now carrying a rare hint of excitement.

"As you can see now, we are heading toward the sky."

This aviation giant, driven by elemental crystals and constructed with steel and wood, was now soaring over a thousand meters above the ground, overlooking the entire land.

Hibbort tilted his head, gazing at the azure sky outside the airship. He saw the winding path leading to the imperial capital, the dense forests and lakes surrounding it, and the vast wheat fields connecting like patches, with high ridges resembling long snakes. A few windmills stood among them.

Looking further into the distance, the outline of the imperial capital appeared in Hibbort’s view.m..

The most prominent structure was undoubtedly the nearly hundred-meter-tall spire of the palace.

That was the main hall of the imperial palace, the grandest and tallest building in the entire empire, symbolizing the inviolable supreme authority.

"Astrid..."

Hearing Hibbort call her, Astrid uncrossed her fingers from her chest and smiled gracefully.

"Yes, Father?"

To minimize the time Amalia spent with Hibbort, she had arranged for the former to follow Lyra to another room to rest.

The reception room wasn’t particularly spacious anyway, and bringing along her personal maid, Elise, was just enough.

Hibbort lightly tapped the armrest of his seat, his voice low.

"I heard that the design concept for this airship was your idea?"

Upon hearing this, apart from Tristian, who had already learned this from the head of the family, the other ministers, including Gregor, were somewhat surprised.

The promotional articles published in the imperial newspapers had all been signed by Charlotte Ashwell.

They had always thought that Astrid was only responsible for polishing and promoting the project, never imagining that she had also contributed to the design of the colossal airship beneath their feet.

Astrid remained silent for two or three seconds, then lightly touched her collarbone and smiled as she answered.

"Yes, but at most, I only provided some imaginative ideas. The actual implementation was carried out by Professor Elandor and Lady Charlotte."

"Without the strong support of the professors and craftsmen, even the most fantastical ideas would remain mere fantasies."

This response was neither humble nor arrogant, answering his question while appropriately displaying her modesty.

Hibbort gazed at the elegant figure beside him, her lips curved in a faint smile, and for a moment, her image overlapped with that of someone from his past.

Truly her child, naturally gifted and intelligent.

The perfume trade, the Empire monthly magazine, the magical airship... and her precise understanding of his psychology...

Recalling Astrid’s changes over this period, Hibbort narrowed his eyes, then thought of his two incompetent sons, far away from the imperial capital.

"Well done... my most precious imperial gem..." Hibbort praised in a low voice.

Looking at it this way, Astrid’s perspectives in various areas aligned with his, unlike Lucas and Alistair, who only focused on the immediate throne rather than the entire empire.

Why couldn’t he have a biological daughter as sensible as Astrid?

As he pondered, Charlotte spoke leisurely.

"We have reached the northwest direction of the imperial capital..."

"Next, the airship will pass through the Capital and circle the capital once."