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Chapter 65: The Bluebird

“Well, either way, I am going to bed now. I’m too sleepy.”

Aracila let out a small yawn as she stretched, resting her upper body against the desk.

Since she was dressed lightly and comfortably indoors, the neckline of her dress loosened slightly as she moved.

Damian quickly averted his gaze, his eyes dropping to the floor in an awkward rush.

It wasn’t as if much was revealed, but the mere thought of his gaze lingering there made him flustered.

His lowered eyes fell upon his own neatly buttoned-up attire.

Despite wearing only a shirt for comfort, he had buttoned it all the way up to the collar, ensuring he didn’t appear too relaxed in front of Aracila.

“When will you be sleeping?”

“…I still have work to finish. Don’t mind me and go ahead.”

“Alright, then. Don’t overwork yourself. I’m going.”

Yawning once more, Aracila waved lazily and left the office.

Left alone, Damian silently continued his work.

After some time, having completed everything, he rubbed his tired eyes and suddenly realized something.

It feels… empty.

The office, which usually felt structured and orderly, now seemed unreasonably quiet and vast.

Perhaps it was because Aracila had left first, breaking the routine of them tidying up together.

How long have we even been sharing this space?

The fact that her absence already felt noticeable was absurd.

…Did I make a mistake by letting her in?

His gaze lingered on Aracila’s neatly arranged desk.

She had never disrupted the space.

She wasn’t noisy, messy, or distracting.

He had thought that if she left, it would be as if she had never been there in the first place.

Clearly, he had been wrong.

…What am I even thinking?

They would separate in a few years. There was no need to burden himself with unnecessary emotions.

Loosening a few buttons on his shirt for the first time that evening, Damian lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes.

For now, he wanted to shut out these thoughts.

***

Not long after, the first magical airship was completed.

Aracila named it Bluebird, painting it in a bright sky-blue color, just like the clear skies.

For the initial test flight, she and her two juniors planned to circle over the forest on the outskirts of the capital.

With a tense expression, Rudy took his seat at the controls, pulling the lever to attach the levitation stones and inserting the propulsion mana stones.

As the airship lifted off smoothly, their hearts soared along with it.

Directional control was achieved by removing mana stones from the propellers on one side while leaving the opposite side active.

For instance, to turn the airship right, they kept the left propeller running while removing the mana stone from the right propeller.

This created an imbalance in force, pushing the airship toward the right.

After successfully completing the test flight, the three of them hugged each other and jumped excitedly.

“We did it, Senior!”

“Great job, everyone.”

“I can’t wait to show Bluebird to everyone and brag about it!”

Having poured an unprecedented amount of time and effort into this invention, even Rudy and Sally were filled with excitement and anticipation.

Later, Aracila invited her business partner, Damian, to inspect the completed airship.

He was slightly taken aback by the sheer grandeur of the magical airship, which exceeded his expectations.

Leaving the piloting to Sally and Rudy, Aracila took Damian on another flight around the outskirts.

“So? How does it feel onboard?”

“It’s impressive.”

“The cargo capacity is also excellent. This will be perfect as a new mode of transportation.”

Nodding, Damian fell into thought.

Aracila, watching his sharp profile as he mulled over something, asked,

“What is it? Something you don’t like?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“You don’t look convinced. Just say it.”

Narrowing her eyes, she crossed her arms and fixed him with a knowing look.

Feeling the pressure, Damian finally spoke.

“I’m reconsidering how we should market this. Originally, I planned to promote it as a freight transport service, but now that I’ve seen it, it seems better suited for passenger travel.”

Since his initial interest had been in the transportation business, all the promotional strategies for the magical airship had been crafted with cargo transport in mind.

However, now that he had seen Bluebird in person, it was clear that its elegant design and pristine interior were far more suited for passengers.

Understanding his concern, Aracila responded cheerfully.

“Then let’s modify Bluebird for passenger use and build another airship specifically for cargo transport.”

“But that would mean completely revising our promotional plan and starting from scratch.”

Damian had secured the cooperation of the Chepa Count’s family, which had operated a newspaper for generations.

In exchange for delivering relief supplies to the flood-stricken county and transporting large-scale minerals from their mines to the capital, they had agreed to feature the airship service prominently in the news.

As his business partner, Aracila was well aware of this arrangement.

After pondering for a moment, she asked,

“Are there any tourist attractions or notable sites near Chepa County?”

“There’s a famous waterfall on Canis Mountain, near the county.”

“Then how about this? When we deliver relief supplies, we recruit free passengers to accompany us. While the cargo is being unloaded, they can tour Canis Mountain’s waterfall. If we designate a separate cargo hold, we can cater to both freight and passenger transport at the same time.”

This approach eliminated the need to market separate services, making the process much more convenient.

“That sounds like a solid idea.”

Damian responded positively to her suggestion.

Encouraged, Aracila eagerly continued.

“What if we recruit those free passengers through advertising? We can paint a massive message on the airship itself and fly it across the sky. That would draw a lot of attention.”

“That would be beneficial, as it allows us to attract passengers regardless of social class.”

His reasoning was based on the fact that newspapers and magazines rarely reached commoners, making this a more inclusive approach.

Hearing this, Aracila gave Damian a surprised look.

“You’re saying commoners can board the airship?”

“Yes. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Of course not. Even my research assistants, who helped build this airship, are commoners. I just didn’t expect you to be this open-minded.”

Some nobles were so class-conscious that they refused to even speak to commoners, a tendency that was even stronger among high-ranking aristocrats.

Given Damian’s noble lineage as a member of the Vandemir duchy, combined with his cold and unapproachable demeanor, he had always seemed like the type to avoid interacting with those of lower status.

“There are a few commoners in the Red Hawk Knights as well. A knight should not be bound by social class. Besides, money does not discriminate based on status, does it?”

“Oh, now you sound exactly like both a knight and a businessman.”

Aracila’s voice carried a note of admiration.

One of the ideals often associated with knights was the belief in chivalry without discrimination—anyone who wielded a sword could be recognized as a comrade.

Damian’s first statement reflected that principle perfectly.

And his second? That was the mindset of a true entrepreneur.

“The more I get to know you, the more surprising sides of you I discover.”

“Was that meant as a compliment?”

“Hmm… maybe half a compliment? I’m also including the fact that you’re unexpectedly sly.”

“…Ah.”

Damian sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

How long was she going to keep teasing him about that?

Judging by the bright smile on her face, he had a feeling this would continue for quite some time.

By then, the airship had completed its flight around the outskirts and began its descent.

Back on solid ground, the two of them stood in front of Bluebird, facing each other.

“Let’s make this business a success.”

“We absolutely will.”

They clasped hands, now fully committed to their magical airship venture.

***

On a bright summer day, Bluebird took to the skies.

The massive airship floated above the city, stopping people in their tracks as they tilted their heads to the sky.

“Am I seeing things? What is that thing?”

“Good heavens! It’s definitely not a real bird, but how is it flying?”

“Hey, come outside and look! There’s something strange in the sky!”

“A blue bird…? Wait, is there something written on it?”

Giant letters adorned the side of Bluebird as it glided effortlessly above.

「Magical Airship Bluebird – Now Recruiting Free Passengers!
Looking for 20 volunteers to board the flying ship to Chepa County.
If interested, visit the building across from Nono Coffeehouse on Second Avenue.
(※ Eligibility: 10 years and older, no restrictions on gender or social status.)」

“‘Magical airship’? I’ve never heard of that before. Is this a new invention from the Magic Tower?”

“Seems like it. A ship that flies in the sky… how fascinating.”

“Should we sign up too? It’s free, and they don’t care about gender or status.”

The announcement sparked overwhelming public interest, and within half a day, more than twenty applicants had already signed up.

With no restrictions besides age, the applicants came from all walks of life, spanning different social classes and backgrounds.

The temporary office Damian had set up near Second Avenue’s plaza became a hub of activity, more crowded than even the busiest market street.

It wasn’t just commoners who gathered—nobles also flocked to the site.

“I heard this was created by the Vandemir couple. With their combined skills, I’d say it’s trustworthy.”

“Seeing them go into business together, it seems those rumors circulating in high society were false after all.”

“Didn’t it already come to light during the Imperial Ball that the gossip had been exaggerated because Lady Vandemir wasn’t active in social circles?”

“Ah, I need to make an effort to speak to them next time. With a turnout like this, their business is already guaranteed to succeed!”

The airship’s launch didn’t just generate excitement—it also had an unexpected side effect.

It completely dispelled the lingering rumors about the Vandemir couple’s strained relationship, reinforcing their image as a powerful duo in both social and business circles.

While most people eagerly awaited the grand launch of the magical airship, there was one person watching the unfolding events with displeasure.

“Damn it… I can’t just let Aracila become wildly successful like this…”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───