Chapter 86 - 85: Human Nature

Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Human Nature

"An Airship?!" Gaode’s eyes widened.

He knew that in a world with Extraordinary Power, the tech tree would inevitably develop vastly differently from Earth’s. But hearing about the existence of Airships still shocked him. A world without even cars or trains had somehow unlocked "Airship technology" first?

They had really outdone themselves!

"Yes, Airships have always been the primary mode of travel for High-Ring Mages on the continent," Pierre explained. "Water routes require various transfers and detours, and they aren’t fast enough. Land routes are even more complicated, not to mention extremely dangerous in uninhabited areas. In comparison, Airships are the fastest, safest, and most comfortable way to travel."

Gaode suppressed the shock surging in his heart. "Then why haven’t I seen a single Airship in the month I’ve been in Bremen City?"

Pierre sighed helplessly and threw his hands up. "Because our country is just a Little Duchy.

"Therefore, not only are Sean’s Airships outdated, but they are also extremely rare. They are entirely controlled by the government, large merchant guilds, and the Nobility; they haven’t yet entered the civilian sector.

"The cost of an Airship is exorbitant, and it isn’t just a one-time purchase. It requires substantial annual maintenance and repair fees, as well as a dedicated crew. The operating costs are incredibly high.

"For Airships to be widely adopted for civilian use, there must be sufficient passenger traffic to guarantee it won’t operate at a loss, let alone turn a profit.

"In a Little Duchy like ours, that is simply impossible.

"Because Sean is poor, and its people are poor. The vast majority of people cannot afford to ride an Airship. So, there are absolutely no Airships in Bremen City."

Hearing this, Gaode understood. Just like on Earth, only a minority of cities had airports.

Even if a golden opportunity fell into his lap, grasping it wouldn’t be simple, Gaode mused.

He hadn’t even figured out if the "recommendation letter" was reliable, but the next problem was already staring him in the face: the journey to Saint Sean City was too long and treacherous.

From Hogan City to Bremen City, he had been able to travel with a merchant caravan. But finding a caravan heading from Bremen City to Saint Sean City that could take him along would be exceedingly difficult.

Taking an Airship was the most convenient option... but where on earth was he supposed to find an Airship?!

"Come on, lunch is on me today!" Pierre didn’t share Gaode’s heavy thoughts. He stood up happily and ushered him along. "Kid, you can come find me whenever you’re free, even if it’s just to chat."

The little old man had no family or friends. Ever since fleeing to Bremen City, he didn’t even have his grocery store business anymore. With nothing to do all day, he was terribly lonely.

Gaode’s visit had finally given him a chance to open up.

"If you don’t mind me freeloading, I’ll definitely come by more often," Gaode chuckled. "It’s just that next time I come, I won’t have any good wine."

Pierre could be considered the first acquaintance he had made since arriving in this world, so he held a somewhat special sentiment toward the old man.

"I live at 437 Camond, working as a Repair Craftsman to make a modest living," Gaode briefly introduced his own situation to Pierre.

As it turned out, Pierre was indeed quite wealthy. He treated him to lunch at an extremely Advanced restaurant.

The meal was lavish: a custard for four silver, a grain-fed spring chicken for twelve silver, minced ham paste for four silver and six copper, asparagus for eight silver, and sweet wine for three silver and six copper.

The total came to one gold and twelve silver.

If spent at the small eatery diagonally across from Mrs. Misu’s house, that amount would have been more than enough to cover Gaode’s lunches for an entire month.

Fully sated, Gaode bid a temporary farewell to Pierre, having reaped a wealth of information. However, his itinerary for the day was not yet over.

In the afternoon, at 267 Camond.

After a month’s absence, Gaode knocked on the door of Mrs. Misu’s house once again.

"Mr. Google, is something the matter?" Mrs. Misu opened the door, looking somewhat surprised.

"Ma’am, there is a small problem," Gaode said, feigning an anxious expression.

"Ah?!" Mrs. Misu was very attentive and quickly ushered him inside. "What sort of problem? Come in and tell me."

Gaode stepped briskly into the room and took a seat in the guest area.

Mrs. Misu didn’t bother preparing tea. She sat across from him and asked with concern, "What kind of trouble have you run into? Your business seems to be doing quite well lately. Is there a problem with the house?"

Gaode shook his head. He pulled a previously prepared letter from his coat and handed it over. "Ma’am, please read this first."

At the same time, with a shift in his thoughts, Mana flashed through his Magic Model. The door that Mrs. Misu had left ajar snapped shut in the next instant, cutting off any potential prying eyes.

It was the Switching Technique.

Seeing Gaode’s serious expression, Mrs. Misu hurriedly took the letter and unfolded it to read carefully.

With just a single glance, she couldn’t help but let out a subconscious gasp, looking up at him in astonishment.

Gaode remained silent, simply gesturing for her to continue reading. Taking the hint, Mrs. Misu silently lowered her head and carefully scrutinized the letter in her hands.

Gaode sat quietly to the side, impassively observing her expression, hoping to glean some shifts in her mindset.

The letter he had handed her was the one Mage Seda had intended to send to Mrs. Misu, but ultimately failed to. Based purely on its contents, it merely expressed his longing and reported on his recent situation without revealing any additional information.

Although he hadn’t spotted anything incriminating in the letter, Gaode was actually quite anxious inwardly, uncertain of exactly how much Mrs. Misu knew. However, dragging things out was useless. All he could do was bite the bullet, take the initiative to confront her, and play it by ear.

Ultimately, apart from the apprentices in the Medicinal Garden who knew the truth, ninety-nine out of a hundred outsiders would never believe that Mage Seda could be killed by an inconspicuous little apprentice like him.

This was Gaode’s natural Protective Talisman.

Fortunately, the worst-case scenario Gaode had anticipated did not come to pass.

After Mrs. Misu finished reading the letter in its entirety, her expression became complex. As if anticipating something, she looked somewhat sorrowful.

She raised her head and looked at him. "Why is my husband’s letter in your possession?"

Gaode answered honestly, "Ma’am, I actually lied to you before. I am not from Camond City; I was born in Hogan City. My true identity is actually Mage Seda’s apprentice."

"You are my husband’s apprentice?" Mrs. Misu furrowed her brows.

Gaode nodded. After a moment of thought, he decided to probe Mrs. Misu’s knowledge further, selectively recounting Mage Seda’s situation in Hogan City.

"The Mage owned a Medicinal Garden in Hogan City that required apprentices to maintain. Out of the goodness of his heart, seeing many orphans in the city who had no parents and could tragically die on the streets at any time, he brought a few of us beggars back to the Medicinal Garden. I was among them.

"After bringing us back, he took us in as apprentices, provided us with food and clothing, and even taught us how to read, learn Magic, and brew Magic Potions..." Gaode slowly and naturally recounted Mage Seda’s actions.

His words were completely flawless because they were the truth; Gaode merely omitted the crucial detail that taking them in as apprentices was ultimately to use them as test subjects for his potions.

Mrs. Misu listened with rapt attention. At the very least, Gaode couldn’t spot any flaws in her expression.

Therefore, he could tentatively conclude that Mage Seda had indeed never disclosed the detailed circumstances of the Medicinal Garden to Mrs. Misu.

This made perfect sense.

Before being forced to flee Hogan City, Mage Seda was not a Black Mage who treated human life like dirt. And after going down that dark path for his own selfish interests, his former conscience wouldn’t necessarily make him feel guilty, but it would highly likely compel him to hide the truth from those closest to him to maintain his image and persona.

This was human nature. Such was the reality of humanity.