Chapter 8

The Ancient Ship and the Invitation to the Future

When we arrived in Gearberg, Captain Reina was waiting to welcome us.

“Good work. I knew you could do it.”

“I just… acted on instinct. But I’m really glad it worked out.”

“That’s exactly why I was waiting for you—to invite you aboard the Luvinas. Think of it as a token of gratitude.”

“Wait, really? You mean it?”

“In fact, the fleet commander himself said he wants to meet you.”

“The fleet commander… wants to meet me?”

The fleet commander—that meant the top officer of the Third Fleet, the one Captain Reina belonged to. Normally, someone like me would never get the chance to meet someone like that.

“So? Will you accept the invitation?”

“Of course I will!”

“That’s great, Skye!”

“Don’t forget—it’s thanks to me, you know?”

“Excuse me? It was my guidance that made it possible!”

“Oh yeah!? You wanna go right now!?”

Why do these two always end up fighting so quickly…?

“Alright, let’s put that aside for now. Let’s head to the Luvinas. The commander’s probably been waiting eagerly.”

“Yes, please take us there!”

A short distance from the passenger ship, the Luvinas was moored.
When we climbed the boarding ramp, uniformed men and women stood ready to receive us.

“Captain, the commander has been waiting for you.”

“Understood.”

One of the female officers caught my eye and smiled brightly.

“So you’re Skye, huh? The captain’s been talking about you. Wow, you’re such a cute kid—I’m surprised!”

I wasn’t used to talking to older women, so my heart beat a little faster.

“Skye! Don’t get all gooey-eyed like that!”

(Wait… why am I the one getting scolded!?)

The woman just chuckled softly.

Inside the Luvinas, everything looked far more refined than any warship I’d seen in magazines.
It had no unnecessary decorations—simple, elegant, and functional. Beauty born of purpose.

(So this is what a cutting-edge battleship looks like…?)

While I was thinking that, we stopped in front of a door.

“Commander, I’ve brought Skye.”

“Send them in.”

The door slid open, and we entered.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation, Skye.”

A man sitting behind a large antique wooden desk greeted me warmly.

“Huh? Haven’t I seen you somewhere before…?”

He twirled a small tool in his fingers before tucking it into his breast pocket.

“The mechanic guy!”

“Hey, Skye!”

“Ah—sorry!”

“Hahaha, it’s fine! ‘Mechanic guy’ isn’t wrong anyway.”

The man—apparently the commander—didn’t seem bothered at all and laughed heartily.

“Ah, pardon me for the late introduction. I’m Sergio Galvard, commander of the Third Fleet.”

“Um, I’m Skye.”

“And I’m Mile!”

“And I am the Great Spirit Nokti!”

As always, Nokti puffed out his chest with exaggerated pride. Come on, Nokti…

“Hahaha, lively bunch you’ve got there.”

“Sorry about that…”

“When we met the other day, you said you wanted to ‘ride’ one of these ships, remember? That’s why I invited you. So—how was it, actually riding on one?”

“Ah, yes! It was totally different from what I imagined a warship would be like. It felt… refined somehow. Honestly, it didn’t even feel like a ‘ship built for war.’”

“Hmm. Sharp observation. You’re right, actually—this vessel is a relic.”

“Eh!? This ship is a relic!?”

“That’s right. We unearthed it from an ancient ruin and restored it using the power of the spirits. …But keep that to yourself—it’s classified.”

“O-of course!”

He smiled as he watched our reactions, clearly amused.
(He’s totally enjoying this…)

“I believe this ship wasn’t originally designed as a battleship, but rather for exploration.”

“Exploration?”

“Yes—perhaps to uncover the world’s secrets, or something like that. Haha.”

For some reason, I couldn’t help but feel that what he said was true.
I didn’t have proof, but… it just felt right.

“Ah yes, you came here to buy a flying ship at the Factory, didn’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then allow me to write you a letter of introduction. Show it to a man named Gran at the Factory—he’ll make sure you’re treated well.”

‘…But only give it directly to Gran. To no one else.’

“Thank you so much for your kindness!”

After expressing our gratitude, we left the room.
Captain Reina showed us around the Luvinas, and after thanking everyone politely, we disembarked.

◆◇◆

“Hey, hey—look! Isn’t that the Factory?”

Ahead of us rose a cluster of dome-shaped buildings.
Rounded structures lined up neatly in a row.

“The sign back there said so too—must be it.”

Each building’s entrance was a glass-fronted gallery, displaying various products.
Customers peered at exhibits while staff explained their features.

“The letter from that traveling merchant said it was for the Fourth Factory, right?”

“Yeah. The Fourth Factory is famous for its flying ships.”

“Ah! Look there!”

Mile pointed ahead. In the gallery window of one building, model ships and full-sized craft were on display, with a large “4” emblazoned above the entrance.

“That’s it for sure. Let’s go!”

We exchanged a determined nod and walked toward the building with the big “4” sign.