Two days later, thousands of meters above the ground, a luxurious cruise-liner-shaped airship sped across a sea of clouds.
On the foredeck of the Cloud Cruiser, Adair leaned against the railing, leisurely gazing at the expansive sky and breathing in the fresh air.
Though he had flown in planes in his previous life, those experiences were confined to sealed cabins, forcing him to remain uncomfortably seated in cramped seats.
Moreover, observing the sea of clouds from an airplane cabin required a window seat, and such numerous restrictions naturally made it far less comfortable than a Cloud Cruiser.
The Cloud Cruiser utilized a transparent magical barrier, powered by magic crystals, to repel external wind pressure, allowing passengers to move freely on the deck.
If the Cloud Cruiser truly possessed a flaw, its greatest drawbacks were its exorbitant cost and a speed that was only half that of an airplane from Adair’s previous world.
Its travel expenses were simply beyond the means of an average family. The reduced speed was also due to the high cost of magic crystals, which necessitated weakening the windproof barrier’s effectiveness. This situation would only change once the manufacturing process for magic crystals became more affordable.
However, the Cloud Cruiser Adair was currently aboard was inaccessible to even the wealthiest individuals, as it was a private craft directly assigned to the royal family. Adair was only privileged enough to travel on such a high-class airship thanks to Rod—or rather, Rupert Rich, the Third Prince of the Kingdom, as he should now be called.
Such a significant incident had occurred in Baron Quentin’s territory, adjacent to the recently mutated Marquis Tefole’s domain. The youngest Third Prince had not only lingered there without permission but had also unilaterally passed judgment on Baron Quentin.
These events caused a considerable stir in the Royal Capital. Yet, as Baron Quentin’s crimes were unequivocally proven, it was ultimately deemed a meritorious act.
Nevertheless, the royal family dared not allow Rupert Rich to return at his own leisurely pace. They immediately dispatched the private Cloud Cruiser, convinced that he couldn’t cause any more trouble while airborne.
Rupert Rich himself was quite resistant; he had wished to explore the true face of the kingdom along the way.
However, accompanying the Cloud Cruiser was the commander of the Royal Guard, Fu Yuanxing. He arrived bearing the King’s decree and forcibly dragged Rupert Rich onto the airship.
His older brother, Rocco—also known as Rupert Ivan—merely watched from the side, gleefully ignoring his younger brother’s aggrieved expression.
Adair and Ye Xi initially lacked the qualifications to board. Yet, at the insistence of Rocco and Rupert Rich, coupled with a letter of recommendation from the Marquis, they were granted the exceptional experience of traveling on a royal Cloud Cruiser.
Incidentally, Sixth Master, whom Adair had nearly forgotten, was ultimately spared by Adair. The poison he had received was, from the very beginning, nothing more than… wolf food.
Adair brought him down from the mountains to the lord’s city, entrusting him to the territory’s interim executive officer.
That executive officer was a highly capable official. It was evident that the Royal Capital had not been perfunctory in their efforts to ensure the return of their willful young prince.
Adair believed Sixth Master would receive punishment commensurate with his crimes under the officer’s jurisdiction.
Baron Quentin’s treasury had also been handed over to this new administrator for allocation. A portion was remitted to the national treasury, while the remainder was kept to revitalize and reconstruct the territory.
As a meritorious contributor to this endeavor, Adair was permitted to select several valuable items from Baron Quentin’s treasury, which proved to be quite a lucrative gain.
“Master, it’s almost time for training.”
Ye Xi’s voice echoed from behind him, causing Adair’s previously relaxed expression to stiffen instantly.
He turned to face Ye Xi, his face drawn in a bitter grimace. “Is it time already?”
Ye Xi rested her chin on her left hand, a smile playing on her lips. “Not really. You’ve already rested for an hour. I can’t wait to see Master in a sorry state.”
“Hey, have you suddenly turned dark? Give me back my old aloof and tsundere little maid!”
Adair sighed. He had initially been thrilled by Ye Xi calling him ‘Master,’ but later realized that a mere change in address was useless. Ye Xi’s attitude hadn’t changed at all—in fact, she had become even more impish.
She would often sweetly smile and call out, “Master, you can do it!”
Yet, simultaneously, she would subject him to ruthless devilish training, especially in resilience and survival skills, employing all sorts of darts and daggers. Moreover, her aim was maliciously precise, targeting Adair’s vital areas, forcing him to concentrate fully and keep his nerves taut at all times.
Ye Xi narrowed her eyes, smiling. “Absolutely not. I merely adjusted our interactions slightly to satisfy Master’s peculiar desires, thereby better fostering our relationship.”
“Why do I feel like demon horns have sprouted from your head?”
“How could that be? I feel like I’ve gained an angelic halo recently. I haven’t refused a single one of Master’s unreasonable requests lately, have I? You’ve enjoyed both my hands and feet, haven’t you?”
Adair recalled the past two days’ ordeals, his eyes like a dead fish as he replied, “…The ‘enjoyment’ of being punched and kicked is truly overwhelming. You have a knack for twisting meanings.”
“It’s Master whose thoughts are too depraved. Forgive a simple person like me; I truly cannot comprehend the mind of someone who thinks with their lower body. And besides…”
A cold glint flashed in Ye Xi’s eyes as she suddenly lunged a punch at Adair.
Despite having no prior defense against Ye Xi’s action, Adair’s body reacted first, moving with the fastest possible speed and shortest distance to precisely evade Ye Xi’s attack.
Sweat dripped from Adair’s forehead as he stared at the punch, inches from his face. It was as white as mutton fat jade, seemingly soft, yet the sharp wind from it stung Adair’s face. He had experienced its power before, leaving him instantly incapacitated on the ground.
Sudden assaults like this had continued for two days, training Adair’s body to act before his mind.
“Muscle memory is faster than any thought. In the past, you would have already killed me.”
“Hmph. Alright, I understand.”
Adair also understood his current predicament. Physical and skill training were insufficient to bridge the gap created by Qi. Rather than fantasizing about fighting powerful enemies, it was better to strategize how to use his formidable vitality and tough body to stall for time, waiting for Ye Xi to rescue him.
Just as Adair prepared to endure another beating, Kelly suddenly appeared, informing Adair that Rupert Rich and the others were looking for him.
Adair pondered for a moment before telling Ye Xi, “Let’s postpone the training.”
Ye Xi, understanding the urgency of the matter, did not object.
Under Kelly’s guidance, Adair arrived at the Cloud Cruiser’s conference room. Inside, Rupert Rich, Rocco, and the Royal Guard Commander were seated together, discussing something.
Commander Fu Yuanxing’s expression was grave, indicating that the matter under discussion was far from simple.
He looked surprised as Kelly led Adair in, then frowned, chastising Kelly, “Can’t you see we’re discussing important matters? Take Sir Adair outside and have him wait.”
Rupert Rich suddenly interjected, “Wait, I was the one who asked for Big Brother Adair to come.”
Fu Yuanxing replied disapprovingly, “Your Highness, how can you be so careless?”
“Actually, I agreed as well.”
Rocco, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up. Fu Yuanxing looked at the two brothers in surprise. He could understand Rupert Rich’s impulsiveness as childish, but why Rocco?
Seeing the atmosphere grow somewhat awkward, Adair suggested, “If it’s inconvenient, perhaps I can return later?”
Rocco leaned back in his chair, saying, “Of course not, please sit, Sir Adair. The Commander is merely surprised by the suddenness of the situation, he means no harm.”
Rupert Rich also added, “That’s right, Big Brother Adair is a trustworthy person.”
Seeing the brothers’ united front, Fu Yuanxing found it difficult to say more, but his eyes still betrayed a hint of wariness towards Adair.
Adair, not wanting to refuse their kind intentions, found an empty seat and settled down.
The atmosphere became stiff for a moment. With no one speaking, Adair had no idea why he had been called over.
“Um, why did you call me here?”
Adair looked at Rupert Rich, as he was the one who had summoned him.
Seeing Adair’s gaze, Rupert Rich hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Because of our actions in Baron Quentin’s territory, some negative sentiments have arisen in the Royal Capital. My elder brother, along with certain nobles, believes I acted presumptuously, overstepped my authority, and encroached upon a noble’s private territory without permission, indirectly leading to Baron Quentin’s death. They therefore wish to condemn us.”
Adair asked in surprise, “I recall that the evidence against the Quentin family was conclusive, and his three treasuries were undeniably there. Can the merits not offset the demerits?”
Rocco scoffed, “Offsetting them is possible, but this involves more than just pure merit; it also concerns the personal interests of the nobility. Rupert Rich’s actions were essentially ‘act first, report later,’ bypassing the executive bodies. While highly efficient, it left too little room for others to maneuver. That’s why they panicked.”
Seeing that the two brothers had openly revealed everything, Fu Yuanxing no longer bothered to keep Adair in the dark. He stated, “They fear that if this incident sets a precedent, others might emulate it, or that His Highness Rupert Rich might repeat such actions.”
Adair finally understood. “So, it’s not about whether His Highness’s actions were correct, but rather their objection to the method itself. Few of those opposing nobles are clean; if they encounter someone like Rupert Rich, who bypasses due process and directly searches for evidence by raiding homes, they’d likely all be ruined. Am I wrong?”
Fu Yuanxing was equally helpless regarding this situation. He sighed, “Alas, that’s one way to put it. Although His Highness’s actions benefited the kingdom, those corrupt nobles only saw their personal interests being harmed. When I left the Royal Capital, the calls for His Highness’s punishment among those nobles were growing daily, transcending factional alignments.”
Adair raised an eyebrow. Factional alignments? That was a good choice of words. He glanced at Rupert Rich, who was still troubled, wondering if he had realized the shift in his own status.
Adair’s gaze then moved to Rocco. This fellow couldn’t possibly have failed to foresee this situation, yet he hadn’t strongly opposed Rupert Rich’s actions back then. Now, he simply watched, like a manager who had washed his hands of responsibility, seemingly waiting for Adair to speak.
To prevent the atmosphere from stiffening again, Adair spoke, “May I ask, are those opposing nobles disorganized, or do they align with a few influential figures who act as their spokesmen?”
Fu Yuanxing gave a wry smile. “If only they were fighting amongst themselves. They are aligned with several Grand Dukes, who, along with the First Prince, are advocating on their behalf. This makes things rather difficult for His Majesty.”
Adair mused, “Then, which factions support Rupert Rich?”
Fu Yuanxing’s eyes flickered, and he did not immediately respond.
Adair quickly realized that such confidential matters couldn’t possibly be revealed to an outsider like him, even if Rupert Rich allowed it, those factions wouldn’t agree. He immediately said, “My apologies, just a casual question. So, this incident was initiated by the First Prince, who then united with several Grand Dukes, rallying the nobles below to pressure His Majesty into punishing His Highness, correct?”
Fu Yuanxing nodded. “That’s one way to put it.”
“What is the relationship between those Grand Dukes and the First Prince?”
Rocco yawned, saying, “Duke Levi Roy and Duke Harry Benson are staunch supporters of my elder brother. Duke Buzz Leo maintains a neutral stance, and Duke Henry David leans towards us, though both of them have expressed dissatisfaction regarding this incident. So, is there any room for maneuver, Sir Adair?”