Chapter 703 ·Internal Combustion Locomotive

Beatrice ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍thought this, then raised her head and walked down from the airship.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍moment she stepped out, what greeted her was the vast Air Harbor.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ground of the Air Harbor was extremely flat. Numerous docking positions were painted across the surface, and many enormous iron rings were embedded into the ground.

Several ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍staff members were threading thick cables through the rings at that moment, the other ends fastened to the airship. Once the cables were tightened, the airship’s docking was officially complete.

There ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were no additional people around.

Normally, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it would not have been like this. At the very least, all the Banshees knew that a certain “Miss Fountain” would be arriving. Given their personalities, it should have been a sea of people.

But considering that Beatrice’s condition was truly poor, they had given up on close-range spectating. After all, if she were to see so many Banshees at once, she might very well faint on the spot.

Even Nini, who loved excitement the most, did not show herself.

However, not showing themselves did not mean they were not coming.

At that moment, around the empty airship, many figures were hidden in the shadows.

“You’re pressing on my tail!”

“There’s only this much space, can’t help it—”

“Then move away!”

“Stop talking, Beatrice is coming out!”

“Oh oh oh, she really came out! Her Holiness the Pope, the Empress of the Empire, Castel’s new Fountain, the legendary existence who can support three Industrial Districts all by herself!”

“Why does she look so ordinary? With such a small frame, can she really spray enough for three Industrial Districts?”

“Why isn’t she spraying? Can she perform for us? Have Monica persuade her!”

Beatrice stepped onto Castel. Before she even had the chance to savor the feeling of returning to this island in the sea, she suddenly felt a chill run down her back.

“Hmm? S-someone is staring at me? Wait—”

The abilities of the 【Investigator】 were comprehensive, and her perception was by no means weak. Beatrice could clearly sense the gazes locking onto her.

After realizing she was being watched, she instinctively activated her ability, attempting to perceive the source of those stares.

Then she trembled on the spot.

The gazes locked onto her were simply too numerous. The last time she had felt this way was when she stood on stage giving a speech.

Right now, she felt as though she were being illuminated by searchlights.

Cold sweat broke out across Beatrice’s forehead. With a stiff expression, she slowly lifted her head to look around—

It was empty. Aside from a few staff members, there was not a single person in sight.

Her Holiness the Pope sucked in a sharp breath, beginning to suspect whether there was something unclean on Castel.

“What’s wrong?”

Zoe, behind her, saw her stop and asked in confusion.

“I… I feel like a lot of people are watching me…” Beatrice said, her face pale.

Zoe blinked in puzzlement.

Zoe did not know the reason, but Monica certainly did. In the Mind Link, the Banshees were live-streaming their secret observation of Beatrice while furiously flooding the chat. The speed of discussion had already reached the level of a flooded message stream.

The corner of Monica’s eye twitched.

‘Stop peeking! She’s already noticed!’

‘What!? How is that possible? I learned stealth from Nini!’

‘Then that means you didn’t learn.’

‘You can’t say it like that. Look, Nini even set up a camera!’

Monica clenched her fist in irritation: ‘Move farther away right now! Beatrice is a patient! If she gets frightened, something could happen!’

The Banshees merely loved excitement. Hearing Monica say this, they all withdrew their gazes.

At that moment, Beatrice was trembling as she explained to Zoe what had just happened.

“You can sense it too. There really were so many people staring at me!”

Zoe nodded seriously and activated her perception.

And at that very instant, Beatrice’s body stiffened again.

She felt all the gazes locked onto her vanish in a single moment.

That had been hundreds of gazes!

Beatrice’s scalp tingled. Being stared at could at least be explained as someone secretly watching her. But for hundreds of gazes to disappear simultaneously—this was far more terrifying.

Hundreds of people moving in perfect unison, like a single being—this—

Zoe sensed for quite a while and indeed found no one staring in their direction. She looked at Beatrice in confusion.

She was of the Chrysalis Path, specializing most in perception and concealment, even stronger than Beatrice the 【Investigator】 in that regard. There was no reason Beatrice could sense it while she could not.

“I just—” Beatrice did not know how to explain, anxiety nearly bringing her to tears.

Behind them, Gaia vaguely guessed the reason and glanced back at Monica.

Monica was angrily scolding people in the group chat. None of the other Banshees dared to speak.

Gaia sighed. “It’s fine, Beatrice. Don’t be afraid. This is Castel. With Lord Hughes here, nothing can harm you.”

Beatrice froze for a moment, then nodded. She did not know why, but upon hearing the words “Lord Hughes,” her heart suddenly relaxed considerably.

As if that name truly could shelter her.

“Yes, let’s take the car,” Zoe also remembered that Beatrice was still injured and hurriedly suggested.

After saying that, she seemed to recall something and added nervously, “When we get in the vehicle later, don’t be scared.”

The moment Zoe said that, Beatrice knew it would definitely not be a carriage.

Did they really think she had only ever ridden carriages?

When Beatrice was young, Rhine had already introduced tramcars, and there had even been steam automobiles.

She had ridden those massive machines. Because the Steam Engine had been too large and extremely noisy, with heavy vibrations, the riding experience had been disastrous—merely novel for curiosity’s sake.

Since Castel had apparently put it into daily use, it must have undergone miniaturization, right?

And besides that, Beatrice had also seen Castel’s Steam Locomotive.

It was during the time Patriarch Ignati had cleaved the storm apart. She had seen the Steam Locomotive with her own eyes and even stayed aboard for a short while.

Her condition back then had been even worse than now, so she had only briefly experienced it and never properly ridden it. She had felt a bit regretful.

It seemed that wish could now be fulfilled.

“Don’t worry,” Beatrice said with a smile. “I won’t be afraid.”

After speaking, she lowered her head to look for the rail tracks.

She looked left and right—none.

She cast her gaze farther—still none.

Looking into the distance, she finally saw a freight train at a somewhat farther harbor area. But that place was far too distant from here.

The Air Harbor was meant for docking airships. Even the Celestial Behemoth had berths here. It was already extremely spacious. If one relied solely on their legs, they would likely collapse from exhaustion.

Soon, Beatrice noticed a rather peculiar vehicle approaching.

It somewhat resembled a carriage, except there was no horse and naturally no reins. The driver controlled its direction through a rotating circular wheel, which looked somewhat comical.

Beatrice nodded, not feeling surprised at all. It seemed to be a miniaturized Steam Locomotive.

She had seen such a thing before.

“This is a new type of Internal Combustion Locomotive. It doesn’t use a Steam Engine to move.”

I see. Beatrice nodded. She roughly guessed what the fuel would be.

“This burns pollution?”

“No, this burns Nitroglycerin.”

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