CHAPTER 174 - MOM-ENTOUS DAD-VENTURE IN THE SKY
🙞❤︎🙜
The night before our trip, I dreamed of a blue dragon boy. We found a deep, shaded part of the river where he liked to immerse himself in his dragon form and wait for the fish to swim into his open mouth. He had several forms. His human form was much like a human toddler but with blue hair and pointed ears, and he had two distinct dragon forms. One was Chinese-style, a long, serpentine creature with intricate scales, flowing whiskers, and antler-like horns. The other was Western-looking, with a reptilian body, bat wings, and spiked tail. Both of those were normally very small and cute, but in my dream, after he finished eating fish he turned himself into his serpentine form and became so big that he could circle the whole world with his body.
I was busily trying to get him to bite his own tail like the World Serpent or Ouroboros when I woke up.
Dragon dreams the night before a trip? This had to mean it would be great fun!
I hummed happily as I rushed through my morning routine and then went outside to summon the [Floating Solarium]. The staff immediately started bringing my flying ship up to scratch by placing more decorative elements and polishing every surface until it shone. Fengying organized everything while I went to tend to the crops with my apprentices.
We would leave at noon and arrive at our destination in the evening. The Advent of the Demon Monarch should commence the next day, and I wanted us to be in place well before it happened. Once the event was over, which I thought would only last a few minutes at most, we could return to the farm.
Traditionally, momentous events happen during midnight or dawn, right?
So we should be home by afternoon on that same day, just in time to do the daily chores. Though morning was the best time to water the crops, the rice didn’t need it, and the tea plants would survive a delay of a few hours.
“Do you think the queen will be beautiful?” Lari asked Kharli.
“She’s the Lady of the West, not a queen,” said Kharli. “And yes, I bet she’s amazingly beautiful!”
“She could be scary,” said Mo.
We were on our way to the ship after finishing our farm chores and changing into light silk summer robes. Cutie bounced along beside us, and my puppet hung from my belt along with a white jade pendant. I had given Mr. Bear a cute little straw hat from the Cash Shop, making him look even more adorable than before.
“Kids, please be careful what you say when we board the ship. The Lady’s guards are already there,” I said.
“I heard the maids complaining that the advance guards were poking around everywhere. They even opened and checked all the chef’s ingredient bottles and containers,” said Lari.
Kharli nervously looked around and tried to shush him. “Lari, that’s exactly the sort of thing you shouldn’t say! Don’t complain about them.”
“Relax, they won’t eat you… but do be more discreet,” I said. “Watch your step, we’re going up.”
Inside the [Floating Solarium], I headed to the bridge where the controls were located and then checked and rechecked that the correct flight plan had been loaded onto the map. I sat down on the pilot’s seat and dismissed my apprentices. “Go ask Fengying if there’s anything you guys can help with.”
The next few minutes were spent changing the control bridge’s setup by adding bigger screen displays to the default configuration and changing its dark gray and white color scheme to a more friendly navy blue and silver one.
Since I was the only person who could manage the ship, I would have to stay on the bridge or nearby at all times. Therefore, I arranged some furniture for me to use like a small dining table and two chairs as well as a comfortable convertible sofa bed. Prince Baiyu arrived as I was adding colorful throw pillows.
Prince Baiyu was casually dressed in loose cotton robes and pants. He kissed my hand and said, “You’re looking very cheerful today. I guess the event really isn’t anything dangerous.”
“I can’t be sure what it is, but I think it will be something we’ll remember for years to come!” I smiled up at him, but I did feel a little guilty because it might be scary for the others. “I can’t wait until we’re soaring above the clouds.”
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“Above the clouds?” Prince Baiyu’s smile faded a little. “The ship is going that high?”
“Yes! I’m not afraid of heights when I’m in a large vehicle.”
After all, I was used to flying on airplanes back on Earth. This should be a piece of cake for me.
I led the prince downstairs to show him the three bedrooms I had combined into one and configured into a suite of rooms for his parents.
“Very nice,” he said politely as we dodged the staff who were still setting up more decorations.
“Can you check if the shower is big enough, please? And I’d like to show you how to use it,” I said.
I thought that the Lady and her consort could probably figure out how to use the taps, faucets, and temperature controls, but it would be better to teach Prince Baiyu about them so he could help them if needed.
“This is the maximum? Clan members like it hotter,” he said.
I backed away from the water splashing from the shower. “Yes, that is as high as it goes. That’s nearly scalding temperature for humans.”
“My apologies.” He turned it off.
After that brief tour, we went back up to the upper level, where the kitchen staff were busy preparing our food. Deming was in full Demon Chef mode, with glowing red eyes and an expression of intense concentration on his face. Prince Baiyu thanked them for their efforts, while my mouth watered and my stomach growled from breathing in the delightful aromas.
Fengying and I took care of a few last-minute details until an hour before the estimated arrival time, when I excused myself and went to my designated room downstairs where I washed my face and did some primping until the guests’ arrival was announced.
Everyone from Emberstone Farm gathered in the foyer. Meanwhile, Prince Baiyu and some members of the royal guards waited at the foot of the escalators.
“I’m so nervous,” Mo whispered to Kharli.
“Me, too,” said Kharli.
Lari was hiding behind the two girls who were standing beside me, to my right. Fengying was on my left. We were on tenterhooks until the royal couple arrived.
Lord Yulin, whom I had met before, was a more muscular and mature version of Prince Baiyu. Today he was wearing simple dark blue robes and pants.
Lady Yuying, on the other hand, was exactly as her son had described her: a regal and imposing woman with an Amazonian figure and piercing blue eyes. Her long white hair was gathered in a high bun, and she was likewise wearing plain blue clothes with no ornaments. Though humans weren’t supposed to be able to sense it, I could see what they meant when they said she had an extremely strong zidan. She exuded an undeniable magnetism, such that in a room full of people, she would always be the one to draw the eye. She moved with a feline grace, her body language exuding a supreme self-assurance. Her posture was straight yet relaxed, positioned as if she belonged on a throne.
Since this was an informal meeting, we all bowed from the waist instead of kowtowing, and then Prince Baiyu introduced us one by one according to our rank. I, as the host, was first, followed by Scholar Wu, and then my three apprentices.
We didn’t shake hands since that wasn’t the custom here.
“What a splendid ship. Thank you for inviting us,” said Lady Yuying.
I was utterly overcome by the force of her presence and barely managed to say a few words. “It was my pleasure.”
Lord Yulin and I also exchanged greetings, and I noticed he seemed amused by my reaction.
When the introductions were over I said, “You must be tired after your journey. Please allow me to show you to your rooms.”
It was actually the royal guard who led the way, and we trailed after them.
Lady Yuying glanced down at me and smiled. She said, “This is an impressive ship. I see that your bloodline inheritance is quite powerful.”
“Yes, she seems to be a mortal without any cultivation,” said Lord Yulin. “But she has hidden depths.”
I laughed nervously. The Lady of the West’s attitude was surprisingly friendly, but I was still a little on edge. Her guards, who numbered a dozen in total, were all tall, fierce-looking clan members clad in leather and steel armor and armed with either swords or scary-looking clubs. Even her maids looked intimidating.
Fengying took over once we got to the guest suite. She was in her element as she ushered the Lady and her consort to the living room and then demonstrated the room’s various features to the maids such as the sink, shower, mini kitchen, and so forth.
It was a relief when we left them to their rest.
“I think my mother likes you,” said Prince Baiyu as we walked back to the control center.
“Really? How can you tell?” I asked.
“Her body language.”
“That’s nice. I couldn’t tell.” I sat down on the pilot’s chair. “Shall we?”
Prince Baiyu stepped beside my chair and nodded his head. “Let’s go. The Goat clan is anxiously waiting for my mother to arrive.”
My three apprentices crowded behind my chair, straining their necks to check what I was going to do.
They couldn’t see it, but the first thing I did was to go to the farm settings and turn on all of its privacy and security features since no one had been left behind to take care of the farm.
Then I went to the [Floating Solarium’s] System tab.
The physical control panel in front of me, with its plethora of dials, switches, levers, buttons, knobs, multicolored lights, and electronic chart displays, was merely for show. I flipped a couple of switches, pressed a few buttons, and adjusted a few knobs while I mentally clicked on the System’s [Start] button.
“And we’re off!” I swiveled my chair around and beamed at Prince Baiyu.
Yinuo was on hand with glasses of iced peach juice which she distributed among us. I lifted mine and said, “To a smooth flight and fair winds! May this ship's first voyage be the start of many memorable adventures.”