Chapter 1 Hao Ren's Concerns

Hao Ren had no idea what kind of discussion was going on between Magus and Veronica regarding himself, but he was well aware that the princess and the Western Territory general would definitely conduct research into his origins as an "Ancient Guardian." This wasn't about conspiracy, but the keenness and thoroughness that anyone in their position and of sufficient intelligence should possess.

His appearance as an "Ancient Guardian" was too sudden, and the ways he didn't fit into this world were enough to arouse suspicion in others. Even if the princess initially believed in his identity, she wasn't a three-year-old, and suspicion was inevitable. But frankly, Hao Ren didn't care about any of this.

After discovering what the mortal races of this world were facing, he knew that Veronica would definitely consider him one of their own: in the face of the Chaos monsters, all the children of the ordered world were natural allies.

Not to mention, he was carrying more than twenty pounds of holy artifacts.

The team rested overnight at the Western Territory fortress – the Chaos Border had no day or night, but the people living here still needed a regular schedule, so they brought the kingdom's timetable and used mechanical clocks to mark day and night in the fortress – and it wasn't until the next morning that Hao Ren saw Veronica and Sir Morian again. When they met again, Veronica had changed her clothes. Repairing her tattered, bloodstained armor wasn't a small project, and there was no new armor suitable for her in the fortress, so the princess appeared in a white samurai outfit. Sir Morian had also changed into civilian clothes. The old knight had combed his hair and shaved his beard, and his immaculate appearance, with a long sword at his waist, made him look like an old nobleman about to go hunting.

It was clear that even a short night's rest had restored much of their spirits.

"We will set off for the capital today," Veronica said to Hao Ren directly. "Guardian, although I said it yesterday, please allow me to formally invite you again today: I invite you to go to the capital of Taros, the White City, where you will meet my father."

"That's exactly what I want," Hao Ren nodded with a smile, "and I have many things I need your help with after I get to your capital."

The team gathered in the square behind the fortress. When General Magus appeared, he was leading a team of what looked like elite soldiers. He bowed slightly to Veronica: "Your Highness, these are troubled times, and the road to the capital is not safe. I have arranged three airships for you, which are faster than horses anyway."

Before Veronica could say anything, Hao Ren's attention was drawn to the three small black dots that were gradually getting larger in the sky.

He clearly saw three aircraft-like things coming out from behind several spires at the top of the fortress, and then slowly descending towards this side. Soon, the appearance of the three things appeared in his vision. They were indeed aircraft: they looked like ships after deformation, with streamlined hulls. The hulls seemed to be pieced together with metal and wood. On both sides of the hulls were white plates that looked like paddles, but were wider. They were hung in pairs on the sides of the ship and looked like wings. At the end of the ship, there was a kind of propulsion device that continuously released a faint blue light.

All three "ships" had magical runes flowing on their surfaces, and their power form was obvious.

This was the "airship" that Magus was talking about. The humans of the Colo world actually had aircraft!

Hao Ren was stunned for a moment, and immediately began to readjust the civilization rating of this world in his heart – this had almost become his professional instinct.

"Guardian..." Veronica couldn't help asking when she saw Hao Ren was in a daze, "Have you... never seen an airship before?"

Hao Ren's eyes flickered and he woke up, and quickly perfunctorily said: "Oh, I know about aircraft, but the ones I've seen are bigger than these things."

He wasn't lying. Those three airships looked to be no more than a few dozen meters long at most, and even a small spaceship like Nolan was ten times larger than them. But these words had another meaning in Veronica's ears: the princess directly thought of the lost ancient knowledge...

"It's good to have these things. It definitely won't take too long for us to fly directly back to the capital," Hao Ren noticed that the atmosphere was a little awkward, and immediately changed the subject. "By the way, do they have defensive firepower?"

"Airships are also warships. Although they can't be compared with magic warships, they are faster and more flexible, which is very suitable for you," Magus said, "Outside the Chaos Border, the sky is as dangerous as the land, but in the Order Kingdom, the sky is at least safer than the land, so you don't have to worry too much along the way. I also brought the most elite wind knights here. They are good at aerial combat and escort missions. These warriors will escort you all the way back to the capital."

"General, you don't have to do this," Veronica immediately refused, "The war in the Western Territory is tight, and you can't reduce the number of people here anymore."

"The huge Western Territory defense line doesn't lack this small team of knights," Magus said with a smile, "But if you can safely reach the capital, you can bring me the support of more than a few knight brigades."

The Western Territory general had already said this, so Veronica had no choice but to shut up.

The soldiers were well-trained, and the airships had been prepared for departure before. The Western Territory general didn't like small talk, so soon, Hao Ren and Veronica boarded one of the "airships."

The magic furnace of the airship made a low buzzing sound, and the levitation runes and wind control runes lit up one by one. Hao Ren felt a shock under his feet, and had already left the ground with this unique "Colo native aircraft." The things in his vision slowly sank downwards.

General Magus stood on the ground, waving to the rising airship. Hao Ren poked his head out beside the ship's railing, waved his hand, and then turned to talk to Veronica: "By the way, General Magus is really tall. He is... uh, what's wrong with you?"

He was surprised to see that Princess Veronica, who was always heroic and valiant, was now pale, holding a long sword and standing away from all the ship's rails. She tried hard to maintain her usual majesty and calmness, but unfortunately, her stiff expression and constantly erratic gaze completely betrayed the princess's true situation:

She had a fear of heights.

"Uh... Veronica?" Hao Ren was a little dazed and couldn't help but carefully said, "What, could it be that you're afraid of heights?"

Veronica's body involuntarily tensed up, and then she continued to hold her long sword with a serious face, saying each word as if it was squeezed out of steel: "Of course I'm not afraid of heights."

"Then you're..."

"I'm seasick."

Hao Ren: "..."

Suddenly he felt that this princess was much more approachable.

Veronica's seasickness was actually more serious than it seemed. Hao Ren also guessed that this princess also had a bit of altitude sickness: although the aircraft of the Colo world were wonderful, they were obviously not so developed in terms of comfort and other detailed technologies. The huge airship was actually just a large wooden boat forcibly lifted into the sky with levitation magic. It lacked sealing technology and didn't prepare any oxygen cabins. People who were not used to this environment would easily feel uncomfortable on it. It was just that Hao Ren didn't expect that this seemingly heroic and extraordinary princess actually had such a weakness.

After stubbornly insisting on the deck for a while, Veronica finally bowed her head to the power of nature, and was obediently escorted back to her room to rest by several personal knights.

The three airships had climbed to a sufficient height, and it drew a large arc in the air, bypassing the mountains around the Western Territory fortress, and began to fly towards the kingdom's interior.

Hao Ren didn't feel any discomfort from this kind of flight. He and Sir Morian stood together at the bow of the ship, looking at the distant horizon and observing the movements in the clouds in the sky.

The other two airships were guarding on both sides, and the distance from this "flagship" was estimated to be no more than a few hundred meters. When they rose to a height shrouded in clouds, the two ships shuttled between the fog, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing.

This scene was full of fantasy style.

"General Magus is a descendant of the Frost Giants," Morian suddenly broke the silence. After seeing Hao Ren's puzzled look, he explained with a smile, "Answering your question just now."

"Frost Giants?" Hao Ren repeated subconsciously, another unfamiliar word.

"Their homeland is in the Eternal Winter Continent, the country of glaciers and frozen soil. Their kingdom was destroyed in the Chaos Tide three centuries ago. Later, the surviving Frost Giants joined the country of the Frost Witches and Ice Dragons. According to the ancient alliance signed by the ancestors of the various races on that frozen soil, the Frost Giants who lost their homeland sent a quarter of their clansmen to the various kingdoms of other continents. In exchange for lifelong allegiance, they would help them restore their country one day in the future. General Magus is a descendant of one of the Frost Giants. He has guarded our country for one hundred and twenty-seven years, and the Western Territory Fortress has never fallen in his hands."

The old knight said, and added: "He has a straightforward personality but is too upright. His relationship with the kingdom's nobles has always been cold, but he has a high reputation among traditional soldiers."

Hao Ren nodded. Although he didn't intend to get close to the Taros aristocracy, he still silently recorded this useful information.

Then he raised his head and looked at the gloomy sky in the distance.

The airship had completely crossed the Western Territory mountains, and on this side of the Order Barrier, the power of Chaos and darkness had weakened to a visible degree.

The ink-colored clumps in the sky were gradually transforming into ordinary clouds, and white clouds began to appear in the dark clouds. Some light sprinkled down from the thinnest clouds, and the land below became clearer.

The three airships crossed the last dividing line, and the surrounding light suddenly brightened.

Hao Ren narrowed his eyes for a moment, and he looked at the hot light in the sky, and his heart couldn't help but beat faster:

He saw the sun of Colo.

This world was still illuminated by a star.