Chapter 25, To the West

As I sip tea the Lucia prepared, everyone seems to be keeping a close eyes on me. So much that I feel uncomfortable and finally break the silence.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I fixed my muffler.

"Nothing." Alexi smiled. "Just glad to have you back."

"Glad to be back." I answered and just then, Rin came in with Riri and the three humunculi.

"Master, docking of the Hangar and Lakehouse with the Arena, Warehouse and Library is complete." Yuri stated. "Argonaut is ready to set sail at any moment you please."

"Everyone, can you meet me at the port?" I asked.

"Sure." They answered.

I teleported to the Hangar and boarded the giant ship which is apparently the Argonaut. I stand at the steering wheel as Rin offers me the three meiums, Puppis, Vela and Carina. After changing them to their new forms, I open their gates and they synchronize with the ship's stern, sale and keel. At the spot where the steering wheel should be, a podium is present. with twelve key holes and a thirteen if you count the one in the center. I place the keys in order and as I place the Pisces key in its place the ships starts to shine and immediately begins to float.

The keys then rise and a map is projected in front of me. It shows the entire four continents. I set course for the Aerial Isles and Rin presses a button and a giant door leading outside opens. The Twelve keys them rise and seem to act like pillars and as I place my hand on it I learn how to control it immediately. I drive the ship out the door and we fly through the skies to the Aerial Isles.

I watch as the ship sails through the ocean of clouds and see the Aerial Isles in the distance. I manipulate the twelve pillers to lead us to the port. There, I see a cluster of people standing as I set the ship a bit of distance from the port, Rin lowers the bridge so everyone can get on.

"W-what in the world is this?" Hoshi-san asked with a shocked expression. "It's five no ten times larger than the ships we use."

He's right. The ship is large, really large. I don't know how large exaclty but it's definitely huge. But from my estimate, at least a hundred meters long and fifty meters wide. The sails tower high, around thirty meters high. On each, the Tsuki Family Crest is shown. The wood is detailed and carved beautifully, the deck solid and strong, cannons on each side with a figure head that is a dragon head.

"How is it able to stay afloat despite being so large?" Himari-san asked curiously. "The reason our ships are small is so that they can fly quickly and easily through the skies.

"This is the Hero's Ship, Argonaut. Something Tohru-jii-chan, the first Hero left for me." I answered as I manipulated the pillars yo move closer tp the port. "It's able to fly so easily because of the Twelve Zodiacs magical energy and the power given by Carina the Keel Familiar, Vela the Sail Familiar and Puppis the Stern Familiar."

"Master, all systems are fine. We may depart at any moment you wish." Yuri said. Looks like everything is fine.

"Alright then. Yuri, go get some supplies. We're leaving." I answered her.

"Leaving? For where?" Chris asked.

"For where Haruka is. For the West." I answered.

"Ehh?!" They all exclaimed.

"With this ship, the journey will take less than a few days or so." I answered.

"Alright dearies, time to get ready as well." Master clapped her hands and everyone left in a rush. "We'll be going with you."

"Thank you." I smiled.

While everyone gathered their things I stepped down to lower levels and saw that it was perfectly clean. Yuri was holding a mop. I smiled.

"Thanks for cleaning the place up." I told her.

"It's my job." She answered.

I head to the captain's quarters and find a a portrait of me hanging on the wall for some reason. That's when I see the writings on the frame. It apparently reflects the current owner of the ship. Tohru-jii-chan was really skilled in magic. I can't even imagine how hard it was to create this.

As I wondered through the room, I got a message from Haruko, one of the Tsukikages. I checked it and it said that he and a few Tsukikage would be joining us as per Tsubaki-san's orders. These people worry too much but I guess it's fine.

Finally, as the rays of the setting sun shined, everyone has packed. A hanful of members from our guilds and other guilds wanted to come so I let them come. We waved goodbye to the four nobles and Tsubaki-san adn I activated the engines of the ship.

As the ship began to move, I turned it to the direction we would be heading to. Pyxis acts as the compass for us as we depart.

"So cool. It's like we're sailing through the sea of clouds." Zero said. "I wonder how this ship was made."

"It's made from material from another world." Rin said as he looked at the skies. "Tohru-sama said that this ship would be left in the hundredths care."

"What do you mean?" Sky asked.

"He emans Haru. He was the hundredth generation of the Heroes." I answered as I manipulated the pillars. "Haruka and I are the hundredth in a sense as well."

"Haruki, I'll take over steering why don't you sit down?" Master offered but I shook my head.

"The ship requires one born from Aerial and Hero Blood. Besides, the only one who can manipulate the keys is me." I answered as I looked overhead.

"Hey, there's a thirteenth key hole here. Which is it for?" Alexander asked.

"It probably meant for Ophiuchus." I said as I moved the pillars. "He was the thirteenth Zodiac of sorts before he was removed or so Gou-jii-chan told me."

"That key holes is for Ophiuchus alright. Tohru-sama told me that this ship, Argonaut was meant to sail through the stars." Rin said. "That's why it's made from material from another world."

"So it can cross the borders between worlds." I said and turned to Lita.

"Tohru did say he wanted to show Gou his homeland." She smiled. "But before he could he..."

"Well, no matter. When I get Ophiuchus I might just take it to go to our homeland one day." I said jokingly. "But, for now. Let's go to the West, so that we can see the future."

"Indeed." Queen said.

My eyes focus on the horizon in front of me that has been tainted red by the setting sun. It'll be a while but, Haruka, I'll be there soon.