The Hot Air Balloon
"Up!"
As the basket gradually left the ground and ascended higher and higher, everyone held their breath. Not a single sound was made, with wide eyes and open mouths, they watched as Freyr and Focker rose higher into the sky.
Some were so awestruck that they forgot to wipe away the drool trickling from their mouths.
For those living in an era without any form of flying machines, the scene was overwhelmingly shocking!
It wasn't until the hot air balloon reached the height of the castle's top that the craftsmen on the ground erupted in a massive cheer. Everyone knelt, offering their most devout praises to the great gods.
In stark contrast to the joyous crowd below, Focker felt his legs growing so weak that he could barely stand!
Flying for the first time in his life, Focker's legs had been trembling uncontrollably since they left the ground. His face turned pale, his eyes wide like a bull's, teeth chattering, and he clung to the edge of the basket for dear life.
"How do you feel, my dear Focker?" Freyr asked, looking down. The hot air balloon was drifting slowly, and from this height, the scenery around the castle, the distant mountains, and the nearby forests were all in clear view.
"Isn't this a memorable sight?" Freyr was immersed in the moment.
"Master…" Focker swallowed hard and cautiously asked, "This... I don't know what to say... It's, it's incredible... But, I must ask... We've flown so high... How do we get down?"
Freyr's expression changed. He looked deeply at Focker and then, with an odd expression, said, "Damn… I only know how to make it fly… I don't know how to make it descend."
"Master… you are the most brilliant person I've ever met… #%&%*&$#…"
"Focker! You vomited on me!"
Down below, after their initial excitement, people began looking at each other in confusion. "When are the young master and Focker coming down? It's almost time for dinner, isn't it?"
In the setting sun, the hot air balloon drifted higher and farther into the endless sunset.
What a beautiful world! Isn't it?
Afterward, Focker was bedridden for two full days. Even when he got up, his legs still felt weak. Despite this, Freyr rewarded his loyal servant. On the day in the hot air balloon, amidst their panic about not being able to descend, it was Focker who inadvertently suggested turning off the stove below.
This suggestion immediately reminded Freyr that the hot air balloon's lift was connected to the temperature of the gas inside. By shutting off the stove, the gas cooled, and the balloon finally descended.
Poor Focker almost vomited his guts out upon landing, and it was only with the help of a rescue team of cavalry that he was brought back.
While everyone in the castle speculated on what new invention the eccentric young master would come up with next, Freyr fell silent.
For many days, Freyr tinkered with nothing. He understood clearly that he had no interest in creating too many distractions. Fireworks and gambling on soccer were merely ways to alleviate his immediate financial tightness.
Freyr had no interest in something as labor-intensive as an industrial revolution. His goal was simple: to make money, to fund the costly experiments needed for his magical research.
Now, with his financial issues temporarily resolved, Freyr stopped his activities. Except for daily visits to Ryan's lab to check on the progress of the magic scientist and visiting the hot air balloon and fireworks research teams, Freyr devoted all his time to studying magic.
Every night, he would spend hours alone on the third-floor terrace of the magic lab. He and Ryan had an unspoken agreement: Ryan used the lab during the day, and Freyr used it at night. They didn't interfere with each other.
For over a month, Freyr struggled to break through the first threshold of his "Star Magic." The concept of "Star Power" remained too vague. With no concrete standards or descriptions, even Natalie couldn't accurately define what Star Power was. After all, the current Natalie wasn't the original female astrologer but merely a copy of her memory. Many of Freyr's questions, Natalie couldn't answer.
Besides his nightly study of Star Magic, Freyr also learned formal continental magic during the day, with some help from Ryan, who was a wizard. From Ryan, Freyr acquired several basic spells, such as simple fire magic like Fireball and wind magic like Wind Blade. Among these, Freyr was most proficient in Dizziness Spell and Acceleration Spell.
Even Ryan acknowledged that Freyr's current magic power exceeded his own, both in magical strength and sensitivity. If Freyr chose to take the Magic Guild's assessment, he could easily qualify as a Level 1 Wizard.
Freyr had, in fact, slightly concealed his true strength. While he hadn't yet mastered Star Magic, the spell Natalie provided for mental training was extremely effective in boosting his mental power. His magical strength was now roughly equivalent to a Level 3 Wizard.