"I knew it would end like this."
Seeing the aircraft plummet from the sky, Theodore let out a sigh of relief, muttering under his breath, "Master Herlam really shouldn't indulge her like this…"
Lynn gazed upward, watching the massive contraption sway mid-air, its descent aimed directly at the square. Yet, the crowd gathered below showed no signs of panic, prompting Lynn to refrain from intervening. It seemed there would be someone else to handle the mess.
Sure enough, as the aircraft was about to crash, several wizards in the square cast a spell to gently lower it, allowing the airborne machine to land smoothly in the square's center. However, the battered wings had already fallen apart, and the camel-hide covering had long been swept away by the wind.
"It really could only manage a short flight…"
Jonny observed the aircraft's rise and fall, then turned to Lynn, curious about how he had predicted this outcome so accurately.
"Relying solely on steam power isn't enough to sustain flight. The entire design is flawed, lacking in aerodynamic principles... its fall was inevitable," Lynn replied softly, having immediately identified the issues with the aircraft.
But this halfling girl, Lydia, who managed to build such a machine with rudimentary materials and get it airborne, was undoubtedly an engineering genius.
Mimicking a bird's wing movements to generate lift was a good idea, but it was too simplistic, merely scratching the surface without understanding the underlying principles.
In summary… history has already shown that steam-powered aircraft have no future—they lack the power, can't fly high, and can't travel far...
"So, you mean that by changing the power source and redesigning the structure, this… uh… aircraft could fly freely in the sky, entirely without the aid of magic?"
As they conversed, a gentle voice interrupted from behind.
Lynn turned to find an elderly man dressed in a black robe and round-topped hat. He appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, his beard meticulously trimmed, and an inexplicable glint in his eyes.
Theodore quickly bowed in respect upon seeing him. "Master Herlam!"
The man was none other than Herlam, the ruler of the Iyetar Harbor!
Despite being a highly revered Grand Wizard, his attire was so modest that even the harbor's residents failed to recognize him at first glance.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lord Herlam," Lynn bowed in accordance with local customs, showing due respect to the Grand Wizard. Instead of answering the question directly, he posed one of his own.
"Alchemical ships powered by steam can sail the seas without relying on magic, can they not? So why not flight?"
Herlam raised an intrigued eyebrow, while Theodore, impatient as ever, interjected.
"Who told you those alchemical ships have nothing to do with magic? It seems your understanding of alchemy is rather lacking…"
Theodore then explained to the foreigner Lynn the two methods by which the alchemical ships operated.
Either a fully-fledged wizard would control the alchemical machinery, or a magic stone would be used to activate the corresponding alchemical arrays.
So it's using magic to generate steam? Lynn was taken aback. He hadn't expected that those alchemical ships weren't coal-powered after all.
Could this be the legendary "one wizard per hundred kilometers… of magic power"?
Herlam, however, cast a surprised glance at Lynn. Twenty years ago, when the steam engine was first invented, it indeed required no magic at all. The later use of magic stones as a power source was simply more convenient.
In fact, the steam engine installed in Lydia's aircraft didn't involve any magic. However, few of the new generation of wizards in Iyetar Harbor were willing to delve into the basic principles of alchemical formulas anymore.
"Master Herlam~"
As they conversed, Lydia, with the help of other halflings, had managed to free herself from the deformed cockpit. Her sleeve was torn, but the young girl paid it no mind, rushing over to Herlam with eager anticipation.
"Did I succeed this time? I actually flew just now, you saw it, didn't you?"
"This can hardly be called a success… at best, you could say…" Herlam paused, then repeated Lynn's words with a hint of humor, "You flew a little."
Lydia's face immediately fell, like a dejected bird, but she quickly insisted that she had made significant progress this time. With just a few more tweaks, the machine would definitely be able to fly successfully.
Herlam patiently listened to Lydia's recount and complaints before turning back to Lynn and the others.
"It seems you have something to discuss with me. In that case, Theodore, why don't you take our guests to the Academy first? I'll join you shortly."
Theodore nodded, understanding that this wasn't the place for such a discussion. However, before he could turn to leave, Herlam's voice rang out again.
"And Theodore, if you have any complaints about me, feel free to express them directly."
Clearly, Herlam had overheard not only Lynn's comments on the aircraft but also Theodore's earlier grumbles.
"No, Master, I just meant that Lydia conducting her flight experiments in the square is too dangerous. If something were to go wrong, not only could the townsfolk get hurt, but… but also…" Theodore stammered, struggling to explain, but Herlam waved his hand, cutting him off.
"All right, I understand your concerns. Next time, I'll set up a magical barrier. Your worries are not without merit."
As the aircraft crash-landed, the "farce" in the square came to an end. The townsfolk, having had their fill of excitement, gradually dispersed amidst a flurry of chatter and gossip.
Theodore, still somewhat disgruntled, led the group toward the nearby Iyetar Magic Academy.
It was an imposing complex in the heart of the city, with towering spires, thick black walls, and the most prominent structure of all—the Screeching Tower, visible even from beyond the harbor...
"In Iyetar Harbor, is it always this difficult to become a wizard's apprentice?"
Stepping through the academy's gates, Lynn, recalling the earlier flight experiment, couldn't help but ask.
He had overheard that the young girl named Lydia had to complete this experiment to gain admission to the Magic Academy. The difficulty seemed rather high.
Surely not everyone had to go through such trouble to enroll?
"No, that's a test specifically for Lydia alone," Theodore explained. "Master Herlam means well. These halflings have little magical talent, and letting her into the Academy would be a waste of time…"