I focused intently on the system screen in front of me. Numbers and icons filled the panel, forcing me to think hard about the next steps. With quick taps, I opened the combat unit profile menu. My first priority was enhancing their strength. I started with Thomas. At level 10, he clearly needed an upgrade.
"All right, Thomas," I murmured, pressing the confirmation button. A blue light flashed across the screen as his level rose from 10 to 20. "One done, four to go."
Next was Catherine. Her face on the profile screen looked as usual—determined and full of confidence. I repeated the same process, using some Storybooks of Heroes and base gold to bring her up to level 20.
Pierre and Virginia followed. They both now matched Thomas and Catherine in level. I took a deep breath as I reached the last profile—Elizabeth Bathory. Her image on the screen didn't reflect what she had just been through, but I knew there was much to improve in her, both in power and mentality.
"Level 20 for you too, Elizabeth," I said, pressing the button. With that, I had spent a total of 250 Storybooks of Heroes and 5,000 base gold. The system screen displayed my remaining inventory—150 Storybooks of Heroes and 20,698 base gold.
I opened the inventory menu to double-check. Everything looked accurate. However, frustration began to creep in as I entered the construction menu. Every facility available required additional materials—wood and building stones. Moreover, upgrading the base level demanded research points, which I currently had none of. The problem was that the facility needed to generate research points—the laboratory—also required materials I didn't have.
"Of course," I sighed heavily. This flying castle was impressive, but progress felt painfully slow. "Every step demands more resources. Always the same story."
I rechecked the facility list. A wood warehouse and stone quarry were clear priorities. But even the basic materials to build them were missing. Rubbing my temples, I felt slightly weary of this endless cycle.
Luna, standing near the table, seemed hesitant to speak, but I ignored her for now. My focus returned to the screen.
"Maybe I need to adjust the strategy," I muttered aloud. "The combat units are stronger now, but without a supportive base, their power can't be fully utilized."
I scrolled through the construction menu again to ensure I hadn't overlooked anything. Still, the answer remained the same. Everything required materials I didn't have.
"At this rate, I'll need to prioritize resource-gathering expeditions," I murmured. "But that also takes time."
Luna finally spoke, her tone cautious. "Navigator, is there another way to speed up resource collection?"
I shook my head slightly. "If there were, I would have found it by now. For now, we can only be patient and maximize what we have."
I looked at the screen one last time before closing it. Frustrating as it was, I knew that progress, slow or fast, would come eventually. A navigator's job is to ensure every step, no matter how small, brings us closer to the goal.
"All right, back to work," I said, standing from my chair. Luna glanced at me briefly before nodding and returning her attention to the main map.
There are no shortcuts in this game, I thought. But that's no excuse to stop. We'll keep moving forward—one step at a time.
***
Elizabeth stepped out of her room, her stride lighter than before. After crying throughout the night and reflecting on everything that had happened, she felt a bit better. The air in the corridor was refreshing, and the sunlight streaming through the windows brought a slight warmth to her heart. But her steps faltered when she saw Virginia sitting on a chair near the door.
"Were you waiting for me?" Elizabeth asked softly, her voice uncertain.
Virginia looked up and gave a faint smile. "I wanted to make sure you were all right. How are you feeling now?"
Elizabeth hesitated briefly before answering. "I'm… fine. Thank you, Virginia. You don't have to worry."
Virginia observed Elizabeth with a caring gaze. "I know what happened yesterday was hard for you. But I hope you know that we're all here to support you."
Elizabeth fell silent. The words were simple but sounded so sincere. "I appreciate that. I just feel… maybe I deserved what happened," she murmured quietly.
Virginia shook her head. "No one deserves to be treated like that, Elizabeth. Navigator might have had his reasons, but that doesn't make his actions right."
Before Elizabeth could respond, Catherine appeared at the end of the corridor. Walking with purpose, she approached them, her expression, as always, a mix of care and strength.
"Elizabeth," Catherine called, "how are you feeling now?"
Elizabeth gave a faint smile. "I'm fine, Catherine. Thank you for asking."
Catherine sighed in relief. "We were all worried. Navigator can be… difficult to understand, but I hope you don't think his actions represent all of us."
"I don't," Elizabeth quickly replied. "In fact, I feel everyone here has been so kind. You, Virginia, Pierre, Thomas, even Luna and Sasha… You've all shown a level of care and kindness I never expected."
Virginia looked at Elizabeth gently. "That's because we're a team, Elizabeth. In this flying castle, we have to support each other."
Elizabeth nodded slowly, but her mind wandered back to yesterday's events. "I just think…" she began, her voice trembling slightly. "If Navigator hadn't humiliated me like that, I might have hurt all of you. I… I had bad intentions from the start. I didn't come here to join, but to destroy. And yet…" She stopped, her eyes welling up with tears. "You were all still kind to me, even though I might not deserve it."
Catherine placed a steady hand on Elizabeth's shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze. "Everyone makes mistakes, Elizabeth. What matters is what we do afterward. If you're willing to change and become one of us, that's enough."
Virginia added, "Navigator might have his own ways of handling things, but we believe that in time, you can show us who you truly are. Not the Elizabeth who came with bad intentions, but the Elizabeth who can be part of this team."
Elizabeth nodded again, this time with a bit more confidence. "Thank you. I'll try my best. All of you… are more than I could have hoped for. And I want to be better—for all of you."
The conversation felt light, despite the heavy topic. Elizabeth felt the weight pressing on her chest begin to ease. As they walked together toward the main hall, Elizabeth thought that perhaps in an unexpected place like this, she could find a new purpose.
Still, one thought lingered. Could she truly forgive herself, or even the Navigator, for what had happened? It was a question she would need to answer someday. But for now, she was grateful for people like Catherine and Virginia by her side.
***
Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow after a long training session with Pierre in the training hall. Pierre looked tired but satisfied, the wooden sword in his hand still firm despite the visible dents from their clashes. "Today's training was tough," Pierre said, trying to catch his breath.
"We need it," Thomas replied. "The next battle might be harder. Better to be prepared now than regret it later."
They walked out of the training hall, heading toward the tavern to rest. At the entrance, light laughter could be heard from inside. When they entered, they saw Catherine, Virginia, Elizabeth, and Sasha seated together at one of the large tables. Elizabeth looked calmer than before, though her demeanor still carried a hint of awkwardness.
"Ah, you're finally done," Catherine greeted with a faint smile. "We thought you'd train until nightfall."
Thomas chuckled. "We're only human, Catherine. Rest is important. Mind if we join you?"
"Of course," Virginia said, shifting her chair slightly to make room. "The more, the merrier, right?"
They sat down, ordered drinks, and were soon immersed in lighthearted conversation. Elizabeth, though not completely free from the embarrassment of a few days ago, began to feel more at ease in this atmosphere. Catherine and Virginia kept the conversation casual, while Sasha happily chimed in with jokes.
"So," Pierre began, "what were you talking about before we arrived?"
Virginia smiled. "Elizabeth was telling us about her hometown in Hungary. She said it's full of beautiful buildings and bustling markets."
"Oh, Hungary," Pierre mused. "So that's Elizabeth's home before she came to this world?"
"Let me guess," Thomas added with a mock-serious tone and a small smile. "Elizabeth must have spoken her native language."
Elizabeth finally spoke up. "Of course, I spoke in my native language."
All eyes turned to her. Catherine gently asked, "Do you know what language we're speaking, Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth lowered her gaze in confusion. "I hear you all speaking my native language too…" She trailed off, but the faint smile on her face suggested she didn't want to dwell on the topic.
"We each speak our own native languages, Elizabeth," Virginia said, her tone confident.
The day passed with lighthearted conversations and laughter. They all enjoyed the moment of peace—something rare amidst their dangerous missions. Unspoken, but deeply felt, was the growing sense of camaraderie among them.
***
Four days passed quickly. Life on the flying castle felt like a routine. Training, meetings, and casual conversations filled their days. However, the atmosphere shifted as the towering spires of Arcadia came into view on the horizon.
"We're getting close," Catherine said, gazing out of the main window. Her eyes sparkled, though her expression remained as composed as ever.
The Navigator, standing at the control center, gave brief instructions to the combat units through the communication system. "Prepare yourselves. The city of Arcadia has strict rules, so we'll need to maintain discipline."
"Discipline?" Pierre asked Thomas with a playful tone. "I hope we don't have to march like parade soldiers."
"You know the Navigator," Thomas replied, smirking slightly. "He always wants everything to be perfect."
Elizabeth stood beside Catherine, staring at the city with a mix of curiosity and anxiety. "Arcadia…"
"Don't worry," Catherine said with an unusually gentle tone. "We're here together."
As the flying castle approached the city of Arcadia, they all shared the same anticipation. The next mission likely awaited them, but for now, their focus was on landing and facing whatever challenges lay ahead in the grand city.
***