"Urgh! Do I really have to wear this?"
Zeke rolled his eyes. He had heard the very same question countless times over the last hour. Leo could act like a crazed beast in one moment and then like a petulant child in the next. "One more time, yes. You can't show up to an official meeting in your training clothes, can you?"
Maya peaked out from behind Zeke with a smirk on her face. The girl was clearly amused by Leo's sour expression as he inspected his tailored suit. "I think you look very good, Leo."
Compared to him, Maya adored her outfit. Zeke hadn't shied any expenses on their shopping excursion. He didn't know much about clothing styles, but the garment his sister had chosen seemed to him like a dress straight out of a fairytale.
The soft white top seamlessly transformed into a wide skirt with more frills than he had ever seen. To Zeke, it looked ridiculous, but the smile on Maya's face was all that mattered to him. He didn't know anything about fashion anyway; for all he knew, this might be what all girls were wearing nowadays.
The three of them made their way through the estate garden, bantering as they walked. Their goal was the workshop, which was only a short walk away. When they got close to the facility, Ezekiel once again marveled at the changes the place had undergone.
The workshop, once nothing more than a solitary hall, had completely transformed. Now, the area seemed like a small village in and of itself. The old structure was still the centerpiece, but it was now ringed by many smaller buildings. Jettero had been insistent that they structure their production line like this. Each building was dedicated to a singular purpose.
As they got closer, Maya and Leo both scrunched up their noses. They had been caught off guard by the overwhelming stench that hung in the air. Their eyes watered, and they quickened their pace. With a mixture of curiosity and disgust, their eyes were drawn to the building the acrid smell seemed to come from. There, they could glimpse stretched hides and various tanning tools. Through the open door, two men could be seen fitting a leather cover onto the skeleton of a padded, wooden bench. Zeke recognized the piece of furniture as belonging to the cabin of the Gondola.
As they moved farther away, the pungent smell began to fade, replaced by a sense of relief. They soon closed in on the central hall, and Zeke spotted his parents, accompanied by David. His gaze first went to his mother. She had decided against wearing a dress, opting for a more functional outfit. He didn't know what it was called, but it looked like a slightly more feminine version of a suit. The dark gray fabric stood in stark contrast to her vibrant blonde hair, highlighting the color. It was a good look for her.
His father wore a simple yet elegant black suit. The combination of a doublet and a mantle suited him well. To be fair, with his tall frame and broad shoulders, most clothes looked good on him. However, this didn't mean he enjoyed dressing up. At their arrival, Geralt's eyes were immediately drawn to Leo's miserable expression. Their eyes locked, and then, as if they had planned this, they both nodded in unison.
"Do I really have to wear this, Zeke?" his father grumbled. "I feel like an old man."
Zeke ignored his father's complaints as David stepped up. He had been responsible for helping Mia and Geralt, while Zeke had been in charge of Leo and Maya. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he had seen a flash of weariness in the man's eyes. David must have suffered a similar ordeal with Geralt as Zeke had with Leo.
"Are you prepared, young lord?"
Zeke nodded. "Yes. How about the ship?"
"It is ready as well. Mr. Robins conducted the maiden flight this morning."
"Excellent," Zeke said. "What name did he decide on?"
"He named the ship 'Enigma'," David explained. "I didn't get any further explanation. He said you would understand the meaning."
Zeke smiled. It was a good name for his personal ship. He had told Jettero about some of his plans. Even among the extravagant Gondolas, this would be something special. Out of all his ideas and plans, most weren't something Zeke could or would share with the public — at least, not yet. But with this ship, he could go wild.
Without wasting any more time, Zeke entered the giant hall where the Gondolas were assembled. This step in the production was still exclusively handled by his crew. He didn't want anyone to find out about their exact process. Even though most of the parts were now being built by contracted workers, the most crucial part was still firmly under his control.
Zeke had no illusions about being able to hide his methods forever. Corporate espionage was far too common after all. But he would try to keep the details hidden for as long as possible. At least the Enchantments he created himself were something not so easily replicated.
Over the past weeks, he had managed to improve further, reaching the very peak of the High-Grade. Here, his progress had stalled. Zeke instinctively understood that he would not be able to breach the gap to Top-Grade Enchantments any time soon. For that, everything needed to be perfect. Despite his advantages, it would take him years to reach such a level of mastery.
All stray thoughts were driven from his mind the moment he laid eyes on the ship. With bold, silver letters, the word 'Enigma' was written at the upper end of the bow. For the body, they had utilized a different kind of wood. Instead of Irochean teak, they had decided on an elvish lumber. The import regulations for it were so strict, that Zeke had barely managed to procure enough of it. The elves called it Whisperwood, and Zeke had fallen in love with the material.
In addition to its beautiful dark color, the wood had inherent mana-repulsing properties. This prevented anybody from inspecting the inside of the ship with Magic. Zeke considered this to be a necessary trait if he was going to outfit the vessel with experimental technology.
At some point, Jettero had stepped up next to him. Without a word, the old man joined him in admiring the view.
"You outdid yourself this time, Jett," Zeke praised.
"Alas, this is not on me. The lads would probably manage just fine without me at this point."
Zeke glanced sideways at the old man. "Take the compliment, you old fart."
Jettero chuckled. "Fine, fine, it was all me. Happy now?"
"Much better," Zeke said. "So, how about it? Can I take her out?"
"Aye, and good luck," Jettero said. And with a wry smile, he added, "I suppose you'll be able to make a decent impression arriving in style. At least until you open your mouth."
Zeke flinched back, a hand going to his heart as if he had suffered a blow. "You dare? I'm very charming, I'll have you know!"
Jettero scoffed. "And who aside from your mother thinks you're charming?"
"Ohh, I don't know… your granddaughter?"
"Lue has better taste than…" the old man started but cut himself off. It was no use pretending. They both knew very well that his granddaughter and Maya were both members of the Ezekiel fan club. The battle had ended in Zeke's favor this time.
With the smuggest grin on his face, Zeke strode past the old man and toward the Enigma. Instead of relying on the retractable walkway, he teleported on deck. Through the regular use of Essence crystals, Zeke's sphere of awareness had grown to the size of six steps. It took him only an instant of concentration to make the jump. The fact that he didn't need to create an anchor for his exit point was a huge advantage.
Zeke's hands caressed the curved handles of the steering wheel. In line with the decorations, it was also made from silver. The contrasting colors made it seem even more luxurious than the regular models. The gate of the workshop was already being pushed open. Jett must have signaled the crew in advance.
With an effort of will, Zeke guided the ambient Mana through his hands and into the steering wheel. After a delicate tug, the ship lifted off the ground. Zeke pressed the handles forward, engaging the Gust Enchantments at the back. The ship slid through the air, approaching the exit.
"See you later, Jett," he called over his shoulder as he exited the gate.
After a quick stop, Zeke and his family left the estate on board the Enigma. The invitation had been extended to his entire family, and he appreciated the gesture. He had been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. If nothing else, he longed to at least learn more about the conventional use of Blood Magic.
While Zeke steered the ship, his passengers had all found a spot. Mia, Geralt, and David were sitting at the round bench at the stern. The three of them were having a hushed conversation. Judging by the glances they were shooting him, it was something he was not supposed to learn. Zeke did not listen in. He would not invade his parent's privacy on a whim. If they wanted him to know something, they would share it.
Maya and Leo had marched to the prow of the ship. They were leaning over the railing, looking down at the city below. The Bloodsword estate was located on the second layer, below the palace. Neither Zeke nor his family had ever been up there. It was forbidden to enter a higher layer of the city without explicit permission. The second layer was only for its residents as well as the members of the Merchant Council.
According to proper procedure, every flying vehicle ascending or descending a layer had to go through the Airgates. These were built above the regular entrances, and Zeke wasn't planning on going against that rule. However, when he approached the Airgate to the second layer, the guard was already waving him on. Zeke was confused by this. Wasn't he supposed to show his invitation to prove that he had permission to enter?
The mystery resolved itself when Zeke saw the reverent gaze the man cast toward his ship. Apparently, there was no need to follow the rules for people who could afford a Gondola. Now that Zeke thought about it, he shouldn't be surprised by this. After all, this was the same vessel the king had bought. Furthermore, there were only four of them in circulation at this point. The scarcity made them an exclusive privilege.
With his chest puffed out, Zeke waved back at the man as he flew past. From here on, it wasn't hard to find their way, as the second layer was tiny. He could have chosen either direction and circled the palace until they arrived at their destination. Minutes later, he could already make out the sigil of the Bloodsword family in the distance. A shame; Zeke wouldn't have minded flying for a while longer.
With a sigh, he corrected his course and approached the estate. When he arrived overhead, he could tell that the guards were at a loss on how to handle the situation. Zeke couldn't fault them - it was customary to arrive in a carriage. The regular transporters were far too unwieldy to land on the smaller properties. With the advent of the Gondola, Zeke was working to overturn that tradition. Eventually, the guards just waved him through, pointing at a building further in.
The estate was many times smaller than his own dwellings, and they arrived at the manor only a few moments later. There were people everywhere, forcing Zeke to land his ship a little ways off. Nonetheless, they stopped what they were doing and stared at the approaching vessel. After the landing, the retractable platform extended, forming an elegant walkway. With an excited Maya clinging to his left arm, and a sour-looking Leo on his right, Zeke stepped off the ship.
The surrounding people were all wearing armor. Most had been dueling in small groups before their arrival. From a group toward the back, a woman stepped out. Zeke wasn't surprised when he saw her approaching his location. Each of her strides carried her far, and only a moment later, she was already standing in front of their group. Zeke noticed that the woman was a Grand Mage, and not a weak one.
"Greetings," she said curtly, "am I right in assuming that you are Ezekiel von Hohenheim?"
"You are."
She looked him up and down. The longer she looked the more confused she seemed to get. "What are you wearing?" she eventually asked.
"A suit?" Her genuine bewilderment made him question his choice of wardrobe. He was wearing a Dark gray tunic with a blood-red mantle. Zeke had read that this was a traditional outfit in Valor, but maybe there was something he had overlooked.
"I can see that. The question is, why are you wearing it?"
"What else should I be wearing?"
"We are a house of knights, Mr. von Hohenheim. That means we like to fight. Tell me, can you fight in this getup?" the woman asked with a raised brow. "Anything else would have been fine. Even simple training clothes."
Zeke could feel two pairs of eyes boring into the back of his head. He chose to ignore the hostile glares from his brother and father. Instead, he focused solely on the person in front of him. "Is this going to be a problem?"
She hesitated for a moment. "Not a problem per se, but… it will disrupt our plans somewhat."
Before Zeke could say or do anything, somebody stepped out from the crowd of onlookers. "Sis, what's taking so long?"
The woman glanced sidelong at the young man. He was fairly handsome, with a long face and straight nose. His eyes were sharp and red in color, the same as his hair. He had a mischievous expression as he stepped up next to her.
"Just a minor hiccup, no reason for you to make a big fuss, Mordred."
"Killjoy," the boy said, before eyeing their group. His gaze fell on Zeke last and remained locked on him. "So you are Ezekiel? You have a perfect Blood affinity?"
Zeke remained silent. This was not going as planned. Nobody here was showing any respect to either him or his family. The way the crowd encircled him, it almost felt like they were hoping for a fight to break out. Without replying, Zeke returned his attention to the woman. "Miss? Don't we have an appointment to keep?"
"About that…" she said with a somewhat awkward expression on her face. "The patriarch is still entertaining guests at the moment. He asked for you to join our training while you wait. However…" She once again looked at his clothing with pity in her eyes.
"…you arrived here dressed like a pampered merchant boy," her brother finished with a huge grin on his face.
The crowd burst out laughing. Maya, who was still clinging to his arm, tightened her grip. Her initial smile had long since been replaced by a worried frown. In fact, nobody in his group was looking enthusiastic about the meeting anymore.