Chapter 121: Earth's Technology, A Stunning Revelation

While the bald men were off visiting the headmaster, Ruby had already slipped inside the airship. Perhaps because they never expected anyone to infiltrate the Rhine Magic Academy, there was no one left on guard duty. The interior of the airship was completely deserted. The layout was not particularly complex, resembling a dormitory with independent doors lining both sides of the corridor. However, these rooms were not Ruby’s target; after orienting himself, he stealthily made his way toward the control room.

It was hard to tell if they were just incredibly careless, but even an area as important as the control room was left unlocked. With a gentle push, Ruby nudged the metal door open. What met his eyes were all sorts of strange, neatly arranged magic circles and a massive chair over two meters tall. The high back of the chair reached all the way to the ceiling, yet Ruby could not see any feet touching the floor beneath it.

"I said, don't just wander into the captain's quarters whenever you feel like it!"

A sharp, non-human voice startled Ruby. The large chair slowly swiveled around, and only then did he notice a diminutive green-skinned creature sitting in it. Because it was so small, it was almost lying across the seat. By human standards, the creature was quite ugly; the skin on its forehead was wrinkled into prominent furrows, topped with a dozen or so sparse, coarse hairs.

"Who are you?"

The green-skinned goblin had assumed it was that damned bald man intruding on his territory again. Seeing that Ruby was not one of the familiar faces from the airship's passengers, he asked with a look of confusion in his bead-like eyes.

"Who I am isn't important. I’m just very interested in this thing. How does it actually fly?"

Ruby spread his hands to show he meant no harm, then tapped his foot on the carpeted floor and asked.

"Is that so? Are you another human stunned by goblin technology? This is the alchemical airship that our goblin race takes such pride in—goblin technology, truly soul-stirring."

The goblin stood up from his chair, beaming with joy. Even with the height of the seat, he was only as tall as Ruby. He began to boastfully explain the airship's basic functions.

"For the level of technology in this world, it’s quite remarkable. Are these magic circles inscribed with 'Lightness' and 'Weight' spells? I see. You use magic power to reduce the weight of the material and then use propellers to lift off. However, the flaw is quite obvious: in mid-air, a strong gust of wind would blow it away."

Ruby walked up to the magic circles to examine them. He had been tricked by Moona with 'Lightness' and 'Weight' magic the first time they met. Although he couldn't use magic himself, that didn't stop him from memorizing the patterns. Seeing the layers upon layers of these spells, he had a good grasp of how the airship achieved lift.

"You—are you a goblin?"

The goblin was so startled by Ruby’s remarks that he rolled right off his chair. He stared at Ruby with wide eyes. Ever since the goblins had developed the alchemical airship, no one had ever been able to discern its mechanics at a single glance.

He even began to suspect that Ruby wasn't human. It wasn't that humans couldn't recognize these magic circles, but they shouldn't have the conceptual framework to understand them. Perhaps this person was a high-level goblin wearing human skin.

"I am human."

Ruby sighed, explaining for the umpteenth time. It was truly frustrating that people kept suspecting he was a goblin.

"A wind-shielding barrier. That’s what we use to withstand the strong winds in the sky."

The goblin hesitated for a moment before revealing the magic construction of the airship to Ruby. Defending against high-altitude air currents had troubled the goblin race for a long time; ultimately, it was a magic circle created with the help of human mages. While goblins could use magic, they weren't particularly gifted at it, so it was a joint product of their collaboration with humans.

"Truly impressive. I didn't expect the Black Stone Empire to collaborate with the goblins."

"The Emperor of the Black Stone Empire is a reasonably smart man, even if he can't compare to the great goblin race. This airship is, to some extent, a national treasure."

There was pride in the goblin's voice. Goblins, naturally lacking in magic power, were destined never to reach the level of free-flying mages, but they could still ascend to the skies through their own wisdom. What a magnificent achievement that was.

"Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? Is this thing really that difficult to build?"

"Difficult? This took a hundred years to complete! We started building it back in my grandfather's generation. Time is money, my friend. Do you know how much the Black Stone Empire spends annually to maintain this airship? I wouldn't tell you that it costs ten million gold coins a year!"

"Is it that expensive? If I were to build one, I could do it for five hundred thousand gold coins."

Hearing such an absurd price, Ruby was astonished. That amount of money could buy a hundred million 'Magic God' maidens worth one silver coin each. And considering the prices in this other world, five hundred thousand was a high estimate; if the world could produce a lifting gas with a density lower than air, it could be even cheaper.

"You know how to build one?"

"Sure do. Let me draw a diagram for you to see."

Ruby pulled a pen and paper from his pocket. Before long, a simple design for an airship appeared on the page.

"This isn't magic! There isn't a single magic circle here—what could it possibly rely on to get into the sky?"

The goblin was truly a clever creature; he understood Ruby's design immediately, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a trace of a magic circle.

"You fill a gasbag with a lifting gas that has a lower density than air, and it rises through buoyancy."

"Does air have density?"

The goblin knew a little about density—for instance, that wood and iron had different densities—but the concept of air having such properties was beyond his current knowledge.

"Of course it does. Come, let me explain it to you in detail."

Ruby felt he had finally found someone in this world he could truly communicate with, even if the person was a goblin. He went on to explain various scientific principles in detail, then veered off into other topics, leaving the goblin completely bewildered and enthralled.

Before they knew it, they had been discussing things for an entire day, and the sky outside had gradually grown dark. Ruby decided he shouldn't say any more. He realized that the goblin’s physical knowledge and intellect were quite substantial; if he kept going, he might open a Pandora's box. In a few hundred years, they might be building planes and tanks, which wouldn't be very friendly to a magic-based world.

"Ruby, Master Ruby! Please, tell me more!"

The goblin clung tightly to Ruby’s calf, refusing to let him leave. He had never met a human with such wisdom and talent in his entire life; even some things that goblins were currently designing had been predicted by him as if he were a prophet.

"Let go of me, I have to go back."

"God of Technology, you must be the God of Technology! Come back to the goblin tribe with me; I will make all the goblins worship you."

Unlike other races, goblins didn't have any fixed religion. If anything, they worshipped the technology they created themselves. Facing someone who possessed such infinite scientific knowledge, he naturally categorized him as a god.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I think I'll pass."

Ruby imagined the scene of himself sitting on a goblin throne, receiving the kowtows of a sea of green-skinned creatures, and shuddered. Discussing science was fine, but he had no desire to mingle with the green-headed fellows in his daily life.

After much persuasion, the goblin reluctantly released Ruby’s leg, insisting that he must visit the goblin tribe in the future. In the end, Ruby learned that this long-winded goblin was named Sherlock Gorind.