The Max Level Hero Has Returned!

Chapter 706

191. The Scale of a Successful Enthusiast

Davey was well aware of the truth that the number of technicians involved in his project was proportionate to its outcome. And so, he enlisted a lot of technicians in his project: Tiara, Edison, and lastly, Aeonitia, whom he asked under the guise of helping her grow. Of course, Tiara and Edison were contractually obligated. Aeonitia, on the other hand, was different. She was his precious younger sister, even though her biological mother was Queen Lynness, his mortal enemy. But Davey knew that it was wrong to hold Aeonitia accountable for what her mother had done.

As the incredible machine gradually descended from the sky, Oxygen and Maga watched in pure astonishment. On the other hand...

"Wow, this is freaking insane!" Grape-Flavored Cat Tower exclaimed.

"This is... amazing!” Hydro shouted as his trembling eyes remained fixed on the machine.

As the machine touched down with a gentle hiss of steam, sizable golems of the Decepticon Fleet marched out. They were the golems that Davey didn’t take around, but they were combat-ready, considering that they already amassed a significant amount of operation data overtime.

"Oh wow... I’ve been all over Tionis, but I’ve never seen anything like this," one of them marveled.

“That’s why I built it," Davey explained.

To be precise, Davey started with a blueprint, and once he had conceptualized what he wanted, he handed it over to Edison and Tiara. They then worked tirelessly through the night, understanding and constructing models, and eventually initiating production.

This project would’ve taken years to finish, but Davey had made Edison and Tiara work their butts off to expedite it.

Edison, in particular, was pretty much a prodigy in this field. In a day and age where technological norms had already declined, his talents far surpassed current times.

Davey had also trained Edison and Tiara by deliberately breaking down the power engine for them so they could work on it.

Initially, the two, a dwarf and a young girl, had been enthusiastic. But the relentless pace and demanding tasks eventually drove them to cry for respite. Still, Davey had pushed them hard, and the end result was right in front of their eyes. And Davey was pretty satisfied with the outcome after investing a great deal of resources and employing a lot of skeletons for their labor.

Cat Tower then suddenly yelled, "Oh my goodness... Davey! Is this the power of this country?!"

"No," Davey replied firmly.

‘The power of the Kingdom of O’Rowane? Not in a million years. This is mine,’ Davey thought.

"This is my hobby," he said simply, as if trying to show what kind of hobby someone with the resources of a continent at their disposal had.

While the others continued to look in awe, a few sturdy dwarves disembarked from the large airship nearby and immediately noticed Davey. They began chatting among themselves as they approached.

When they got within Davey’s earshot, one of them asked him, "Oh, Wise Teacher, when did you get here?"

"Just now. By the look of it, it seems like the ship turned out pretty well?”.

"Yes, yes. But the thing is, I’ve built ships that float on water at certain points in my life, but never have I built a ship that flies in the sky.”

Elder Golgouda and Goulda chuckled. When they turned around, they saw Edison looking at Davey with confidence.

"Davey! Do you think this will do?” Edison asked.

"Shall we give it a try?” Davey answered as he extended his hand.

Rinne then promptly placed a crowbar in his palm.

"Let’s start with a durability test,” Davey muttered.

"W-wait a minute!" the Elders exclaimed, grabbing Davey’s arm in alarm. "W-Wise Teacher! I get what you’re trying to do, but you’re going to destroy the ship!”

"Elders, safety comes first.”

“Wise Teacher, there aren’t many ships that can withstand your strikes! There’s no point!”

“But our enemies might be stronger than me.”

Without further ado, Davey hit the airship with the crowbar. The impact resonated with a thunderous clang. It startled the onlookers from Earth, including Hydro, and their eyes had gone wide in surprise.

"What... What did you just...” the Elders muttered, bewildered by Davey’s sudden attack using the crowbar.

But Edison maintained his confident demeanor.

"Pahahahahaha! How do you like it?! Tiara and I put a lot of effort into making this, knowing you would give it a hard time, Wise Teacher!” Edison laughed heartily.

"I’m quite impressed,” Davey commented as he looked at where he had hit.

The ship was only slightly dented; there were no breaks to be seen. Davey knew that unless they had coated the entire ship with some material that could absorb impact, like orihalcon, it had to be broken somewhere. But even with all the resources in the world, it’d be impossible to make an entire airship out of orihalcon.

Eventually, Davey was able to figure out what Edison and Tiara had done to the ship.

"You went for the shock absorption structure. I’m glad you took into account what I taught you,” Davey commented.

"I never thought that changing the structure and arrangement would make such a big difference," Edison admitted with a chuckle.

"I’m glad it worked. Can we see it run?” Davey followed up.

“To be frank, we’re a bit short on nuclear reactor power. But there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve used all the materials we were given. Let me know if you come across more power generators. I’ve left some slots empty so that you can add power yourself.”

“I believe that should be good enough.”

‘I guess I’m starting with what I have right now,’ Davey thought.

“By the way, have you decided on a name?” he asked.

“A name huh... No, not at the moment,” Edison answered.

"Is that so? Do you have any candidates?”

“Hmm, you see, this old man isn’t the best when it comes to naming things. I hate to admit it, but Tiara came up with even worse suggestions.”

Davey just remained silent at his rather hopeless words.

Since Davey didn’t say anything, Edison added, “Of course, the Clock Princess came up with a pretty novel name.”

“Are you talking about Aeonitia?” Davey asked.

“Yes, exactly.” Then after a brief pause, Edison said, “Asgard. From what I remember, it’s an ancient phrase that means ‘the one who explores’.”

Davey quietly nodded. He knew that the term existed on Earth as well, but with distinctly different connotations.

‘Asgard. I like the sound of that.’

“Let’s name it Asgard then,” Davey said.

“I was assuming that you had another name in mind,” Edison replied, a bit surprised.

“We should go with the name that the creator wants if there is one that they would like to give to their masterpiece.”

Edison just nodded back silently.

***

An enormous amount of money had been used to build the ultra-large airship that was recently named as Asgard. If Davey had been less influential, the Royal Family might have protested the extravagant expenditure, and the Continental Alliance, led by the Pallan Empire, would likely have made a huge fuss over the creation of a weapon of destruction of this size.

But perhaps due to Davey’s past actions or the reputation he had built, the Royal Family seemed indifferent to his expenditures as long as the country remained stable. Meanwhile, other nations were still unaware of the existence of Asgard.

Of course, Perserque expressed some concerns, seeing the airship production as just another one of his expensive hobbies. But Davey had no intention of abandoning this hobby. After all, Davey thought he had survived all odds to get to where he was just to pursue such endeavors.

After Davey gave a final look around the outer part of the airship, he took everyone who had come with him to Heins Castle.

As they strolled through the streets, the vassals warmly greeted Davey.

Maga and Cat Tower were surprised by their interaction, since it was different from the monarch they had envisioned.

“This place is much friendlier and more relaxed than I expected. It’s different from the medieval monarchy system I knew of,” Maga commented.

“It should be,” Davey responded.

‘Because there are no nobles here,’ he added in his thoughts.

It was only natural for this place to be the way it was, since no one dared to enter to take advantage of the people here. In a way, the security of Heins Territory was beyond anyone’s imagination, ensuring high safety and stability.

Just then, a young voice called out, “Mister!!”

It was only a few minutes after entering the territory that a little elf girl sprinted toward Davey and hugged him tightly. Davey then saw Yuria in the distance, waving. She seemed to be enjoying a picnic with Aeria. Davey remembered how Yuria rarely came out of the forest in the past. But it seemed like she came out here pretty often.

"Mister! Did you miss Myuu?!” the half-elf asked.

“Of course, I missed you. How have you been?" Davey asked, smiling down at her.

"Good! Myuu had been studying hard and having fun!”

"That's great. Have you made many friends?”

“Friends... Yup! Lots of friends! Myuu made a lot of friends!”

She used to be a lonely child who even asked Davey secretly to be her friend. So he was glad to see her all bright and happy, free from the threats and discrimination that had once plagued her.

“Who is your best friend?” Davey asked, thinking it might be nice to invite her friend over and reward them for their kindness to Myuu.

"Hmm? Alberk! Alberk is my best friend!” Myuu beamed as she mentioned her friend’s name.

But Davey’s face hardened when he heard her answer.

‘There’s some unfinished business for me here.’

** *

Davey already had a plan in mind when he found out that he had to head back to Earth. He gathered the managers of each merchant who came by the territory frequently and told them to secure various supplies for prolonged stays.

The managers were initially baffled, thinking they were being asked to prepare for a war. But Davey had quickly reassured them by explaining that he was gearing up for an expedition to uncharted territories with other people. So he had asked the merchants to inventory the following: preserved food sufficient to sustain hundreds for over a decade; numerous seeds that could grow in harsh conditions; along with other things such as clothing, weapon parts, and minerals.

Such preparations came with substantial financial costs, to the point that Aeonitia’s clock, her innovative creations, or moon grass could not even cover them. Well, they could, but Davey didn’t want to use the funds to run the territory.

And so, he sold some stuff, which included the jewel collection of his master, Hermesia, and those he had obtained from past victories over vampires. This allowed him to have enough funds for his ambitious expedition.

"We don’t really need that many crew members," Edison explained. "Because we use small labor golems created by the School of Golems. Though if you wanted, you could hire up to two hundred flight attendants, but by the looks of it, it didn’t seem like you did.”

Davey agreed to Edison’s assessment with a nod of his head. He figured their destination would most likely become a battlefield, and he knew that involving vassals would not be a good idea.

As the two of them continued to talk about logistics, the door creaked open slightly, and Aeria sneaked a peek with her ears perked up with nervous anticipation.

“Prince Davey.”

"Aeria? What brings you here?" Davey asked.

Her face brightened at his question. At the moment, it was just Edison and Davey, since Oxygen, Hydro, and the others from Earth were somewhere else in the territory to retrieve the belongings that Oxygen had left behind.

"I... I heard you’re going far away," she said hesitantly.

"Yes.”

"Can...”

“Do you want to know if you can tag along?”

“Yes...” Aeria nodded cautiously with a flushed face. With a small voice, she then added, "Although I’m nothing compared to you... I’m also an elementalist.”

In terms of power, her addition wasn’t going to make a big difference. But her spirit was formidable. Unlike Aeria who was soft on the inside, she had a spirit that was capable of using every bit of her race’s power. She was a Nine-Tails, an exceptionally strong race among the beastfolks known to be strong.

Davey knew that if she had to engage in combat, it wouldn’t be a problem. But he also knew she wouldn’t have to since he wasn’t going to let it happen.

"Okay. Come with me," Davey said.

"Then what should I do... Yes?” Aeria stammered.

"Let’s go.”

"R-really?!”

Her face brightened. Davey then returned the smile she was giving him with his own.

"Yes. Since we’re about to get married, let’s have Earth as our honeymoon destination this time.”

‘As there’s no rule that couples have to go on their honeymoon after their wedding,’ Davey thought.

"Honey... Honeymoon!" Aerie squealed and stumbled with a red face.

Davey couldn’t figure out why she was blushing so much at his words. He contemplated and then remembered that the Tionis Continent didn’t have the culture of going on honeymoons. He then wondered if Perserque had told her anything about them. But given the way Aeria was reacting, Davey was confident that Perserque had already told her all there was to know about honeymoons.

"I couldn’t be happier!” Aeria exclaimed with a bright smile, momentarily hugging him before stepping back in surprise.

After his talk with Aeria, Davey did a final inspection of the territory. And to make sure everything was in place before they left, he consulted with Amy, the one who had adeptly taken up the role of interim manager of the territory, and Chamberlain Bernil.

"Will it be alright if I report like this?” Amy asked, seeking confirmation.

"First of all, it’s international diplomacy. Think of it as a new continent, instead of thinking about it being another world or this continent,” Davey advised.

"Oh... I see,” Amy nodded, understanding the implications.

"We’ll continue to make various kinds of exchanges in the future.. Once we get something working, there is a good chance that the territory will develop greatly.”

“Th-then I will prepare a manual for that as well.”

"Alright. Thank you for being so competent.”

“Hehehe.”

“But don’t overdo yourself. If you think it’s too much, just take some time off.”

"Oh, not at all! I’m really happy that I can help.”

Amy was a kind girl, perhaps too kind. She had been taking care of Davey since way back when he was in a coma. Unlike the others who ran away, she was the only one who stayed behind to take care of him. Her loyalty during those times was something that Davey could never forget.

"You’ll have to meet the person you want to marry soon.”

"Don't say that! I... I enjoy this more than getting married.”

“Well, you can’t be like this forever.”

“But I’m really fine.”

Davey chuckled and affectionately patted Amy’s head.

"Okay. If you say so,” he said as a slight hint of sadness crept in his chest.

***

“Has it already been three days since he left? I can’t help but feel anxious,” the president said.

"Mr. President, you haven’t been able to sleep properly for several days now,” one of his secretaries noted.

“No, I’m fine. I can’t help but think that something unexpected might happen right after his departure, and it might be difficult to solve.”

There were still factions in Korea dreaming of reinstating the military regime. The only reason they hadn't made a move yet was because of the overwhelmingly negative public opinion.

But the impact of public sentiment was nearly over. The military regime was rooted in dictatorial and repressive politics. For a government like this, public opinion meant almost nothing. In other words, the main reason they hadn’t made a move yet was because Davey, whom they saw as a crazy monster, was siding with the president.

These factions knew it would only take one mistake to turn everything into ashes. Without any legitimate standing, they lacked the justification to oppose Davey. If he were to do anything, though, they could stir up as much trouble as they wanted, but only domestically.

But then...

"Mr. President! Mr. President!” one of the secretaries called out.

But rather than the news the president was hoping for about Davey’s appearance, the secretary informed him of something else.

“The rift has opened! This is a massive monster air raid warning!”

The news sent the president jolting up from his seat. With a pale face, he then shouted, “The Awakened hadn’t even recovered completely yet! If we direct our attention to that right now...”

‘The others will try to seize this opportunity as well.’

He realized that any move on their end would be costly for them. So he shook his head and asked, “How many are there?”

“I think there are at least a couple dozen, judging by the size of the rift. While it’s not something we can’t stop, there will surely be casualties.”

The president sighed deeply. “Well then, it seems like we have no other choice. We have to save people first,” he declared resolutely, prepared to issue orders for military engagement as the head of state.

But then the Chief of Staff who had come to deliver another report said with their eyes widened, “Hmm? What?”

After they ended their phone call, they then stammered, “Uh... Mr. President?”

“What is it this time?!”

"That is... Just now, a huge airship, soaring hundreds of meters high, appeared from above the rift. It then instantly swept away the monsters that emerged from the rift...”

Everybody in the room was stunned into silence.

‘An airship? From where?’ the president thought.

The people down on Earth did not know that the owner of the airship had not even considered the possibility that its sudden appearance might be mistaken for an invasion.