Chapter 49: The Flying Boat Takes Flight, and Mysteries of the Monster

The SR-1 Albatross was the first of its kind: a flying boat meticulously designed by Ringo to balance performance and fuel efficiency. It was poised to become the backbone of The Tree Fortress’s air operations.

Powered by jet fuel and featuring four propfan engines mounted on its main wings, each utilizing dual contra-rotating propellers, the Albatross offered excellent short-distance takeoff and water-landing capabilities. While it lacked stealth features, this wasn’t a concern in its current world. The Albatross was even capable of operating in the rough waters of the open ocean.

"SR-1 Albatross, launching now."

At the announcement, the four propfan engines roared to life. The eight blades devoured air voraciously, generating lift across the wings.

“Whoa~!”

Watching the takeoff were six sisters, their excitement palpable. Ringo quietly prepared tea in the background, intending to turn the seaside terrace into an elegant tea party.

“It’s flying!”
“That’s amazing!”
“Hey, stop leaning over the railing! You’ll fall! Stop that!”

Two younger sisters cheered as they leaned precariously over the railing, clapping enthusiastically, while their eldest sister Eve grabbed their collars to prevent them from falling.

The Albatross lifted off with an almost magical grace, achieving takeoff after just 250 meters. The slow ascent seemed more like a gentle drift, defying Eve’s expectations for a fixed-wing aircraft.

“This feels… strange,” Eve murmured, watching closely. She was used to jet fighters, making the sight of a propeller-driven aircraft feel oddly anachronistic.

“Albatross, prototype 1, ascending smoothly. Current speed: 400 km/h.”

The Albatross climbed steadily from the sea, heading toward its planned cruising altitude of 10,000 meters. Its destination was Telek Harbor, a journey expected to take 2–3 hours. Once operational, the aircraft would significantly improve exploration efficiency across the northern continent and beyond. Though its fuel consumption was a concern, future solutions were already under consideration. Enhanced mineral surveys were one of the priorities.

“By the way, can the Albatross be carrier-based?”

“Yes, Ma’am Commander. It’s designed for such deployment. While larger carriers are planned for future construction, smaller vessels equipped with fuel and maintenance modules will suffice for now. Until then, the aircraft will rely on resupply from transport ships or return to The Tree Fortress for maintenance.”

“Hmm. What about weapons?”

“No fixed armament, but it can be equipped if necessary.”

Eve felt uneasy about sending an unarmed aircraft after their encounter with Rain Croix. However, Ringo had maximized observational equipment aboard the Albatross, aiming to expedite geological surveys. Iron production was critical for fortifying Telek Harbor and advancing other strategic goals.

“Albatross sensors all nominal. Flight proceeding as planned.”

“It’s fast—much faster than the ships.”

“So fast!”
“Super fast!”

At its current speed of 500 km/h, the Albatross far outpaced the Alpha-Class Destroyers, which cruised at only 40 km/h. On the tactical monitor, the aircraft’s radar signature rapidly moved away from The Tree Fortress.

“Prototype 1 is equipped with a ground observation system and is proceeding with its survey mission. Frequent flights are limited due to fuel consumption, but identifying mineral veins is our priority.”

“Good. Let’s locate those veins.”

“Yes, Ma’am Commander.”

Meanwhile, the workship en route to Telek Harbor carried double the capacity of the current transport ships. Loaded with materials and equipped with automated construction machinery, it was set to build a dedicated port for The Tree Fortress. The chosen location, near the coast closest to Iron Town, was uninhabited. The port and surrounding area would be fortified, eventually connecting directly to Iron Town via railway. This new facility would remain a Tree Fortress operation, independent of Telek Harbor.

“Albatross speed: 600 km/h. Altitude: 10,000 meters. Cruising mode engaged.”

Having reached its designated altitude and speed, the Albatross transitioned into cruise toward Telek Harbor.

“So, how’s the Rain Croix investigation coming along?” Eve asked, snacking on cookies as she addressed Ringo.

“Progressing steadily, Ma’am Commander. As previously reported, we found Rain Croix’s young attached to the carcass of a whale-like sea beast. We are observing them closely while continuing our study of the adult specimen.”

Rain Croix, the massive sea monster, had been towed to a dock designed for large ships. Genetic analysis confirmed it matched samples recovered from the earlier shipwreck. No further attacks on sea beasts had been observed, leading to the conclusion that this was the only Rain Croix in the area. However, the presence of a juvenile confirmed it wasn’t a unique individual. If territorial behavior applied, other individuals might emerge from different regions.

“Rain Croix’s defenses remain intact even post-mortem, requiring significant energy to extract tissue samples.”

“That ridiculous toughness, huh…”

The scales and skin that had repelled armor-piercing rounds remained extraordinarily durable, even after death.

“However, once separated from the main body, the tissue’s strength reverted to normal scientific levels.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Rain Croix’s main body exhibits extraordinary toughness while intact. However, once a sample is cut away, it softens to ordinary biological material. Conversely, reconnecting the sample to the main body restores its hardness.”

Eve raised an eyebrow. “So something in the body is maintaining that toughness, or it recognizes detached parts as no longer ‘itself’?”

“Exactly, Ma’am Commander.”

This phenomenon was likely tied to the mysterious, fantasy-like properties observed in this world. Investigations were ongoing to determine the mechanism behind it. For now, the body’s hardness posed challenges, necessitating the development of specialized tools. Conventional blades, even made of metal or ceramics, failed to scratch the surface, often breaking instead. Direct energy tools, such as plasma cutters, were the only effective means of dissection.

“Fortunately, this durability extends to chemical reactions, preventing decay. Initially, we considered refrigerating the entire dock but found it unnecessary.”

“So it doesn’t rot? Impressive for preservation, though you can’t exactly eat it.”

“Yes, Ma’am Commander. While detached samples showed no toxicity, their edibility remains unconfirmed.”

“Eating it out of the blue seems… risky,” Eve said with a shudder.

Though the question of taste lingered, Eve wasn’t eager to find out firsthand. Still, knowing Ringo, she might just prepare a dish from Rain Croix someday—perhaps as a surprise addition to the dinner table.