In a second, they were through. The others around him were moaning and trying hard not to throw up, though Damian wasn't feeling it as much as before. Had he gradually gotten used to it? It was possible.
Damian also recalled the initial dungeon relic from which he had copied the spell; the description mentioned it would act strangely if the surrounding mana density was high. Yet, even with his liquid mana storage, nothing had happened. Maybe it wasn't about mana quantity but rather the number of distinct mana signatures.
He needed to study the waygate spell in detail. Changing the "closeness to person needed for target" condition to accept any random ID was a must. It wouldn't be easy, but it was his goal.
Flying over the familiar town he had seen occasionally during his stay at the baron's villa, memories of that time resurfaced. He wasn't allowed to wander off on his own or attend any functions in or outside the villa. However, Thomas had managed to convince the baron to let him and Lucian visit the town with him once every two weeks. Not fond memories, but among everything he had endured in this world, it was one of the better ones.
The civilians, of course, were shocked to see a massive steel craft flying so close to them.
"Where are we?" Lumi asked.
"I've seen this place before.. It can't be.." Elias murmured, staring at Sam and the others as if demanding an answer.
"Yes," Sam finally said. "We're in northern Dawnstar. Lockwood, wasn't it?"
"It's pretty," Evrin said, admiring the view.
"We're going to Lucian's house," Reize answered Elias with a smile.
She had always been kind to his assistants, but after his name was revealed, she seemed to be treating Elias even more warmly. Damian understood though—if he were at his girlfriend's parents' or relatives' house, he would also try to make a good impression.
Elias' eyes widened, and his face showed signs of regret, as if he was second-guessing his decision to tag along. He kept his thoughts to himself, though.
"I can fly you to your home if you want and pick you up in two or three hours," Damian offered offhandedly. Elias aside, all his friends perked up, their ears tuned in, eyeing both of them sneakily.
By now, they all knew his story. It wasn't a particularly important detail, but any noble from northern Dawnstar or the surrounding area must have heard, at least once in their life, about the sold child of the Sunblades who had supposedly died in the attack on the baron's daughter.
"If it's not too much trouble for you..." Elias whispered at last, after thinking for a solid minute and a half.
Damian didn't know what the Sunblade family thought of the baron, but considering they had sold their son to him and later heard news of his death... that could not have left a positive impression. Elias must have grown up in that environment. He had shown signs of disliking Lucian, though he had never acted on it or spoken about it. Still, Damian had never seen the two of them talk, either.
He just nodded and, before heading to the baron's villa, turned the ship toward Sunspear—the ancestral seat of House Sunblade. By carriage, the journey had taken him four days, but in his high-speed Dreamlight, they arrived in less than twenty minutes.
Damian landed near the Sunblade palace. It had either been sold or rented out—he wasn't sure. No one had given him instructions on where to go. He had brought them here on his own, yet Elias was too deep in thought to even notice. The guy knew how to open the entrance to the seating compartment, so he walked out of the control room. The others bid him farewell as he stepped off the ship.
Damian remained in the control room. He had only spent seven days in this place in his new life. To him, it was nothing more than just another location.
Here, too, the civilians were shocked to see such a strange craft flying overhead. Elias would have to explain it to them.
Once Elias was gone, Damian ascended again, flying back the way they had come. He didn't go all the way, though. Instead, he used the gateway again after getting out of public view, landing in the baron's vast garden.
Tents and people were scattered everywhere outside the villa, guarded by the Lockwood soldiers loyal to the baron. Damian landed at the very edge, away from the crowd, so the ship wouldn't be a problem. He could have simply stored it, but that felt like a waste of mana.
No one present was higher than a transcend-seed-level second-ranker—except for one individual. But that person was likely one of Dawnstar's third-rankers, accompanying the Duke and the baron.
The baron, Lord Silas, and many other lords and ladies emerged from the villa to receive them. Some Damian recognized; others he did not. They greeted him. Maelor and Evrin exchanged pleasantries and walked inside.
Not only was the Duke of Southern Dawnstar present—Lord Asheborn-Grace's father—but also another duke, the one nominally in charge of Northern Dawnstar. However, Silas and the baron ruled the north in practice, thanks to their vast political influence, wealth, and military strength, which rivaled that of Duke Layden Varia, the Duke of Northern Dawnstar.
The duke hadn't even joined the war, despite it being a direct order from the king. Damian was surprised to hear his name at all as he introduced himself and his twenty-year-old son.
Beside the duke's son stood another boy in knight's armor, staring at Damian with wide eyes. He vaguely remembered Lucian once mentioning that one of his older brothers who worked for the duke—this must have been him. With orange hair and pale white skin, looking exactly like Elias's older version.
Damian faintly recognized his face from that day. The guy didn't greet him. Damian also made no comment and ignored him.
The others were watching them closely—clearly, everyone present already knew about Damian. But he gave them no satisfaction, refusing to feed into their gossip and drama. He simply acted as if he hadn't seen the guy.
His older brother seemed content with that arrangement as well.