Reborn as a Hated Noble Family, We Start an Industrial Revolution

​VWUUUMMM...

​The soft hum of the mana-engine sliced through the quiet asphalt of Iron Hearth. Low-hanging morning mist occasionally swept across the windshield of the light tactical Hover-Jeep as it cruised at a steady pace.

​Inside the dark gray armored cabin, a heavy silence smothered its four passengers.

​Rianor Sudrath sat rigidly behind the steering wheel. His gray eyes stared straight ahead, piercing through the fog. His right hand gripped the wheel firmly. Meanwhile, his left arm—now encased in the Adamantite-forged Arcanotech Bracer—rested casually on his thigh.

​The micro-circuits running along the prosthetic metal plates pulsed with a dim blue glow. Whirrr... An incredibly faint mechanical whine could be heard every time the vehicle rolled over a small pothole.

​In the front passenger seat, Roland slumped in exhaustion.

​The diplomat prince’s eye bags were pitch-black from days of sleep deprivation. His dark blue coat was slightly wrinkled. On his lap, a rolled-up topographical parchment map of the eastern continent lay waiting to be dissected.

​The atmosphere in the backseat was a stark contrast.

​Eva leaned back comfortably near the left window. The girl wore all-black tactical travel gear, her brown hair tied practically behind her head. For the very first time since the tragedy in Magniora, she closed her eyes and relaxed her shoulders. No fingers hovered anxiously over a dagger’s hilt. The glow of her Scarlet Aura slept soundly beneath her skin. She was purely enjoying a brief respite entirely devoid of lethal threats.

​Beside her, Adul was the complete opposite—a bundle of nerves.

​The scrawny boy rested the radio transmission box on his lap. His dusty fingers busily straightened the coiled wires and twisted the frequency knobs. Bzzzt... Faint sparks of golden-yellow Aura occasionally popped at his fingertips, leaping like untamed static electricity. Along his jawline, the fading blue bruise from Selene’s strike was still clearly stamped.

​”Hmm.” Eva broke the silence without bothering to open her eyes. ”We’ve passed the city gates.”

​Roland glanced at the rearview mirror. ”Yeah. We’ve merged onto the main eastern route.”

​”Good,” Eva replied flatly. ”So... would anyone be kind enough to tell me what kind of terrifying place we’re actually heading to? The lightning kid and I are completely blind about the East. I hate walking into an enemy’s den with my eyes closed.”

​Roland let out a soft sigh. Rustle. He unrolled the map on his lap.

​”Draconia,” Roland opened, his voice slightly raspy. ”A closed civilization inhabited by scaled dragons who evolved into human forms. They have their own hierarchical system, a council of elders, and... their palace is carved directly into the belly of an active volcano.”

​Gulp. Adul swallowed hard. The movement of his fingers on the radio wires halted instantly.

​”The capital is located in the absolute heart of the volcanic crater,” Roland continued, tracing a red line on the map. ”The Throne Room of Eternal Flame. The dragon emperor’s throne room floats directly above a chasm of boiling magma. The ceiling is covered in crystal stalactites, and the floor is made of black obsidian.”

​Adul’s eyes blew wide open. ”M-Magma chasm?! Lord Roland, if we slip...”

​”Relax, Adul. There is an obsidian bridge wide enough for three people to cross,” Roland cut in, trying to soothe him.

​”Is the primary material of the crossing bridge purely solid obsidian rock?”

​Rianor’s cold voice interrupted from the driver’s seat. A highly technical question typical of an architect who cared nothing for time or place.

​Roland turned his head. ”Yes. One hundred percent pure obsidian carved directly from the volcanic core.”

​”Tch, illogical,” Rianor adjusted his glasses with his thumb. ”Obsidian is a highly brittle volcanic glass. Suspended over an active magma chamber, even a minor tectonic tremor would be enough to crack the bridge and swallow everyone on it.”

​”Their main volcano died thousands of years ago, Brother. The remaining magma is only maintained by earth-core draconic magic to heat the palace,” Roland explained patiently.

​”Hmm. Acceptable.” Rianor gave a brief nod, returning his focus to the road.

​In the back, Eva slowly opened her brown eyes. The girl crossed her arms, exhaling a long, sarcastic sigh.

​”Wait, hold on. Let me get this suicide mission summary straight,” Eva scoffed. ”We are going to cross a glass bridge over a sea of fire... to meet a Dragon Emperor who hates humans... all to convince them to release Lord Roland’s dream girl from a forced marriage?”

​Roland winced bitterly. ”Unfortunately... your summary is one hundred percent accurate, Eva.”

​”Tch, fantastic. And who is this bastard dragon forcing your woman to marry him?”

​”Prince Ignis.” Roland’s jaw tightened. ”He is Seraphina’s own cousin, the leader of Draconia’s hardline military faction. He views humans as nothing but filthy pests. The man is not the type to sit nicely and negotiate.”

​The cabin fell silent once more. Only the roar of the tires grinding against the cobblestone road could be heard.

​”Hah...” Eva tilted her head back, staring at the car’s ceiling. However, the corners of her lips pulled up into a faint smile. ”Whatever. Dragons, magma, I don’t care. At least...”

​Roland looked back. ”At least what?”

​”At least now I have one good reason to keep living,” Eva murmured softly, almost a whisper. ”Back when I was crawling through the gutters of Sanctum, my only goal was to not get stabbed in the stomach while sleeping. There was no future. Today, tomorrow, or the day after were all equally bleak. But now...”

​Eva’s eyes sparkled, reflecting the light outside. ”...I want to see with my own two eyes what a real dragon looks like.”

​Adul sat quietly, staring at Eva. The scrawny boy then looked down, stroking the surface of the radio box on his lap.

​”I... I feel the exact same way, Big Sister Eva,” Adul squeaked softly. His voice trembled, but there was no longer any trace of despair in it. ”Back in the border mines, every morning I just prayed I wouldn’t get fired by the foreman or crushed to death by coal. I never felt like my life had any use. But now...”

​Adul mustered the courage to look up. ”...I’m holding the device that can help ensure all of your safety. I’ve become useful. It feels infinitely better than dying alone in fear.”

​Slide.

​From behind the wheel, Rianor’s gray eyes glanced through the rearview mirror.

​The gaze of the genius scientist met Adul’s eyes. Rianor didn’t utter a single word. He offered no praise, nor did he give any advice. Yet, within that silent gaze, Adul could feel a profound acknowledgment. An absolute acceptance that he was undeniably a part of their team. Adul returned it with a genuine smile.

​Roland, catching that warm exchange, couldn’t hold back a proud smile.

​”You two really have grown leaps and bounds, haven’t you?” Roland teased gently. ”Compared to when we first crawled our way out of the hellhole of Luminara... your mental fortitude is vastly stronger.”

​Eva glared at Roland, her cheeks flushing red out of sheer pride. ”Shut your mouth, Diplomat! Or I’ll rip your vocal cords out right now so you can’t sweet-talk those dragons later!”

​”Hey, being obnoxious is just part of my diplomatic expertise,” Roland retorted with a soft chuckle.

​Hearing their bickering, Adul let out a small laugh. Eva could only shake her head in resignation, fighting a smile, before leaning her head back against the window. The dynamic of this small team... felt absolutely perfect.

​Time rolled on until the afternoon painted the horizon in shades of copper.

​The Hover-Jeep slowed its pace as it approached the eastern border of the Northreach territory. Two simple stone watchtowers flanked the guard post ahead. At their peaks, flags bearing the Northern Wolf emblem fluttered proudly in the savanna wind.

​The border guards immediately snapped into flawless salutes the moment they recognized the royal crest on the vehicle’s doors.

​Creaaak... The massive iron gates slid open without requiring a single inspection protocol.

​Rianor drove the vehicle through the gates, bringing it to a halt atop a small rocky hill that directly overlooked the outside world.

​The panorama spread before them caused Eva and Adul to hold their breaths in awe.

​The golden wheat grasslands of Eastmarch stretched endlessly, swaying gently to create the optical illusion of ocean waves. In the distance, flocks of wild sheep ran under the command of silhouetted Beastkin shepherds riding horseback—a deeply peaceful, pastoral scene, far removed from the military clamor of the Khanate.

​However... the beauty of Eastmarch was not their final destination.

​Far on the eastern horizon, looming beyond the edge of those green lands, a massive mountain range pierced the clouds like a colossal fortress wall at the very end of the world.

​”Draconia,” Roland murmured softly. His eyes stared straight at the volcanic peaks. His heart hammered wildly against his ribs, a turbulent blend of profound longing and adrenaline.

​Roland gripped his own knees, then carved a faint smile. ”I’m coming back, Seraphina.”

​In the driver’s seat, Rianor offered no sentimental commentary. The gray-eyed man simply slammed the gas pedal to the floor.

​VWUUUNGGG!

​The Hover-Jeep shot down the hill, tearing through the grasslands of Eastmarch to meet the twilight sky. Leaving peace behind, heading straight toward a new war at the edge of the world.