Festival

The day of rest passed quickly, and soon, the imperial capital was buzzing with energy again. The week-long festival had been shortened, but the excitement in the air was undeniable as the citizens and nobles alike returned to the grand celebration. The festival, after all, was not just a gathering of the powerful and wealthy; it was a showcase of the best minds in the empire. Talents from every corner of the realm had converged on the capital, displaying their latest discoveries and innovations in both magic and science.

The streets were lined with colorful banners, and the skies above the capital were dotted with flying disc stalls, each one suspended mid-air, showcasing various inventions. These floating stalls were accessible by flying cars or by the royal family's organized flying train, which took groups of guests from one disc to another. It was a marvel of engineering, an innovation in itself, and a true spectacle to behold. Hundreds of these floating stalls drifted gracefully across the sky, allowing attendees to explore the best of the empire's magical and technological advancements.

Nolan stood with his sisters, Elspeth and Eloise, and their older brother Juno at one of the capital's bustling landing docks. Each of them was dressed in casual attire, a stark contrast to the formal garments they had worn during the ball just a two days ago. Though they were still shaken by the terrorist attack, the promise and hope that exploration and discovery would lift their spirits is what brought them out.

"I'm glad we're doing this," Eloise said, her voice bright with excitement as she adjusted her flight goggles. "I mean, I know we could've gone with Mother and Father, but… I just don't think I could deal with all those nobles after everything that's happened."

Juno nodded in agreement, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I don't know how they manage to stay so calm around them. It's exhausting just thinking about it."

Elspeth, ever the practical one, folded her arms and added, "Not to mention, they'll all be pretending like the attack never happened, talking about alliances and business deals like it's just another day."

Nolan smiled, appreciating the brief moments of peace with his siblings. They had all experienced the trauma of the attack in different ways, but for now, they were simply a group of young adults enjoying the festival like everyone else. "We'll have more fun this way. Besides, it's not like we'll be missing much. We can check out the floating stalls and still catch the top ten innovations tomorrow."

With that, they climbed into their flying car—a sleek, silver vehicle that hovered effortlessly a few feet off the ground. The car's interior was spacious and luxurious, but it lacked the grand opulence of the vehicles typically used by the nobility. It was exactly what they needed for a quiet escape.

As they ascended into the sky, the vibrant panorama of the imperial capital unfolded beneath them. The city was a mix of old and new—ancient stone towers and modern skyscrapers stood side by side, and rivers of people moved through the streets like a living tapestry. The flying disc stalls floated serenely above it all, like islands in the sky, each one showcasing different advancements in magic, technology, or both.

Eloise pressed her face against the window, her excitement palpable. "Look at all those stalls! I can't wait to see the new magical artifacts. Do you think anyone's invented something like a instant sweets making device?"

Elspeth shook her head with a smile. "Sweet making device? I doubt anyone of those geniuses is thinking about sweets. But I heard there's an enchanted mirror that can project your thoughts into visual form. It's supposed to be incredible for communication."

Juno leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. "I'm more interested in the technological side of things. The scientists from the outer colonies are supposed to be presenting a new form of renewable energy. That could change everything."

Nolan remained quiet, as their driver steered the car toward the nearest cluster of floating stalls. His mind was still on the events of the previous day, but being with his siblings helped ease the weight on his shoulders. He was grateful for the distraction. They flew past a group of other cars—some piloted by nobles, others by ordinary citizens—and made their way to the first set of stalls.

As they approached the stalls, a voice chimed in through the car's communication system. "Welcome to the Imperial Festival's flying stalls. You are currently entering Sector One. Please follow the guide markers for a safe and enjoyable experience. If you wish to join the royal family's flying train tour, you may dock at any sector's main station."

Nolan smiled. "No, thank you. We'll explore on our own."

The first stall they visited was a display of enchanted tools for craftsmen—hammers that could shape metal with a single tap, saws that could carve wood without any physical effort, and magical chisels that worked with the precision of a master sculptor.

Juno's eyes gleamed with interest. "Now that is impressive. Think of what you could build with these and how much it could benefit the duchy." As always, just like their father Juno was also business minded, but most of the times he thinks about how to further the duchy's economy than just filling his pockets.

Next, they visited a stall featuring a series of hovering drones designed to assist with agriculture. The drones could monitor crops, distribute water, and even identify diseased plants using a combination of magic and advanced sensors. Elspeth was particularly intrigued by this display.

"This could revolutionize farming in the empire," she said thoughtfully. "Imagine how much food we could produce if these were used in every region."

Eloise, on the other hand, was captivated by a stall dedicated to fashion innovations. She admired a collection of enchanted fabrics that could change color based on the wearer's mood or surroundings.

"This is beautiful!" she exclaimed a rare instance where she wasn't all shy, twirling a shimmering scarf around herself. "I need this in every color."

They spent hours hopping from one floating stall to another, marveling at the ingenuity and creativity of the empire's brightest minds. Each display was more impressive than the last—one stall featured a magical device that could purify entire lakes in minutes, without harming the local beneficial ecological system, while another showcased a futuristic transportation system that could carry non-living goods across vast distances instantaneously.

This festival was not just to showcase the new innovations but also a chance for the innovators to find investments or buyers for their products. Juno invested in both the farming drones and the crafting tools.

Despite their initial excitement, the siblings couldn't help but notice that the crowd was much smaller than expected. The aftermath of the terrorist attack still hung over the festival, and many nobles had opted to stay home or attend only the private events. Nolan suspected that most of them were trying to avoid the potential for another disaster. 

As they continued their exploration, the royal family's flying train passed overhead. It was a grand, gilded structure, a symbol of the imperial family's wealth and power. Dozens of nobles were aboard, including their parents, who had joined the Emperor and Grand Duke Bright on the tour.

Eloise glanced up at the flying train and sighed. "I hope Mother and Father are doing okay. They seemed so tense this morning, they didn't rest much because they were helping with the aftermath and also redo the whole event."

Juno shrugged. "They're with the Emperor. I'm sure they're handling it fine. Besides, they're probably more interested in the politics than the inventions."

Nolan glanced at the train as it passed, his thoughts drifting briefly to Nova. He wondered what the young noble was thinking, seated among the highest-ranking nobles and political figures. Was Nova enjoying the festival at all, or was he merely playing his role as a heir, as always?

But Nolan quickly pushed the thought aside. He was here to enjoy the day with his siblings, and he wasn't going to let his mind linger on Nova or the nuances of nobility.

"Let's check out that stall over there," he suggested, pointing to a floating disc that seemed to be drawing a small crowd. "It looks like they're showing off some kind of new communication device."

The siblings asked the driver and he immediately steered their car toward the stall, eager to see what new innovation awaited them. As they docked at the floating platform and stepped out of the car, they were greeted by a presenter who was enthusiastically explaining the features of the latest device.

"This," the presenter announced, holding up a sleek, crystal-like tablet, "is the future of long-distance communication. Using a combination of advanced magical energy and state-of-the-art technology, this device can transmit messages instantaneously to anyone, anywhere in the empire. No more waiting for flying beast letter delivery or relying on slow communication spells."

Elspeth leaned in, intrigued. "How does it work?"

The presenter smiled. "It's all thanks to the combination of mana crystals and quantum entanglement. The device syncs with another crystal at a designated location, allowing for real-time communication between the two. It's like having a conversation face-to-face, even if you're worlds apart."

Nolan was impressed. The empire had made significant strides in communication technology, but this device was unlike anything he had seen before. The potential applications were staggering—imagine the military, businesses, or even families being able to communicate instantaneously, no matter where they were.

As they continued to explore the stall, Nolan's thoughts were interrupted by the distant sound of cheers and applause. He glanced up to see a large crowd gathered around one of the more prominent floating platforms. The top ten innovations were set to be displayed tomorrow, but it seemed that some of the inventors were already giving sneak peeks to select audiences.

"Looks like something big is happening over there," Juno remarked, nodding toward the crowd. "Want to check it out?"

Nolan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "We can catch it tomorrow. Let's just enjoy the rest of the stalls today."

The siblings spent the rest of the afternoon exploring more stalls, laughing and chatting as they marveled at the inventions on display. It was a welcome break from the tension that had gripped them since the terrorist attack, and for a few hours, they were able to forget about the depressing thoughts about the dangers looming over the empire.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the floating stalls and the capital below, driver steered the car back toward the landing dock. The festival had been a success, and they had seen more than they could have ever imagined.

But as they descended toward the city, Nolan couldn't shake the feeling that the calm wouldn't last. The attack on the ball had been a stark reminder that even in times of celebration, danger could strike at any moment. And though the festival was a time for innovation and progress, there are people pathetic excuses of humans at work who threaten to undo it all.

For now, though, they were safe. Tomorrow would bring the unveiling of the empire's greatest innovations, and with it, perhaps, new answers to the questions that had been plaguing them.

But for tonight, Nolan was content to enjoy the quiet moments with his family, knowing that they would face whatever challenges came next together.

Right now he was full of joy as he sneaked with his siblings to the smaller stalls in the commoners block, they not only looked at some common every day stuff that they took as granted being viewed by people in marvel, also tasting some local street foods and then bringing the twins sisters to the closest toilet when they felt a rumbling in stomach.

Nolan and Juno waiting outside the toilet huffing for air looked at each others flushed faces from running around the city to find the toilet, couldn't help but laugh out loud as their sisters cursed them from inside.