Since the dawn of intelligence, the species known as humankind has had a strong yearning for the sky.
Throughout history, countless people have made arduous efforts to reach that deep blue expanse.
Birds that can soar freely in the sky have become objects of people's longing. Legend has it that someone once made a pair of wings out of wax and successfully flew into the sky, but unfortunately, because he got too close to the sun, the wax wings melted and he fell into the sea.
In actual history, there is no clear record to date proving that anyone has ever actually flown into the sky. That blue area high above seems to be a forbidden zone for humankind, a place that mortals cannot reach.
For this reason, the sky holds unparalleled symbolic significance in human culture. In the eyes of some, the sky is the abode of gods, while in the eyes of others, it is the realm of freedom.
Therefore, when a hot air balloon carrying people and flying in the sky appears before everyone's eyes, the shock it brings is self-evident.
"That's a hot air balloon. It seems their experiment was a success."
Upon hearing Paul say those words, Nathan's body stiffened, and he turned to stare at his brother with a fierce look, as if he wanted to devour Paul.
"Hot air balloon? What's a hot air balloon? And what experiment are you talking about?"
It was obvious that Paul Greiman knew about the guy in the sky.
Paul was genuinely startled to see this usually silent guy suddenly act like this.
He began to explain: "Well, as you can see, it's that thing in the sky."
Mariana asked, "That so-called hot air balloon, you were the one who orchestrated it?"
"It was our researchers who came up with it," Paul said. "I know you must be very curious right now. Actually, the principle behind this thing is not complicated. Our researchers discovered that when air is heated, it expands in volume and decreases in density. At this time, the surrounding cold air gives it an upward force, which is called buoyancy. Just like water can support wood that has a lower density than water, that is also buoyancy."
"Uh...you mean it's essentially the same as a boat floating on water?" The three of them looked like they understood but didn't quite.
"Exactly!" Paul answered them affirmatively.
"We want to see!" they all asked in unison.
"Walk!"
Paul turned his horse around and led them in the direction the hot air balloon was floating. He wanted to see it himself, but he was also worried about the safety of the experimenters.
Along with Paul's guards, the group galloped away on horseback for several miles before the hot air balloon finally began to slowly descend and landed on the ground in an open area.
The weather was very clear today, and the hot air balloon was easy to spot as it drifted by, especially near the landing point. Many people were attracted by this unidentified flying object, and some even shouted that a miracle had occurred, regarding the people in the basket as angels descended from heaven.
When Paul and his team arrived, the experimenters, who had just emerged from the basket, were struggling to explain to the onlookers.
Upon seeing the group arriving under the banner of the lord, the crowd spontaneously parted to make way for them.
Paul led Catherine and the others closer to the hot air balloon, and seeing that there seemed to be no accident, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He recognized the head of the experimental group. "Aubrey! Thank God you're all alright."
"Ah, it's Lord Glaeman!" Aubrey and his two assistants quickly bowed.
"I'm so sorry, sir, so many people have seen this. It seems we'll have to make it public!"
Paul waved his hand. "It's alright. It wasn't a secret project to begin with. People will find out about this sooner or later." He put on a stern face. "But I still have to criticize you. This is too risky. Perhaps you should have secured it with a rope and experimented in a controlled environment, instead of letting it drift aimlessly in the wind like this."
Aubrey quickly explained, "We did the experiment you mentioned, which is why we wanted to test it further. The experiment verified the previous theory that there are indeed wind layers in different directions at different altitudes, and we can use this to adjust our flight direction."
Paul gave them a thumbs up. "In that case, congratulations. This will be an important step towards making hot air balloons practical."
While he was talking to the experimenters, Catherine, Mariana, and Nathan, driven by curiosity, circled the hot air balloon again and again, marveling at its wonder.
Upon closer inspection, the flying object was much larger than expected, especially the airbag, which was really huge. It was clearly made of multiple pieces of linen pieced together, with a layer of paper pasted on the surface. Its shape resembled an inverted pear, and the Gleiman Family dragon emblem was painted in bright colors.
The hanging basket below is made of woven rattan, which looks both sturdy and lightweight, and should be able to accommodate four to six passengers.
There's a dark thing above the basket, it looks like it's been smoked. That's probably used to heat the air inside the airbag.
Catherine immediately realized the important role of hot air balloons in the war—if they were to ascend into the sky in one of them, wouldn't the enemy's positions and troop deployments be laid bare?
Nathan was already eager to try, " I...can I give it a shot?"
Paul asked, "Aren't you afraid?"
"Come on, this is flying into the sky! I want to be... the first among our kind to fly!" He was getting impatient.
Paul looked at Aubrey: "Is it safe?"
Mariana stepped forward first, saying, "Even if an accident occurs, I have a way to get people to a safe landing."
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"Are you going up too?"
"certainly!"
As a result, Aubrey's two assistants were replaced by Nathan and Mariana.
Nathan carefully stepped into the hot air balloon basket, his heart pounding and his palms slightly sweaty.
"Attention everyone, we're about to start moving!" Aubrey shouted to the passengers.
With the sound of flames burning, heated air filled the airbag, and soon the basket suddenly trembled slightly.
A huge commotion erupted from the surrounding crowd as the hot air balloon slowly rose into the air amidst the attention of everyone. The commotion quickly turned into enthusiastic cheers, and people were incredibly excited about the living miracle before their eyes.
Nathan felt as if he had lost weight beneath his feet, and then realized that the earth was gradually moving away, and the houses and trees below had shrunk to tiny models.
Higher and higher! Nathan's heart pounded.
A gentle breeze brushed his face, carrying a slight chill, but it could not cool the excitement in his heart.
He gripped the edge of the basket tightly, his eyes greedily scanning the surroundings—the boundless horizon unfolded before him, the clouds seemed so close they could be touched, and the sunlight bathed the vast fields in a golden glow.
The hot air balloon floated steadily in the air, and the world became so quiet that only the occasional burst of flames broke the silence.
Nathan took a deep breath and felt an unprecedented sense of freedom and tranquility, as if he had become part of the sky.
"This is true flight, a magnificent experience that transcends the mundane world!" he thought to himself in admiration.