Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 369: Awakening

TL: Etude

A wave of intense nausea and headache suddenly struck!

“Ugh… I feel like vomiting!”

The young man lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes.

A sliver of light entered his view, dispersing the endless darkness.

It’s so bright! He instinctively covered his eyes with his hand.

“Uh… Where am I?”

His mind was muddled, the headache and nausea not subsiding.

He shook his head, intensifying the pain, but it helped him regain a bit of clarity.

There were blurry figures swaying in front of him. There were other people here; he instinctively became alert.

“You’re awake…”

It was a woman’s voice, half joyous, half worried.

“Who are you…”

The young man’s mind was blank. Where am I? Who am I? And who is this person beside me?

A gentle touch came from above his head, and the woman’s worried voice said, “Nathan, take a good look at me, don’t you recognize me?”

Nathan? That sounds familiar. Ah, that seems to be my name.

Yes, my name is Nathan, and I am a member of the Arcane Society…

Like a series of candles being lit, various pieces of information began to illuminate in the young man’s mind.

This woman is… He endured the pain in his head and turned to look.

His eyes gradually focused, and the blurry figure became clear.

“Um, Mom… it’s you.”

“You really had me worried…”

The woman standing beside the bed relaxed, her tone no longer as heavy as before.

Nathan asked, “How long have I been unconscious?”

“Counting the time on the ship, about a week, I guess?”

“A week? That’s quite long.”

“You had a severe head injury.”

“It seems so… Where are we?” Nathan felt a burning pain in his right cheek and temple.

“We’re in a secret base in Horn Bay, the same one you departed from.” The woman asked gravely, “What exactly happened to you, how did you end up like this?”

“Our fleet at that time…”

“I already know about the fleet’s defeat. I’m asking about your own situation. Edward’s men said that when they noticed you, you were already unconscious on the deck.”

“Um…” Nathan closed his eyes, trying to recall the scene before he fainted.

“I can’t remember clearly, it seemed like something passed by me, and then I lost consciousness. Ah… Judging by the attack method, it must have been a large iron ball.”

“A large iron ball?” His mother was quite puzzled.

“Yes, an iron ball accelerated to a terrifying speed, about this big.”

He raised his hand and made a fist.

“The speed was so fast that even if your eyes could track its trajectory, your body couldn’t react in time.”

The woman was incredibly surprised, trying to recall all her knowledge of weapons, “What kind of weapon is this? A crossbow? A slingshot?”

Nathan shook his head, “No, it’s definitely not any weapon we know of. It must be a new invention. But, with my knowledge, I can’t imagine how to impart such great force to an object. Unless it’s…”

The woman followed his speculation, “A spellcaster… Was there a spellcaster on their ship?”

“Hmm… That’s the only explanation I can think of.”

“It does make sense, but what method did their spellcaster use? The mere passing of the object near you caused such a powerful impact. The world of magic is indeed vast and boundless.”

Nathan struggled to sit up, but his mother quickly pressed him back down.

She spoke in an unquestionable tone, “Lie down and don’t move. You’re lucky to be alive.”

Nathan grumbled discontentedly, “I’ve been lying down for a week already… Uh, why is my head still so dizzy, and my ears are ringing?”

The woman explained, “It’s common to experience these symptoms after a severe head injury, including memory loss. Our brains as spellcasters are more fragile and sensitive than ordinary people’s. While a normal person might recover in about two weeks, you… will need a month.”

“A month?” Nathan scoffed, “Ha, I’ve never faced such a big failure.”

He vowed resentfully, “Humph, Grayman, I will make you pay.”

“What did you say?”

A voice filled with shock rang in his ears.

He turned to look at his mother, who seemed as if struck by lightning, her almond eyes wide open, her face filled with disbelief, her body slightly trembling.

Nathan asked curiously, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

The woman paused for a while, then came back to her senses. She asked with concern, “Nathan, what do you mean by ‘Grayman’?”

Nathan explained, “Humph, it’s just my speculation, but I’m most likely correct. We were defeated by the royalist fleet coming down from Northwest Bay, flying a flag with a red dragon emblem.”

At the mention of the “red dragon,” the woman visibly shuddered.

“And previously, when Edward and I went to scout Port West in the Kingdom of Ordo, he told me that a ship with a red dragon flag belonged to the Grayman family from Northwest Bay. I think it’s safe to assume that the royalist fleet is indeed sent by the so-called Grayman family. Ha, I haven’t heard of this family before, but they must be some lord in Northwest Bay.”

He looked at his mother, puzzled by her strong reaction.

The mother, as if talking to herself, said, “How could it be? The Grayman family has always been low-key, never taking the forefront.”

“Mom!” Nathan called out, “Do you know someone from this family?”

The woman looked up, seeing the confusion on her son’s face, and regained her composure. She said calmly, “Well… sort of. Didn’t I tell you? I took you to Northwest Bay when you were too young to remember. This family… has an old friend of mine.”

“Oh, I see.” Nathan gritted his teeth, “But now this family is our enemy.”

The woman’s expression darkened, “Shut your mouth! Nathan, listen to me, you must not treat the Grayman family as enemies, nor mention to others about their role in this matter.”

The young man looked aggrieved and complained, “Why? I almost died at their hands! If that iron ball had been slightly higher, half of my head would be gone!”

The woman spoke gravely, “The Grayman family… it’s not just an acquaintance… They have shown kindness to us, mother and son.”

“Uh… I see.”

Nathan was taken aback, realizing the complexity of the situation, making it difficult to retaliate.

“What kindness was it?”

“I don’t want to mention it anymore, just remember my words.”

“Alright, you’re such a grateful person.”

Nathan agreed, assuming his mother’s reluctance to speak further was probably related to their identities as spellcasters. In the circle of spellcasters, he had heard stories of ordinary people helping witches and wizards, such as hiding their identities from persecution by the secular world and the church.

These were extremely rare cases, not enough to change Nathan’s disdain and hostility towards ordinary people. But their rarity made such kindness all the more precious.

“I can let it go, but I’m not the only one who knows that the royalist fleet belongs to the Grayman family. Edward knows it too; it was he who told me about the red dragon flag.”

The woman frowned, “Just mind your own business. For now, stay in Horn Bay and avoid getting involved in the affairs of the western coast of Ordo.”

“As you wish… But I really can’t let it go. It was my first time being in such a sorry state, almost losing my life. If not for their kindness, sooner or later…”

The woman interrupted him, “Sooner or later what? It’s just a difference in stance. Wouldn’t this misfortune have been avoided if you hadn’t been so eager to show off? You never listen to my words…”

Seeing his mother about to lecture him, Nathan quickly begged for mercy.