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Volume: 1
Chapter : 1 [1] ; The RMS Titanic
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April 10, 1912
10:00 AM.
Southampton Dock, England.
The air at Southampton Dock was thick with a rancid mix of coal dust and salt that made the nose sting and lingered in the throat.
Below it, porters shouted, officers yelled orders, and a thousand voices spoke in a dozen sounds, drowned out by the cries of the gulls that wheeled above, oblivious to the noise below.
And above all of this, a leviathan of steel in the era of the twentieth century: the RMS Titanic.
Its massive black steel hull was painted new. The four towering iron pipes, reaching the sky and piercing the clouds, resembled a floating cathedral.
A red and gold banner of a flag rippled proudly from the railing of the RMS Titanic, showing the majesty of the White Star Line and the empire it served.
A young man, Aaryan Yadav, stood at the base of the first-class gangway. His polished black boots were planted firmly on the wooden dock.
He was only eighteen, but the calmness in his eyes was beyond his age; he was measured, composed, and mature.
Tall, broad-shouldered, standing at the height of 182 cm, with dark obsidian eyes, a handsome face, and a masculine body. High cheekbones and a strong jawline made him very attractive.
Beneath the calmness present in his eyes was a brilliance that no expression could fill.
Meanwhile, the wooden dock of the RMS Titanic buzzed with the gazes of the passengers, looking at Aaryan with a weird and curious gaze, wondering what an Indian was doing there.
"Brother genius Aaryan, you look like you are about to kill them with your gaze; calm down."
Edward Harrington walked to Aaryan with his lanky limbs, unruly sandy hair, and handsome and charming demeanor like a prince.
He placed his left hand over the whole shoulder of Aaryan and spoke again.
"It's a ship, the largest cruise (cargo) ship, and the only one built in the entire world. So enjoy the voyage."
After hearing Edward's words, Aaryan's lips twitched, and his gaze fell on the written character of the RMS Titanicon the cruise ship.
"Indeed, this ship isn't just steel and metals. It carries the hope of the empires, whether it is British, American, or even ours." Aaryan's words were gentle, but the sneer in his words anyone could hear.
Hmmphhh…!
Edward scoffed lightly and patted Aaryan's shoulder and replied.
"Yours…? Oh… those cow-dung patches, dirt. Don't keep dreaming, mate. Don't spoil the voyage with politics, enjoy it."
Before Aaryan could respond, his hand was grabbed by a delicate hand.
Devika Ranistepped forward and stood beside Aaryan, like a partner of his.
Nineteen years old now, she was both soft and sharp. Her ivory gown was tailored in Paris but mixed with the elegance of a North Indian dress.
Her dark hair was styled with meticulous care, and she was wearing a wide, white-brimmed hat.
Devika possessed a graceful oval face with a soft, fair complexion and stood with a height of 170 cm and a strong momentum, yet she had the elegance of a noble family.
With a gentle nod at Aaryan, she took his hand firmly.
Looking at Devika, Aaryan also stopped the words he was about to speak.
After that, the three of them reached the boarding officer, who was responsible for checking the tickets of the passengers for the first-class gangway.
The boarding officer, when he saw Aaryan and Devika, was surprised and hesitated for a while, but it vanished the moment Aaryan took out the ticket.
Upon reading the ticket, the officer straightened himself and gave a formal, respectful bow.
"Welcome to the RMS Titanic, Sir/Madam," he said with his practiced professionalism over the years.
"Your steward will escort you, sir, to your accommodations!"
"Haha… definitely."
Edward Harrington took his first step while not even looking back at Aaryan and Devika.
Then a man, in a pristine uniform, white gloves, a navy waistcoat, and the expression of the trained one, royalty, stepped forward.
"This way, Mr. Yadav, Sir Harrington, and Miss Devika."
The trio followed the steward in silence while crossing the iron arc of the gangway.
Aaryan scanned the area of the boat with his calm eyes, and there was an unknown expression on his face, but there was definitely something in his mind.
Inside the RMS Titanic.
"Your accommodation, sirs and madam," the steward announced, stopping in front of the B-21, a luxurious suite near the grand staircase.
"For Mr. Yadav and Miss Devika. It has a bathtub, private saloon, and telephone for anything. Dinner in the dining saloon is at seven. Shall I arrange for your luggage to be brought up, sir?"
"You may," Aaryan replied.
While beside Aaryan, Edward let out a low sigh and said, "You were not exaggerating when you said the Maharaja really knew how to travel in style."
"I am not a Maharaja!" Aaryan stopped Edward in the middle.
Cough… "Mr. Harrington, your suite is B-27; please come with me."
Just as Edward was about to say something, he was again blocked by the steward and told his suite number.
"Okay, I'll meet you at noon." After saying that, Edward left with the steward.
"Let's go too!" Aaryan held the hand of Devika and used the key given by the steward to open suite B-21 and enter the suite.
Inside the Suite.
As they went inside the suite, a sneering smile formed on Aaryan's face as he took out a few papers from the handbag he was carrying.
Devika, sitting on the bed, looked at Aaryan with a weird gaze and asked,
"What is that, Aaryan…?"
"This is for our future…!"
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[End of the chapter 1.]
[Single heroine]
or
[Harem] (2-3 Female protagonist)
["Read the author thoughts."]