"Dad, look! Look!"
"Hold on, Linne!"
It was late afternoon. I was sipping tea on my balcony, having just finished the
duties Kousaka had assigned to me...when I heard the pitter-patter of Linne and
Elna running toward me.
Oddly enough, the two were dressed in maid outfits, so I really wondered
what was going on.
"Wow, you're so cute! It really suits you two."
"Mmm... You're both very cute. Looks good on you."
Yumina and Sue, who were sitting with me, voiced their thoughts.
Just cute? It's way more than that... How can I even begin to describe this
sight?
"How do we look, dad? Well?"
"Really cute."
Dammit. That was such a stupid reply... Well, whatever. It's still true. They're
really cute, yeah... Wait, hold on. Why are they dressed like that?
"Ahem... What's with the outfits, you two? Did Linze make them?"
"Yeah. We said we were gonna help Ms. Renne out, so Mommy Linze made
some for us. It was so fast... Like lickety-split!" Elna replied casually.
Lickety-split, huh? Probably only took her a few minutes, yeah. When it comes
to sewing, Linze's ability is godly. Literally too, given her divinity and all. But
they're helping Renne, huh? I guess they're similar in age, so that makes sense...
How old's that girl now? Ten? Eleven?
"It's funny working with the current Ms. Renne. She's so little compared to
how we know her."
"Mhm. She's like another person."
"R-Really now?"
The Renne they knew was a Renne who lived over a decade in the future,
after all... I wondered what kind of adult she'd end up becoming.
"Hm... The Ms. Renne we know is a perfect maid and she speaks really
politely. She's quite different right now... Also, she's our etiquette coach in the
future."
"Seriously?!" Sue yelled, going wide-eyed at the revelation. She probably
couldn't believe that Renne, who followed her around sometimes like a little
sister, could change so drastically.
I could understand how she felt, honestly. I never imagined that Renne, who
used to live on the street and used to call me bruv, would end up becoming a
picture-perfect maid... Though it was true she'd been learning to speak more
politely since she came here.
"Ms. Renne's amazing in the future. She can do almost anything. She can
fight, she can cook, she can sew...and she knows everything there is to know
about manners. She's a little hard on us at times, though..."
"I see... We probably had her educate you all because she was capable of
being strict," Yumina chimed in with a nod.
"Linne's just mad because she skips all her etiquette training and gets in
trouble for it. Ms. Renne is very kind to me."
"Jeez..." Elna's words caused Linne to grumble. We all then laughed slightly
before the door opened and Renne herself appeared.
"Umm...are Elna and Linne in here?"
As far as Renne knew, the kids were my distant relatives. They were all
wearing brooches that had [Mirage] enchanted on them, making them look like
regular children to most onlookers. I also explained away them calling me and
my wives dad and mom as being weird old nicknames that stuck.
"The head maid's waiting on you both. Shall we?"
"Oh, sorry! Let's go, Elna!"
"Mhm. We'll be on our way, father. See you soon, mothers."
"Oh, wait a second. Let me take a picture!"
Just as Linne and her sister started to run off, I stopped them in their tracks.
There was no way I was going to miss the chance to capture this precious
moment. Thus, I quickly whipped my smartphone out of my pocket.
"Oh, right. Renne, you should join too!"
"Huh?!"
Elna and Linne both dragged Renne to their side without another word.
All right, that's good...
The shutter clicked...and I got three good pictures out of it.
"Send us a copy later, okay?!"
With that, the three girls rushed out of the room. They were like a
whirlwind...
"Hm... To think Renne'll end up like that... Time sure does change people,
huh?" Sue spoke quietly as she sipped her tea.
"That might be part of it, but even now she's an earnest worker. She always
tries her best, no matter the task, so she definitely has the makings of a perfect
maid."
I had a feeling that it might have been more nurture than nature, though. She
had people around to teach her both etiquette and combat... We had all
manner of gods stopping by the castle, after all.
I wondered if Renne might have some blessing from the divine as well. She
often tended the fields with Uncle Kousuke, so I couldn't help but imagine she'd
end up as one of his dependents.
"I can't help but feel jealous... Just when will my child arrive, I wonder..."
Yumina said as she let out a small sigh. Yae's daughter, Yakumo, hadn't arrived
at the castle yet either, though we knew she was wandering around the world
somewhere. The ones we hadn't heard about at all were Yumina's child and
Sue's child, whoever they were.
"Don't worry, Yumina. From what the other kids are saying, there's a good
chance ours are already here."
"Then why wouldn't they come to see us, Sue?!"
"Don't ask me... They might just be busy with something? Or maybe they're
making their way here...?"
Hmm... I really do wonder where they are. I hope they're not avoiding me on
purpose. That'd be real sad...
"Can't you just use [Recall] on one of our kids to find out what they look like,
then search for them?"
"Uhhh...Granny Tokie said I can't go looking through their memories... She
said our kids are all safe and sound, so it should be fine if we just wait."
[Recall] allowed me to analyze people's memories and see things through
them. If I used it on one of my kids, I'd be able to easily see things I hadn't seen
before, and then use [Search] to find them.
"One of them's a boy, right? Maybe he's busy playing around, so he just
forgot to come here..."
"Mmm, yeah. That's certainly possible. But according to Allis, Kuon has a
pretty level head on his shoulders, and he's pretty strong too. I wouldn't
worry."
"And what if he's in trouble?"
"He's Touya's son. He'll be able to handle it in minutes..."
"C'mon now..."
Don't just go making assumptions... One of you is his mother, remember?
"No point worrying about it, at any rate. We'll just have to wait and see,
okay?"
"I suppose you're right... Oh, Touya. Could I have a copy of that photo?"
"Oh, me too."
"Sure thing."
I sent the pictures over to Yumina and Sue. I'd taken a lot of photos of my kids
since they'd arrived, so I just forwarded them all to the photo-sharing app that
we all had access to.
"Where are the other kids today, Yumina? Any idea?"
"Frei is with Hilde and Yae at the training ground. Arcia is preparing food in
the kitchen with Lu. And as far as I know, Yoshino and Quun are up in Babylon."
That makes sense for Quun, but Yoshino too? What's she doing up there?
I decided to head up and check it out.
I headed over to the workshop, and sure enough both Quun and Yoshino
were there. Quun was busy working on her construction Gollem, while Yoshino
was fiddling with some tools nearby.
"Oh, daddy!"
"What've you got there?"
"It's a musical instrument. Take a look," Yoshino said as she handed over a
small board with staggered metal tines lining it from left to right.
This is an instrument?
There was a hole in the middle of it, almost like a guitar's, and the metal tines
were arranged inward like a V-shape. Something about it seemed familiar, but I
couldn't quite put my finger on it... And so, I pressed the metal tines. However,
they didn't make any sounds. I was stumped as to how to play it.
"Oh, you're not supposed to press them. Try strumming them instead."
"Strumming?"
I used my fingertip to strum at the tines, and it let out a pinging noise in
response.
Oh, that's how it works.
"It's called a kalimba. Don't you know it? You're the one who taught me how
to play it."
"I-I did?"
Well, it wasn't really me... It was Future Touya! I'm not really familiar with this
kalimba, though.
I took out my smartphone and hopped on the internet to run a search.
Oh, I see.
The kalimba. It was an instrument from Africa, also known as the finger harp
or the thumb piano. The mechanisms inside were similar to that of a music box.
Oh, now I remember... My grandpa's favorite band used to incorporate this
instrument. I remember seeing it at their live performances.
"So you can make instruments, Yoshino?"
"I can. Simple ones, at least. I usually have Quun help make the more
complicated ones with her [Modeling], though. It's fun to play different kinds."
Makes sense. Guess she takes after her mother with her love for music, but
she seems to be more interested in instruments than singing. That might be
Sousuke's influence on her...
"Can you play for me?"
"Of course. I'll strum a tune," Yoshino replied as she began to play a song on
the kalimba. The melody was slow and relaxed. It was an extremely beautiful
sound.
Hmm... Is this...Pachelbel's Canon?
Johann Pachelbel's Canon. It was the first part of his "Canon and Gigue for 3
violins and basso continuo." It was a melody made out of a gradually repeated
rhythm.
Yoshino played it beautifully, reminding me of why it had become such a
famous tune. The way she played it on the kalimba stirred the depths of my
soul.
This is amazing... I didn't know you could play this with just two thumbs...
Wait, hold on. Why am I hearing the flute? Huh? Wait, don't tell me...
I turned away from Yoshino and saw Sousuke playing the flute in a nearby
corner.
Of course. Wherever music is, he appears.
I closed my eyes and let the melody wash over me. It was a rare moment of
joy, to hear a beautiful song played by the god of music and my own daughter
from the future.
Once the performance ended, I gave them both a full round of applause.
That was incredible... What a blessed performance.
Quun and Rosetta walked over, applauding as well...though Quun was
clapping using her Arm Gear's hand mechanisms.
"He he he he... I'm a little embarrassed..."
"No, don't be. It was a stunning performance, Yoshino."
I'd like to join her next time, I think. A performance with my daughter sounds
like a lot of fun...
I looked up at Quun in her Arm Gear.
"Can you play anything?"
"I have some mild talents. My mother likes to listen to music, so I've picked
up a thing or two."
Apparently, some of my kids liked music, while others didn't care much for it.
Yakumo, Frei, and Linne weren't all that interested it seemed.
"Anyway, forget all that, father! Look at my upgrades! I call it the Armored
Arm Gear: Beowulf! I'm ready to fight!" Quun exclaimed as she piloted her
machine and made it flex its arms. It had big arms and thick legs, with a rugged
torso that was clearly built for power. The sight of my tiny daughter riding it
gave it a comically unbalanced look.
"What are you gonna fight with it, exactly?"
"Nothing in particular. But it never hurts to have more firepower, no?"
Hmm... I wonder if she's thinking about how to face the wicked devout on her
own... I kinda feel like a failure of a father if my kids are worrying about that
stuff.
I briefly mired myself in misery when my phone began to ring.
Hm? It's from King Felsen.
"Uhhh, hello?"
"Oh, Grand Duke? We've finished our magic train, I'm wondering if you can
help with the last parts...between Belfast and Refreese..."
"Oh, I see... Got it. I'll head right over."
The first magic trains existed five thousand years ago, and there were already
similar vehicles on the western continent...but the eastern continent's first
modern magic train was built in Felsen, and was intended to be run on a track
between Refreese and Belfast.
Various Earth mages had already built the tracks between the two countries,
so now all that was needed was the train itself. Considering the fact that I could
move things across great distances instantly, it was up to me to take care of
that last part. Though I'd admittedly forgotten about it amid all the wicked
devout stuff.
I hung up my phone, turned to Quun and the others, and said, "I'm gonna
head to Felsen to pick up their magic train. It shouldn't take long, so I'll take
lunch first and—"
Before I could even finish speaking, Quun's arm shot right up—or rather, the
Arm Gear's did—and she exclaimed, "Take me! Take me with you, father!"
"I'm only ferrying it between Felsen and Belfast. We're not actually riding the
train, you know?"
"That's fine! I want to take pictures! It's a brand new train! How exciting!"
Oh... Is my daughter a trainspotter? Nah, she just loves all kinds of tech.
I didn't see a problem with her coming, so I figured there was no reason to
turn her down.
"You wanna tag along, Yoshino?"
"I'll skip out this time. I need to work on controlling my pitch. Go have fun
with Quun, okay?"
Huh. Guess Yoshino doesn't care about the train. Maybe most girls wouldn't...
Quun's just a bit special.
"All right, let's get going, then... But leave the Arm Gear behind, okay?"
"Aww... But I wanted to show it off to King Felsen..."
I'd rather you not do that... It'll just end up causing me a big headache. If King
Felsen doesn't get fired up about it, his wife definitely will. I don't have time for
that kind of thing today, okay? We'll do it later...
After I persuaded Quun to give up, I opened a [Gate] and we headed off to
Felsen.
◇ ◇ ◇
One week later...we were in the royal capital of Belfast, attending the opening
ceremony for the magic train between Belfast and Refreese. We'd completed
the test runs, and the two train tracks had already been run through the station
building.
The station was named Alephis Station, after the royal capital itself. A single
line ran from it to Bern, the imperial capital of Refreese. It made four stops
along the way, with the full journey taking about five hours.
We stood on the platform, looking up at the first magic train seen on the
eastern continent in thousands of years. It'd been named Rhinebell. It was
silvery white with blue streaks running over the outside. It was kind of rounded
in shape and didn't have a chimney like you might see on a steam locomotive.
Instead, there were two vents on either side of the main car that emitted smoky
ether residue.
In terms of looks, it definitely would've been right at home in a steampunk
story. But in terms of actual operation, it ran on magic batteries, so it was closer
to an electric train than anything else. It was also very quiet.
"Enough with the pictures, Quun. Don't you have enough already?"
"Just let me snap a few more, okay?! I want to capture all the best angles!"
I sighed quietly as Quun took pictures of the train from every possible vantage
point. She'd already taken a bunch of photos when I'd first delivered it, so I
didn't understand the point of her getting even more now.
We'd been formally invited to the event, so we were set to ride on the
inaugural trip. Normally, it would've just been me and my wives, but we
managed to get Quun and the other kids on board as well. Allis wanted to join
us as well, so Ende tagged along as her chaperone. Though, he'd also been hired
by the kingdom as an adventurer just in case anything dangerous happened.
Various noble and merchant families from Belfast would be joining us on the
ride, including Duke Ortlinde and his family. Their children were just as excited
as Quun was, presumably because they'd never seen a train before.
"Ed looks so excited."
Sue's brother, Edward, was cradled in his mother's arms as she sat on a bench
not too far from the train. The little baby was giggling over at the vehicle.
"Mhm! You like the train, don't you, Ed? We're gonna get on it soon!" Sue
exclaimed as she gently held her brother's hands in her own. Linne and Allis
noticed that, so they walked over to him with big smiles on their faces.
"Wow, look at little Ed!"
"Ha ha, wow! He really is little! This is weird!"
Their comments made Duke Ortlinde raise his brow.
"...Little Ed?"
"Oh, father! We should board now, okay?" Sue said. She wisely saved us a
headache by leading her family away. Linne and Allis realized their mistake and
they quickly scampered back over to me.
"Come on... Mind what you say, okay?"
"Sorry..."
"Ed plays with us a lot in the future, so it's funny seeing him as a little baby."
Apparently, the distance between Belfast and Brunhild didn't matter all that
much in the future. Still, the fact that he played with my kids didn't surprise me
much. He was their uncle, after all.
The Belfastians started to head into their respective train carriages. It
appeared departure was close at hand. We all followed suit and entered the
train. We were all seated in the first carriage, nearest the front. The door wasn't
automatic, so the station attendant locked it from the outside after we
boarded. That meant the door couldn't ordinarily be opened from the inside.
There was, however, an emergency escape lever that forced the door open if
necessary.
"Wow, it's amazing!" Elze said, then blinked in surprise as she saw the inside
of the carriage. It was so spacious that it almost felt like we were in a reception
room. There was a soft carpet below our feet, comfy couches lined each side of
the carriage, and manastone lights and a skylight rested above us. They even
had a fridge in the corner stocked with drinks, including wine and fruit water.
This carriage was a VIP one, largely reserved for royalty or aristocracy. It had
more features than the regular ones and even had a temperature regulation
system.
The kids all clambered up onto the couches and looked out of the windows. A
moment later, a whistle sounded out on the platform, and the vehicle
shuddered as it began to move. The mana batteries activated the motors, and
the wheels began turning...
"It's moving!"
The ether residue sparkled beautifully in the air as the Rhinebell began to
slowly shunt its way out of the station.
I looked out the window as we began our journey. There wasn't much
vibration, and there wasn't much noise. It was different from the trains I was
familiar with. The track to Refreese was elevated several meters off the ground,
kind of like a long bridge. It would've taken months to build something like this
back on Earth, but magic made it a trifling matter. I'd helped with some of the
more intricate stuff, like connecting the bridge over water and putting the
finishing touches on it.
Damn, the view's awesome...
A short while after we departed from Alephis, we started passing by a great
plain. The ride ahead would be nothing but open plains and woodland. And yet,
even though there wasn't much to see out there, the kids were pressed right up
against the windows. I did the exact same thing when I was little, so it wasn't
that shocking to me.
"Want a drink, Touya?"
"Sure, I'd love one."
Yumina smiled as she brought over a drink to my side.
Well, can't imagine anything happening today. I'll just enjoy the ride.
◇ ◇ ◇
The magic train rumbled through the plains and began passing through a
mountain range. All the passengers seemed to enjoy the sights of mountains
and hills in between periods of darkness as we proceeded through tunnels.
"This is as fast as the train we rode back on your home planet, Touya."
"Yeah. It's pretty damn amazing."
I smiled as I talked to Yumina, who was seated next to me. According to Doc
Babylon, her civilization's trains ran even faster than these ones. Must've meant
bullet train speeds were closer to regular speeds for her people.
"Oh! Wyverns!" I turned my head in response to Linne's exclamation. Sure
enough, two Wyverns were soaring through the air not too far away.
"Hm... They're coming this way," Duke Ortlinde said, raising his voice in
concern.
The two Wyverns presumably thought the speedy train was some new form
of fast-moving prey, and they swooped down close. But, just as it seemed
they'd sink their claws into the metal vehicle...they were abruptly repelled by a
mysterious force.
"Gwargh?!"
The Wyverns went into a tailspin and hit the ground hard. I didn't get a long
look at them, but it didn't look like either of them was moving.
Undeterred, the magic train sped along the tracks on its way.
"Once the train hits a certain speed, its anti-monster enchantments activate.
In this case, there's an enchantment on them that repels attacks and inflicts the
[Paralyze] spell on anything that gets too close. Wild monsters should gradually
learn to not interact with the train."
"Huh, I see. That's pretty smart," I said, nodding along as Quun explained the
mechanism.
Killing any nearby monsters would've been easy enough, but it'd be a pain to
hit airborne ones. Plus, it'd be a real problem if dead monsters were littering
the tracks. [Paralyze] seemed like a pretty happy medium in that regard. That
being said...those two Wyverns were now sitting ducks for any other beasts that
wanted to come along and eat them... Not quite survival of the fittest, but that
was nature for you.
"Still, in a few years, the new models will have aerial interceptors fitted onto
them. And then, not too long after that, Gollem trains will be popularized. It'll
be much safer in general..."
"Er...in a few years?" Duke Ortlinde mumbled, raising a brow in response to
Quun's murmuring. Sue, who was tending to her little brother, suddenly leaped
up and grabbed at her father's sleeve.
"L-Look, father! Ed's agitated! Would you take him for me?!"
"Hm? Oh, of course. There, there, Edward... You're fine now. Those nasty
Wyverns are gone," Duke Ortlinde said as he brought Ed over to his wife. Then,
the two started to fawn over the baby. Meanwhile, Sue marched over to Quun
and started pressing her fingers into the poor girl's temples. The look on my
daughter's face seemed to be a cry for help, so I let out a small sigh and walked
over.
"You need to be more careful with what you say, Quun. Remember who's
around us."
"It just slipped out... I'm really sorry," Quun replied quietly as she rubbed the
sides of her head.
The kids weren't all that far off Sue's age. Frei, the oldest, was only a few
years younger than her. Hell, Quun wasn't that far off either. That was probably
why they could more freely scrap with each other like children. Sue had even
gotten into the habit of covering up for the kids' flubs, perhaps because her
own child had yet to arrive and she didn't want anything to go haywire before
that.
We carried on through the mountains until we reached a forested area. The
rumbling of the train sent tremors through nearby trees, causing startled birds
to take off in unison. There were birds of white, black, red, blue, green, and
many other colors scattering away into the sky.
"Wow! Mom, look at that!"
"Mhm. It's amazing, Linne."
"Oh, look over there, mother... It's a ribbit-ribbit bird."
"I-Is that what that is?"
Linze, Linne, Elna, and Elze all leaned close to the windows as they watched
the sight.
...What the hell is a ribbit-ribbit bird?
"Touya-dono, where are we now?" Yae asked. Her question prompted me to
pull up my smartphone and project a map. We were still in Belfast, and we had
quite a way to go before even reaching Refreese's border.
"Oh, we're coming up to the first station soon!"
"Yes, it's in Parameia, the main town found in the Parames family's territory.
Count Parames governs over this area. It's something of a nature preserve, with
farms, forests, and stunning plateaus in abundance. Well-to-do Belfastian
families often come to stay here in the summertime," Yumina said, explaining a
bit more about the land we were passing through.
Huh, so it's like a summer resort? Guess it's kinda like what Karuizawa is in
Japan.
The magic train slowed down as it approached Parameia Station. And soon
enough, we saw buildings outside the window and the scene looked a whole lot
more civilized.
Wow... This place is almost as well developed as the capital city. I guess it's
more of an urban tourist destination?
The magic train would stop here for about ten minutes. Count Parames, the
local lord, was apparently here to greet us. Duke Ortlinde, being the king's
brother and all, had to get up to go see him.
Damn, poor guy... Must suck having to leave the train and come all the way
back just to speak to one dude.
"...Touya. What are you doing? Did you forget that you're a visiting royal as
well?" Leen said, then stared at me blankly until I remembered that I was also a
member of royalty. I'd gotten so into the family feeling of the trip that I'd
forgotten I was technically here on official business.
"Oh, right. I have to go see him too, huh?"
As the train rested on the platform of Parameia Station, it released a plume of
glittering ether into the atmosphere. That puff of shining smoke signified that
the train had come to a complete shutdown, and it was safe to disembark.
"Well then, let's get going, Touya. Or should I say, Grand Duke."
"Mmm... Guess I gotta do it..."
"Do your best!" as I stood with Duke Ortlinde, waiting for the door to open,
Frei called out to me with words of encouragement.
Yep... Your dad's gonna try his best out there...
"Welcome, Grand Duke Brunhild, Duke Ortlinde. Welcome to Parameia."
Once we got off the train, we were greeted by a well-dressed gentleman. It
was Count Parames. I'd seen his face before at a party in Belfast, so it was nice
to finally see the land he ruled over.
"Apologies for the short notice, Count Parames."
"Not at all. This is a national project of the highest importance! Why, I believe
this train of yours should bring tourists from all over the place to my humble
home. If anything, I should be thanking you," Count Parames responded,
nodding and smiling.
He was right. It would only take a few hours from either side to reach
Parameia by train, whereas the only method of arrival previously was several
days in a bumpy carriage. This would no doubt improve the local tourism
economy quite a bit.
I glanced over to the other side of the platform, at the track that stretched
out opposite to the one we'd ridden in on.
That was, naturally, the track that spanned from Refreese to Belfast. There
was another train departing from Refreese at the exact same time as ours, so
we'd likely see it pass us later on. Count Parames would have to welcome the
Refreesian delegation once they eventually showed up too. He definitely had a
busy day ahead of him, that was for sure.
Some passengers got off the train, while others boarded it from Parameia's
platform. This maiden voyage wasn't just for nobles, there were a handful of
commoners who had gotten the right to ride as well, though they were
obviously separated from the VIP passengers. The tickets that were handed out
to random members of the public had different destinations on them, and the
shortest ride ended in Parameia. My ticket was for a round trip, so I could just
ride back from Refreese later on if I felt like it.
"Oh, we're running short on time. Here's a variety of specialties from my
territory. I hope you enjoy them."
"Oh, thank you so much."
Count Parames handed me a box of snacks, which I hurriedly stuffed into
[Storage].
Nice, wasn't expecting some souvenirs. Is this some kind of advertising tactic?
Whatever it is, I'm sold!
"Lunch boxes! Get your lunch boxes here! Drinks and refreshments!"
"Hm?" I mumbled as I turned toward the sound of the voice and saw a vendor
with a large signboard yelling out from one of the train carriages. Apparently,
there was a whole train car dedicated to selling food and drinks.
Wow, they even have that? I remember casually mentioning that around King
Belfast and Emperor Refreese...but I didn't think they'd actually pull the trigger
on it so soon.
Various passengers walked over to the vendor carriage's window, buying all
kinds of foods for the sheer novelty of it. Or perhaps they were just getting food
while they could, since as far as I knew, there were no active food sales while
the train was moving.
"Lu-dono, I would like a bento-style box, I would!"
"Mama Lu, can I get the chicken sandwich?!"
"Mother Lu, here's the money! O-Oh, wait! We need to hurry up or it'll sell
out!"
"Please wait your turn! Why do I have to deal with this, anyway?!"
I could hear various voices from the window of the carriage I'd just stepped
out of. It belonged to a group of hungry individuals from my family.
Are they gonna buy food for everyone? With Frei and Yae there, I'm sure that
means over twenty orders... Couldn't they just pull some food out from
[Storage] if they're that hungry? Or do they want to try out the novelty of train
food?
"I'd best be going then. Thanks for meeting us, Count Parames."
"Yes, thank you for the present. We'll be off now."
"By all means! Have a wonderful trip."
After exchanging farewells, Duke Ortlinde and I headed back to our train car.
A whistle sounded off and the doors closed behind us soon after. That glittering
residue began to gather in the air again as the magic train slowly started to chug
its way out of the station.
I waved at everyone on the platform, and they waved back at the train.
Once Duke Ortlinde and I returned to our seats, we found everyone sitting at
the side table, looking ready to eat their meals.
You're starting without us?!
"Here you go, Touya. This one's yours."
"Oh, nice. Thanks, Yumina," I replied with a smile as I took my boxed lunch. It
was a cardboard box that was flimsily snapped shut. I opened it up to reveal a
tasty-looking burger. It was in a bun with veggies.
Everyone else had some kind of sandwich or hot dog. It made me think about
cultures that used a lot of bread. This was probably a normal lunch for them.
I bit into my burger, and the delicious taste of the meat spread through my
mouth, with the flavor of the juicy tomatoes following shortly after.
This is a bird, I think... Definitely poultry, but what kind? Is it chicken? Kind of
tastes like chicken. It's probably not chicken, though.
It didn't really matter what the meat was. It tasted good, and that was all I
needed to stay happy.
"Dad, can I have that fruit?"
"This one? Sure."
Over in the corner seat, Allis was taking some kind of strawberry from Ende.
He was technically here to act as a guard, but I wasn't about to tell him to stop
eating with his kid. Besides, it was more than reasonable to let him take a meal
break. We weren't running some kind of shady enterprise here.
"Look, mother! A bridge!" Yoshino yelled and almost tossed her sandwich into
the air as she pointed out at an elevated railway track suspended over a small
lake.
"Mhm... It's amazing..."
I couldn't help but wonder how much it would've cost to make something like
it back on Earth... Magic sure was versatile. The mages who made the track
probably barely had any issue manipulating the terrain in this way.
Yumina looked at the bridge, then turned to me and said, "They're in the
middle of building the line from Belfast to Mismede, aren't they?"
"Mhm. They finished the bridge over the Great Gau River the other day. I
think it'll open a few months from now. They're working on Belfast to Regulus
and Felsen to Lestia as well. I think most of the nations in our alliance are going
to be connected before long."
There were some issues, however, like how connecting Nokia to Xenoahs
required going through what used to be Yulong... That probably wouldn't be so
easy. Or rather, a direct line between Nokia and Xenoahs could be achieved
without cutting through Yulong, but connecting those nations to any others
without cutting through that territory was impossible.
Yulong no longer existed as a nation, so it'd probably be fine to build a track,
but who knew what the locals would think of it. They'd probably devolved into
tribal societies who claimed patches of land or something. No country would
want to run a railway track through such a miserable country anyway. It would
just be bad news. If we had to, we could probably get some kind of track
running over the sea, like the bridge that connected Roadmare, Lestia, Ryle, and
Felsen.
"We have airship technology thanks to western science. Maybe we could just
adopt that instead."
"It's possible, but I personally feel that trains are a much more efficient form
of travel. Airships also have adverse weather conditions to contend with."
Quun had a point. Trains wouldn't just be for people, they'd also be hauling
supplies and resources. Airships couldn't carry half as much freight as a train. If
we could improve the global supply chain, then everyone's lives would become
much better. That was one of the whole points behind introducing the train in
the first place.
"Will there be a station in Brunhild?"
"Yeah. On the route between Belfast and Regulus. It should be smack bang in
the middle of the two places."
"That'll mean an increase in tourism."
I wasn't sure how to feel about that, in all honesty. Brunhild's capital wasn't
exactly the size of other capitals. We had plenty of tourists as it was, but not
nearly enough beds to house them all. The promise of more visitors probably
meant we'd have to increase border security as well.
"Is there even anything for tourists to do in Brunhild? Do we have much in the
way of landmarks?" I said, tapping my chin as I began to think.
Refreese's capital had its beautiful sea and pure white architecture. Belfast's
capital had striking vistas and a magnificent lakeside. We had...
"We have a clock tower, I guess?"
"A clock tower... I'm not so sure that's much of a draw."
"Uhhh...we have Frame Gears?"
"Is that really something we can consider a landmark, though?"
They were kind of a landmark. You couldn't find them anywhere else, after all.
I'm not sure how to make a giant robot into a landmark... Then again, I'm
pretty sure that's been done in Japan. I remember seeing a full-sized replica
from that one anime... But, well, I guess landmarks are more things like Tokyo
Tower or the Skytree. Or stuff like shrines, historical sites, and big amusement
parks. There's an amusement park under construction in Brunhild right now, I
guess? That'll definitely bring people in. Oh yeah, there are the Dungeon Islands
too. I keep forgetting about those.
Adventurers from nearby regions often came to Brunhild for the lucrative
opportunities, so maybe the train would bring in adventurers from further
away. Train rides probably wouldn't be cheap, though, so maybe not.
We're definitely gonna need more accommodations for visitors. Maybe I
should commission a third Silvermoon Inn branch?
Whatever the case, we needed more hands on deck. I probably needed to
open recruitment for more knights too.
"Hmm... Quun said we'll have knight Gollems deployed in the future... I guess
that'll help a bit with the manpower issues."
"Fu fu... You're worrying about work even while traveling? Don't you want to
relax a little?"
"Yeah, you're right... I wish I could."
Yumina's words made me sigh a little. I definitely needed to start enjoying my
trip instead of worrying so much. The problems would still be there for me to
deal with later on, anyway.
◇ ◇ ◇
Meanwhile, near the border between Elfrau and Regulus...
"Oh, this is the Regulus Empire," the boy muttered to himself as he saw the
sign by the border. He'd been riding in a carriage from Elfrau for a few days now
and was finally in another country.
"Finally...no more cold."
It was the six-year-old boy, Mochizuki Kuon. He was on his way through
another time, another place, trying to make it to Brunhild.
Regulus had a much less frigid climate, but he was still in the northernmost
area of the country, so Kuon kept on the coat he'd bought earlier.
"Found one."
"Again? Coachman, stop at once! The boy's found us another."
One of the men riding in the carriage alongside Kuon called out to the
coachman, but before he could even stop his horse, Kuon had jumped out of
the side of the carriage, pulled out a bow, and fired a shot into the nearby
forest.
"Hiiih?!" an animal's yelp rang out...followed by the sound of a thud. Kuon
went after it and soon emerged from the bushes with a large deer carcass
behind him. It had been killed with a single arrow through its head.
"Oooh! A Regulus Elk! These are quite the delicacy," one of the men said, a
wide smile on his face as he walked out of the carriage, knife in hand. The other
passengers came out to look at Kuon's kill as well.
"Can you strip it for meat, then?"
"Sure, I can take it from here. Naturally, I'll buy the carcass, lad."
The man was the owner of a butcher shop who was on his way back to
Regulus after attending his daughter's wedding.
Traveling by carriage was usually a frugal affair when it came to eating.
Typically, you'd carry dried meat or other nonperishables to consume along the
road. Or you'd catch your own game if you came across any. Ordinarily, it
wouldn't be so easy to find fresh meat, but the people in this carriage were
finding their trip to be one abundant in fresh kills.
It was all thanks to the strange young man who was with them. He had an
almost supernatural sense for detecting wild animals, and no matter where
they were, he easily killed them with his flimsy bow. Thanks to him, the
passengers were able to enjoy good food as they carried on their journey.
"I'll be good on meat for a while thanks to you, sonny. You've got my thanks."
"It's all good. I'm glad to have the money!" Kuon replied. He had figured it'd
be impossible to make it to Brunhild with just the money he'd made from
selling his cuff links, but at the very least, he'd be able to make it to the capital
of Regulus. And if he made a little more silver along the way, what would the
harm be?
The carriage continued along its path until it reached the town of Jonsth. It
was the end of the line for their journey.
Jonsth was a fairly ordinary-sized town, ruled over by one of Regulus's remote
district counts. Once the boy reached the place, he immediately started looking
around for a way to hitch a ride to the capital city. He went to the main station
for carriages and checked the schedule, but upon seeing it, he let out a long,
heavy sigh.
"Last one left a few minutes ago, huh?"
His timing had been unfortunate, as the next ride to the capital wasn't
scheduled for another two days.
"Hmm, what now? Maybe I can hitch a ride to a closer town?"
It was quite late in the evening. Dusk had almost fallen. If he took another
carriage now, he'd have to live the camping lifestyle again for a few more days.
Kuon decided that he wanted to stay in a proper inn, so waiting two days for a
direct ride to Gallaria didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.
"All right, that's it, then. Let's find an inn."
With that, Kuon hefted up his backpack and began walking around the town.
He wanted to stay in a nice place, even if it was a little pricier. Countryside inns
were often a hotbed for adventurers, which also often made them a hotbed for
trouble. If at all possible, Kuon would've preferred to avoid that. And the best
way to do so was to stay at the kind of inn traveling merchants stayed at, even if
it was expensive. With that in mind, Kuon followed a fellow who looked like a
merchant at the station. As he trailed him, he passed a street corner and saw
the gentleman head into an inn down the street.
"The Silver Feather, huh?" Kuon mumbled as he looked up at the signboard
with a raised brow. The place looked somewhat modern and nice, but not quite
nice enough for it to be noticeably stuffy or for the upper classes. In other
words, it was perfect.
Kuon took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the most important
moment, then walked through the swing door.
"Welcome to the Silver Feather! Can I...? Hm? A little boy?"
A lone woman sat behind the counter. She looked to be in her twenties. A
man was helping the merchant from earlier up the stairs nearby.
"I'd like a room, please. Two nights."
"Huh? Er...I mean...I can't just give a room to a child, now can I?"
The woman seemed a bit troubled as she looked down at Kuon. The boy
responded by glaring up at her, his right eye flashing purple-gold.
"...H-Huh? Oh, my apologies. I thought you were alone. A room for two,
then?"
The woman blinked slowly as she registered the image of a man in his thirties
standing next to the boy...as if he'd been standing there the entire time.
"Yes. That's exactly what we need, thank you."
"That'll be two silver coins, then. Could you sign here?"
Kuon leaned in to sign on the paper. The woman at the desk thought it was a
little strange that the son was signing instead of who she assumed to be his
father, but she didn't ponder the matter too deeply.
"Okay, allow me to show you to your room!"
The woman stood up and walked Kuon up to a room on the second floor. It
was a quaint little space with two beds, a desk with a chair, a closet, and a
lightstone lamp.
"We serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining hall downstairs. Please
leave the key at the counter before you leave."
"Got it. Thanks again."
"That man didn't say very much, did he? I suppose he's the taciturn type."
The woman shrugged as she said that, walked downstairs, and took her
position at the desk once more.
Kuon, now alone in his room, slumped onto the bed with a sigh.
"Man, that was rough... I had a feeling she wouldn't let me stay alone, but I
didn't want to stay at some shady place either..."
Nicer establishments usually had more rules about their guests, but less
reputable inns didn't have as much of an issue welcoming children, so long as
they could pay. Those were the kinds of places Kuon had been staying at as he
made his way through Elfrau, and frankly, he'd had enough. Thus, he'd used the
Mystic Eye of Phantasmagoria. It was one of Kuon's seven mystic eyes, and it
had the ability to mess with people's minds, showing them visions and making
them believe falsehoods. Though, since he could only conjure illusions with it,
the father he'd created couldn't speak. That was why he had to do all the
talking.
One might have said his method was far too convoluted, that he could've just
made the enchantment make him look like an adult instead...but it was a purely
visual trick. His voice still would've been that of a child's, and there would've
been discrepancies in his height while moving around. In the end, faking the
presence of an adult accompanying him was the smartest thing to do, though
that also came with the unfortunate drawback of paying the cost of two people.
"Ahhh...when was the last time I had a blanket this comfy?" the boy
murmured, smiling as he pulled it up against his body. It must have been freshly
laundered. He snuggled up into that blanket and drifted off to sleep, thinking
about his plans for the morning all the while.