July 18, 1615 Central Calendar, 10:00

Neldorand District, Runepolis, Holy Milishial Empire

As the summer vacation month approached, Meteos Roguerider eagerly anticipated the return to his hometown of Leiden. He often couldn’t help but find himself on the edge of his seat, especially when asked about his family, including his pregnant mother and unborn siblings. It was clear from his face alone that the silver-haired prodigy was really eager to return home.

While he was still in the capital, today marked another delightful weekend spent with friends from RMA, this time at a certain ice cream parlor located not far from the Academy Yards on the southern coast of Runepolis Bay. After exploring, shopping, watching big ships (of the gun-toting variety) under construction, and more exploring, Meteos and co. found themselves savoring frozen desserts within the elegantly designed interior of the parlor. With a scoop of the chocolate sprinkle-covered surface of what the residents of another world will call a ‘sundae,’ Meteos indulged in the sweet pleasures that are commensurate with their price while listening to the chattering that filled the air around him.

Annette, sitting to the left of Nadia who was eating across from Meteos, was the one leading the conversation so far.

“So, you two are going back to Enysfal the first Sunday of next month and will not come back until the month after that?”

The boys affirmed with nods and grunts.

“And Miss Robin and Mister Arkland will also be joining you… because the Ancient Ministry in their power apparently bend some rules so that you’re considered working while you’re on a summer vacation.”

“Yep,” Robin chuckled. Sitting beside her was the brooding Arthur Arkland who was being not-so-subtly ogled by Sofia sitting across from him. Half the reason he was here was because he was carrying out his duty, one quarter was because of Robin’s insistence, and the last quarter was because his sister Morgan pestered him to go.

Since Leiden was where he had stored the rest of his as-of-yet undisclosed ‘GP’ designs, the MOASEC had no objections in letting him and Walman have their vacation while giving him an ‘assignment’ that Meteos discloses a portion of the GPs that he will bring back as soon as he returns to Runepolis—a mere formality that Meteos was more than willing to uphold. This way, the MOASEC will not be seen as squandering their rare talents in times when they were in a frenzy of churning out progress while being considerate to the younglings at the same time.

Ah… politics. You got to love those.

“How very convenient,” Annette said between scoops of her ice cream.

“This is the way,” the Ancient Ministry group chorused.

“Hehe, of course… But what really bugs me is that, why is it so hard for you and my father’s schedules to reconcile? Every time he thought it was time to finally meet you guys and thank you for helping me, either of you are very busy with your work or something, even though it’s almost summer vacation time… my father is still swamped by duties…”

Listening to Annette’s complaint, Meteos nodded slightly, “Yes, once again, we’re sorry we can’t come to your graduation party and missed the chance to meet the Duke, but it just so happened that our schedule this year is quite tight. Well, it’s not even a full year since we were recruited by the Ancient Ministry. There are some immediate obligations that we still have to fulfill. I also understand that the Duke governs the capital of the Holy Empire and its issues… it’s no duty for lesser men.”

The other silverette harrumphed in response, but her lips tugged upward a little.

“What is it, My Lady? It can’t be helped given the lines of our work.”

“Oh, don’t you start, Roguerider.”

Nadia turned to the boys’ mentor, “Hmm… Miss Robin, can’t you do something about it?”

“Taking them around to inspect inventions is one thing, but removing them from work for irrelevant things is another, sweetie,” the bespectacled woman shrugged.

“Thank you so much, Nadia, for trying,” Annette praised the blonde girl’s effort.

Walman asked, “Why is the Duke so keen on meeting us personally, anyway?”

The Pendragon heiress puffed her cheeks. “You two aren’t Runepolians, alright.”

“Enlighten us, then,” Meteos prompted. “The Legendorga family is another noble lineage who benefited from our work, but President Legendorga seems to be content with trying to send gratifications.”

“And cakes,” Robin quipped. Yes, it’s a well-known fact that Victor Legendorga, the President and CEO of the Aikon Corporation, likes to bake cakes as a hobby. Random wedding processions, random birthday parties, and random charity events hosted by local temples where his creations can randomly appear can attest to that.

“Yes, yes, cakes,” Annette groaned. “Honestly! That is because the relationship between you two is purely business. You even call him by his professional title, Meteos. As for you helping the three of us back then is… well, it’s a much more personal favor for my family…”

“Oooh… I see…” Walman nodded.

“You sure, buddy?” Robin teased, drawling in that tone that sounded so annoying to one’s ears.

“Hey! Of course I am!” he retorted with a pout.

Ignoring that exchange, Meteos pointed out to Annette sincerely and politely. “If the circumstances don’t allow for a meeting face to face, then His Grace’s words of gratitude already warm our hearts.”

This earned him a defeated sigh, “That’s not good enough for a noble whose daughter had been helped a great deal, you know.”

Taking a moment to gather herself and take another bite of her ice cream, Annette continued to speak.

“It’s a matter of honor, you see. My father once told me, that being a noble doesn’t mean that one has a title that they can use to order people around. No, it’s not. Basically, without the people, nobles wouldn’t exist, so a noble has a duty to become a protector of a land and serve their people. That includes properly acknowledging whenever someone committed a deed that results in a beneficial result to a noble family,” she elaborated, giving Lucius Pendragon’s version of an introductory course to being a nobleman. Along with his governance of Runepolis, it’s small wonder why his approval rating in the city is at an all-time high.

“I expect nothing less from the Good Duke,” Meteos remarked, regarding the heiress with a measuring eye. “So, based on that concept, what about you, Annette? What do you have in store to repay the favor?”

By the Pendragons’ logic, Annette, who was actually the one being helped in the past, must have that self-imposed obligation to return the favor even more. Perhaps she was too embarrassed to admit it directly, prompting her to use her father’s name as a cover. Thus, a curious Meteos asked the heiress about it. Not that he minds this noblewoman’s antics. Nobles in general are a rather amusing bunch with a wide spectrum of personalities.

‘Oh, no. I haven’t really thought of that!’

To Meteos’ further amusement, the young heiress let out a squeak, averting her eyes as her face turned as red as a ripe tomato. Seeing what seemed to be an effect to his question, Meteos raised an eyebrow as he turned to Nadia and leaned forward to whisper at her in a faux-concerned tone. “Did I strike a nerve with that?”

“Umm, I don’t know? You’re the one teasing her,” she giggled, seeing her friend become so flustered.

“That was, in fact, a serious question.”

“Oh,” she gasped in mild surprise. “…Then please don’t be inconsiderate of her, Meteos.”

“Of course I won’t, but if the Pendragons seem to take this matter seriously, so can I.”

“Then… help her think of something?” Nadia suggested hesitantly. When Meteos nodded and smiled at her words, she blushed.

“Hmm… you’re right. You know what I’m thinking? We should continue to help each other.”

Annette snapped out of her flustered reverie, turning back to look at him as she was taken aback by what Meteos had just said.

“Help each other?”

“Yes. What I’m thinking is that we take this one-time favor repaying into a mutually beneficial relationship in the long run.”

“…What is it that you’re proposing?” Annette’s earlier fluster was now replaced with a curious look.

With a light smile, Meteos clasped his hands and rubbed them lightly as he elaborated. “Recently there’s an idea in the Ancient Ministry to form a joint research initiative—a think tank that will cover a wide variety of fields outside the organization, if you will, and they’re looking for people. You’re smart, so are you seeing where I’m getting at?”

“I see, you will be taking part in there too, I presume?”

“Yes, all of us on this side of the seat are Special Technical Advisors, in fact,” Meteos bluntly revealed.

“Eh? W-well, that sounds fancy…”

“It is. Special Technical Advisors are the ones who are actually in charge of leading the research in their respective fields. Of course, we’ll be also approaching the RMA about this, but we also wanted to offer this to you personally.”

“Wow… that’s…”

Looking at the adults, Annette noticed that a wryly smiling Robin was giving the girls an encouraging nod. For her part, if the heiress was feeling ambitious, then this invitation was a good chance to further her own goal in life. And then there’s the question of honoring a debt. If Meteos wanted her help in this, then there’s a chance.

“What makes you think that we’ll be a great help to you if we join this… initiative?” she asked, sounding both hesitant and hopeful at the same time.

“You all have great potential, but that remains to be seen. If simple children from Enysfal like us managed to become ones who strive to push the boundaries of one’s society, then I ask you this: what ambition… what vision of an ideal world that lies in you?”

❖⟐❖⟐❖

20:00

Arden District

“Intriguing.”

When Duke Lucius Pendragon arrived back home that evening, he was greeted by his daughter’s bubbling enthusiasm. Eager to share in her joy and not wanting to let her down, the Duke thus asked her to recount the events of her day during their dinner. However, what he heard from his daughter presented him with a conundrum.

When someone says, “Let’s help each other,” it is when one’s underlying motives often linger.

He wondered which one was it; was the young Enysfalian adept at adapting to the situation and capitalizing it to his advantage as they arose, or had he planned this for some time? In either case, by appealing to Annette’s deepest aspirations – striking where it impacts the most – in a relaxed setting, Meteos Roguerider had turned what initially appeared to be one gesture of goodwill (at least on the surface) into an opportunity to secure the Pendragon family’s favor. Had this young man been older, he wouldn’t have to sit here pondering whether this kid was merely a kid with too much power or if there was his own agenda at play. Either way, it only reinforced the feeling of intrigue the Duke had for him.

As for the Ancient Ministry… with a few exceptions, this is a society that placed their line of work in high regard, so Lucius has no problem with that. Annette seemed genuinely looking forward to the prospect of joining them, too. Their name just carried that kind of weight in this Holy Empire.

He still wanted to ensure that a meeting with this interesting youngling face to face would be meaningful and not just a casual encounter. While such a truly opportune time has yet to present itself, Lucius decided to observe his daughter’s interactions with him and his companions for the time being.

“Alright,” Lucius began as Annette finished. “I’m not going to pretend that I am a know-it-all when it comes to my daughter’s well-being. No worries, my dear. Anna, you have a kind heart, a sharp mind, and a sense of honor. If you think your friend’s invitation is a chance for you to grow, make a difference, and fulfill your honor to Meteos Roguerider, then you should take it.”

Annette beamed in response. “Thank you, father! Your support means a lot…”

Lucius nodded. “So, your friend is going to return to his hometown in Leiden this summer, huh?”

“Yes? It’s funny, though, that the Ancient Ministry still counts their vacation as work.”

“I see, I hear that Leiden is a fine tourist destination. Say, Anna, are you interested in spending a vacation there and joining your friend on his journey home?”

“Well… Leiden seems to be an interesting place,” Annette looked sheepish.

“Very well, it’s quite simple, isn’t it? If you want to, then there are still two weeks to prepare so that you can go with Meteos Roguerider when he returns home. It’s also okay if you want to invite your two friends, all I ask is just to remember to stay safe.”

“R-really?”

“It’s up to you.”

“…! Of course, father, that would be great!”

Truly, Annette had found friends she could cherish if the thought of spending a nice summer vacation with them brought a smile so bright to her face. That’s right, his daughter’s happiness is Lucius’ greatest treasure, he thought to himself with a sense of contentment. No matter what happened, he couldn’t afford to be looking miserable in front of Annette.

August 2, 1615 Central Calendar, 08:05

Central Station, Xenosgram District, Runepolis

After discussing the Ancient Ministry’s invitation with their legal guardians and thoroughly considering the details, one week after July 18, Annette Pendragon, Nadia Smirnova, and Sofia Trussardi, as well as several other members of the Runepolis Magic Academy, conveyed their willingness to collaborate with the initiative. Furthermore, the other Ancient Ministry members assigned to conduct similar surveys reported mostly positive findings, thanks to the maneuvering done by the Order of the Ancients that directed their members in anticipation of this endeavor.

On a different note, Annette shared with the group the delightful news of her father’s permission for her summer plans in Leiden, a tourist destination that was also Meteos and Walman’s hometown. While everyone was surprised at how easily such approval was given by the Good Duke, especially Nadia and Sofia who were personally invited by the heiress, the decision was met with warm acceptance. And so, as the sun rose on the first Sunday of the eighth month, the younglings, along with Robin, Arthur, and a tagalong Morgan assembled at Central Station. Since both of the Arklands were away, Hubert the turtle’s care was being entrusted to a family associate.

While they were walking over to their rendezvous point where the younger members had already gathered, Morgan wondered aloud to her brother and their companion, “Robin, as someone who has been there, can you tell me what Leiden is like?”

“No spoilers,” Robin flippantly retorted.

“Aww…”

“Look, the kids have already arrived,” Arthur who was hauling the siblings’ traveling bags cut in with a neutral tone despite the lighthearted air created by the banter between the two ladies flanking him. “Why don’t you go have a chat with them while I talk to Robin for a moment.”

“Oh… sure, brother. You two get along, alright?” Morgan nodded with a bright smile, eyes gleaming after glancing at him and Robin.

After she left their proximity, skipping over to the kids and started talking with them, Robin whispered to Arthur.

“Two Blue Lions. One at one o’clock and one at our six.”

“So I’ve noticed,” Arthur grunted. “Our men are already in position, too.”

As a protection detail for the Person of Interest, the Order of the Ancients normally assigned two to three other agents of the Eyes besides the usual protection squad of Robin, Arthur, and Daguva (who was absent). However, since Meteos and Walman had brought some friends along on this occasion, the lineup was expanded, with the Order placing two of their men in each passenger car. As engineers of (contrived) coincidences, these were the ones who would also act as ‘random Good Samaritans’ who would offer to help the younglings if they found themselves in trouble (the members assigned were pretty enthusiastic, too, considering the overall summer vacation atmosphere).

This approach was similar to the one taken by the Duke of Runepolis in ensuring protection for his daughter. Rather than designating a traditional bodyguard, spies codenamed the “Blue Lions” by the Order who hide in plain sight are deployed to watch over Annette’s security, which, in turn, extends protection to her friends. As the duties of both groups overlapped, a natural issue arose due to the lack of coordination between them. However, as far as the normal citizens were concerned, there was no such thing as the ‘Order of the Ancients.’

“Well, good to know that the Good Duke is as cautious as ever,” Robin grinned. “Should we meet our friends ‘accidentally’ and exchange a word or two with them?”

“We’re supposed to be keeping eyes peeled for unexpected developments, not trying to act cocky.”

Arthur clicked his tongue in displeasure. What part of ‘keeping a low profile’ that this woman not understand… honestly.

“Hahahaha!” Robin snickered.

‘Bollocks, Robin.’

…………

While they were waiting for Robin and Arthur to wrap up whatever conversation they had over there, Meteos described to the group what they could anticipate when traveling on the iron serpent sitting before them.

“What you’re seeing is a state-of-the-art model of the high-speed passenger magic liner! From what I know, these trains had only entered service five years ago along the coastal routes between the Imperial Capital, Cartalpas, and Zaftra. Now, unlike the common train that we used last year, this magic liner will only take about half a day to reach Leiden. Of course, half the travel time, double the speed and so higher the ticket price.”

“Heee…” the girls chorused.

Sporting a bright orange livery with yellow and black stripes, with the name ELEKING etched on its locomotive, this train belonged to the state-owned Imperial Lightning Magic Railroad Corporation, also known by their trade name “Eleking” (a portmanteau of the words Electrum, the old Caelian word for electricity; and king). This particular train, the Minerva Express, was one of the EX10 series that were celebrated as this era’s cutting-edge passenger liners and were often referred to by terms such as “fast trains” or “express trains.” These had only recently entered service in the early 1610s Central Calendar, currently servicing the coastal routes of Runepolis-Cartalpas and Cartalpas-Zaftra. However, Eleking had plans for their state-of-the-art trains, intending to expand its reach to include inland routes.

The EX10 itself is a streamlined eight-car trainset comprised of a power car, a baggage car, a diner, four sleeping cars that can be converted into coaches for daytime operation, and an observation car. In addition to the usual curtains, the sleepers offered metal privacy screens so they were almost individual rooms. However, as the group was scheduled to arrive in Leiden at around 20:00, there was no need for them to sleep the night on the train.

Thanks to its two large lightning-type magic engines generating a combined output of 1.200 horsepower, the EX10 is capable of sustaining a travel speed of 130 kilometers per hour. This performance made the group’s southbound journey to Leiden, spanning approximately 1.670 kilometers of railroad tracks, a twelve-hour affair. This means that the nychthemeron journey that Meteos and Walman experienced boarding a regular train last year was practically halved. Now that they were incredibly loaded with cash, the young men had little issue with affording the higher fare required for this express service. However, they still chose not to use airliners because of scenic route reasons and while Meteos is fond of trains, Walman is an average scenery enjoyer… until he falls asleep, that is.

Other than its role in the logistics system that helped build the country, rail transport of this era also played a vital role in the Holy Milishial Empire’s passenger transportation network. However, as commercial air travel technology matured and the construction of an inter-province highway system became widespread, train-based passenger services began to diminish. It was only when the Holy Empire themselves succeeded in achieving their own ultra-fast rail network akin to the Japanese Shinkansen to connect distant cities, that rail travel began to regain its old prominence. The impression that the Shinkansen left was so profound that in fact, when Meteos tried to focus on visualizing his inherited memories based on this train, what first appeared was a vision of the Japanese N700S series Shinkansen materializing next to the waiting EX10. Japan’s ultra-fast bullet trains were one part of their advanced technology and one that left a deep impact on some.

Exerting some more and letting his imagination flow, the now-familiar ‘tech tree’ threads of light that only he could perceive began to emanate from every the EX10’s every part, weaving into another track, and soon took a form that left the reincarnator nodding with satisfaction. This imagined inter-city train had shed the conventional wheels and now hovered along magnetic guides, powered by the repursorlift magic technology that Meteos had conjured in his mind’s eye. Boasting an estimated maximum cruising speed of a staggering 800 kilometers per hour, this imagined ‘repulsor magic liner’ was borne out of a desire to become more powerful.

Regrettably, no Manadriver possessed the ability to turn such a grand and intricate vision into an immediate reality. Meteos understood that he would have to proceed bit by bit, taking small steps to bring his ambitious dream to life.

‘Let’s make sure that this year’s summer project is going to be much more interesting than the last,” the silver-haired boy mused to himself, hefting the magic bucket thing that he carried to inspect it closely. The item stowed within the camtonos that he, Walman, and Robin carried was not much, but it’s a start toward realizing such a desire. Oh, now his imagination shifted to a colossal assembly line where machines can be 3D-printed from particles. Just as he was disappointed at the absence of such a thing, this thing—what was basically a building-sized hyper-advanced Manadriver appeared in his mind. If this is what the Malakhs or their ancient predecessors could do back when they were still around, then they’re absolute madlads!

Interesting, but Meteos quickly pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed it, shifting his attention to something else before the imagination escalated into something he couldn’t control.

“Where’s Teacher and Mister Arkland? Have they finished chatting?” he asked.

“Yes, Meteos, they’re coming,” Nadia informed.

“Oh, that’s grand.”

A sheepish Robin and a poker-faced Arthur soon joined the group.

“Sorry, everyone, we need to discuss some details back there,” the bespectacled brunette apologized.

“The train will depart at eight-thirty. Let’s find our seats and relax, we got a long journey before us,” Meteos called out, beckoning the group to finally board the Minerva Express.

…………

Sofia quickly volunteered to sit together with the adults, leaving Meteos, Walman, Nadia, and Annette to settle on their seats on the other side of the aisle. Because of the open section accommodations of the daytime-configuration sleepers where one seat was facing forward and the other backward inside a section, the group was able to face each other and talk more easily. Time seemed to fly by as the train whisked them away from the outskirts of Runepolis and into the Caelus Province. While the deep blue expanse of the Minerva Ocean continued to accompany them on the faraway horizon, the urban landscape gradually transformed into the verdant surroundings that had once been the cradle of the modern Holy Milishial Empire.

“That Sofia, she has a crush on Mister Arkland, isn’t she?” Walman commented, glancing at the other side where Arthur was sitting facing the dreamy redhead.

“Heh…” Annette laughed. “Anyway… I can’t wait to enjoy the scenery. This train will pass through the provincial capitals before we arrive at Leiden, right?”

“Yes,” Meteos nodded, “Delpoi in Tyrene, Viirad in Niau, and Forrad in Enysfal.”

Annette beamed with enthusiasm, “Well, that’s interesting! Until today I only get to see those cities from books… I was a pretty sheltered girl before meeting you, okay? There, I admit it—oh, right, is the Acropolis of Delpoi really as big as the people say!?”

“Well, you’ll see it soon, but yes. It’s as big as they say.”

“Mm-hmm! How very interesting! I still can’t believe you two have to pass through such places just to come home!”

“What could I say, the scenic route is good. You know, the Northern Inland Line used by Nadia when she returns to Rusalka is interesting too,” Meteos mused after a moment. “The Mysidian Tower is an impressive tallest structure of the Early Imperial Period, and the view from the mountain passage through the Black Castle Range must have been breathtaking. Right, Nadia?”

The girl in question nodded, her hair bobbing adorably as she did so.

“…It’s a shame, though, Nadia will only be joining us for two weeks before she visits her grandmother in Rusalka… don’t forget to send us letters, okay?”

“Sure thing. I’ll try to make a call if I can.”

“I’m pretty sure the towers in Zaftra can be used by grimoires by now. It’s a big city, right?” Walman chimed in. Even though Nadia’s home is located in a quiet suburban area, Zaftra is still the capital of the Rusalka Province and one of the biggest on the East Coast.

Noises of agreement came from his seatmates.

“Oh, heh,” not very long after gazing outside, Meteos let a chuckle from his lips. “I just realized something, Nadia.”

The addressed girl tilted her head slightly. “Yes?”

“The route you’ll be taking by that time… it’s the one where you can see the Warrior’s Peak.”

“Ah… come to think of it, you’re right.”

“Now… that’s another place I want to see for myself.”

Reaching to the heavens at the southern extremity of the Black Castle Range which divides the Middle Lands at its very heart, the Warrior’s Peak is a mountain range running perpendicularly to the Black Castle Range from west to east. Not only does it have Mount Rukulion, the known world’s highest peak, at the foot of one of its peaks lies an Ancient Sorcerous Empire ruin known as Area 10. Consequently, Meteos’ wish to see this place with his own eyes took on another meaning.

“But for now, I need to be patient,” Meteos stated. “Teacher said that there is a high chance for a researcher of the Ancient Ministry to travel around the country. The main goal is to study ancient ruins and their secrets, of course, but they also get to see many interesting places if they think said ruins aren’t interesting enough.”

“Really?”

“No kidding.”

“Seeing the world, huh… I would like that…”

Annette averted her eyes to gaze at the scenery beyond the window as the conversation died down a little. The allure of the liberty to go wherever one wished was undeniably tempting, but she had known that her duties as the next in line to manage her family’s affairs would be getting in the way of that. One day, she will have to settle into her responsibilities and let that dream go.

‘What ambition… what vision of an ideal world that lies in you?’

Annette bristled. Just now, a very familiar voice was heard.

“Hm? Meteos, did you just ask me something?”

“No.”

“Oh… n-never mind, maybe I just heard a strange noise from somewhere.”

Readjusting her glasses amidst the suddenly awkward situation, Annette wondered why that line echoed inside her mind. Her father had been very thoughtful, letting Annette live the life of an ordinary fourteen-year-old girl as much as possible, but perhaps in the future, she might be able to find ways to reconcile the duties expected of her and her longing. Meteos Roguerider was a dependable young man, yet very enviable at the same time.

❖⟐❖⟐❖

10:57

Outskirts of Delpoi, Tyrene Province

Delpoi, as a provincial capital and a major coastal urban area in northwestern Milishial, also boasted an expansive metropolis, but what it lacked in modern skyscrapers, it made itself famous with its marble temples, monuments, and other cultural heritages built in classical Tyreno-Mysidian architecture. The most noticeable among them was of course the Acropolis of Delpoi, a large complex of maroon-painted temples sitting on top of a rocky outcrop that was also the highest point of the city. In addition to being the seat of the cult of Delphinus, the local God of the Cradle, these structures contributed to the tourism industry, which was the leading contributor to the economy of the city in the present day.

When the Minerva Express began to approach the edges of Delpoi, its passengers felt the atmosphere changed again, this time as if they were being brought to a somewhat ancient world.

“It’s really as big as they say, even from here…” Annette spoke in amazement, watching the Acropolis that was already visible from the observation car at the tail end of the train.

Beside her, Morgan was taking pictures with her magic camera.

“It certainly is,” she nodded in agreement. “But do you know that most of the old buildings in this city are not the original, including the Acropolis?”

“Is that so?”

“Yep, many of them were unfortunately damaged or destroyed during the Warring Kingdoms Period. It was only after the Early Imperial Period that they were rebuilt. Fortunately there were long-lived builders that survived the era and remembered their craft by memory back then, so some of them can be restored to their original form,” Morgan explained.

“Hmm, you say some, what about the others?”

“His Majesty remembered them. All of them,” Arthur bluntly commented.

“The Emperor? R-really…?” Sofia stuttered, thinking her crush was making an audacious statement that was so out of nowhere.

“I don’t see any point in lying. The Emperor had been to many places when he was young that the real question is what old city in the Middle Lands he has never been to.”

“The Emperor is well-traveled. But you know, Delpoi was one of His Majesty’s enemies during the Warring Kingdoms Period. What do you think made him want to repair something built by his enemies? He could easily wipe them from history and replace them with something in his image. But instead, by restoring what was built by the adversaries, he allowed those adversaries’ ideal world to come true in one way or another.”

“Ideal world, huh… Maybe mercy? Or pragmatism? I don’t know.”

“Will we never know?”

“…I also don’t know about that.”

“Hehehe, an ‘ideal world’ is a very Meteos thing to say.”

“Hmph, I don’t know what are you talking about, Walman.”

If one asks Milishial VIII what the Middle Lands were like at a specific period in history after 2259 BCC, he will be able to name the states, places, and potentially obscure things from that time period without fail. It’s just that because of the virtue of being the man in his position, the common folk tend to be scared of him – even when he’s silent – that none of their kind ever asked such things.

❖⟐❖⟐❖

12:15

Southwestern Tyrene Province

When the time for lunch came, the Minerva Express had passed the 550-kilometer mark and was about to enter the Niau Province as it ran along a mostly flat landscape characteristic of this region. The train’s next stop at a major station would be at the provincial capital of Viirad, which was located inland on the northern part of a large basin that formed the entire Niau Province; the estimated time of arrival was 15:06. Nevertheless, the route was still running close to the coastline until the 810-kilometer mark.

At that moment, Arthur Arkland decided to go into the observation car again while the others returned to their seats and sat at one of the benches there after meal time. For the sake of the passengers’ viewing pleasure, the seats inside this car were arranged facing the outside. However, Arthur deliberately sat on the side facing away from the ocean where there was nothing but monotone lowlands that continued to pass by. He was trying to somehow gather enough drowsiness to take a nap and quench his cravings. But as he sat there, a slightly older gentleman appeared out of the corner of his vision and approached him.

“Excuse me. Do you mind if I sit here?” he asked.

“Help yourself,” the verdette simply said.

“Ah,” the stranger exclaimed as soon as he took his seat, giving one man’s worth of space between him and Arthur. What happened next was that the man extended a cigarette box and a lighter toward him, offering, “Do you want some?”

Arthur stared.

“…You know what? I was trying to quit smoking, so no thank you.”

“Oh, my bad, then, perhaps it’s another time for me,” the man sheepishly nodded, looking apologetic as he stored the box and lighter back inside his coat’s pocket. “…I’m terribly sorry for that.”

“…Don’t sweat it.”

Arthur recognized this ‘stranger’ as one of his own. A silent sentinel of the Eyes, posing as a businessman on a trip to Cartalpas.

“…This is a nice train, it’s fast and is fitting for me who is reluctant to use expensive airliners too often or getting potentially stuck or have an accident in road traffic,” the stranger began talking, to whom he was talking to, Arthur didn’t really know. Maybe he was talking to him. “What do you think, good sir?”

Oh, so he was indeed talking to Arthur, who exhaled and decided to play along.

“To be honest, I’m not putting much confidence in passenger train service now that air travel becomes increasingly competitive in terms of cost as travel distance increases. But if you ask me about freight trains, there’s no doubt that they’re profitable. After all, they’re superior in transporting cargo in large quantities over land compared to trucks,” Arthur drawled, but then a thought occurred to him. “Hmm… a colleague of mine once talked about the future of transportation… granted it’s about ocean travel, but I wonder if it can be applied to rail transportation as well… If passenger trains cannot compete with airliners, there’s an option to instead selling transportation, they sell a vacation through luxury.”

“Passenger rail doesn’t have to be profitable, that’s ridiculous. It’s a public service,” the stranger argued.

“Yes, you may say that. But for a service that offers speed and comfort as its main selling points, the longer the distance, the more you may feel it to be lacking. I hope it won’t be the case for your trip to Cartalpas, but my stop is in Leiden,” Arthur smirked as if he was relishing in the fictitious difficulties of this fellow agent’s cover story. Bloke shouldn’t have offered a cig to someone who was trying to overcome a smoking addiction. This stranger’s actually from the Order too, so there’s no excuse since he would’ve known about this.

Okay, report received; the situation is conducive, the Person of Interest is safe, and the Blue Lions are behaving well. But why is it that everyone in the Order and their turtle seems to be on their way to annoy Arthur in one way or another?

“For my part, I do enjoy the scenic route. But I hope in the coming generations of trains, people will get to see trains that are actually faster and more convenient than to drive on automobiles, at least.”

“Amen to that,” Arthur grunted in agreement despite his sour mood.

❖⟐❖⟐❖

17:00

Northern Enysfal Province

“Meteos… do you mind if I ask you a question?”

The boy looked up from reading a certain hollow planet hypothesis in his notebook and kindly smiled at Nadia’s hesitant tone. Robin had previously mentioned that there was something strangely alluring about the way Meteos looked when his face was lit from a sideways angle. This moment confirmed the accuracy of that observation, and the decision of the other couple to frolic in the observation car at precisely this moment added to the feeling of closeness Nadia shared with this boyfriend of hers.

“Yes. What is it that you want to ask?”

“Umm… just randomly curious about something. It’s a bit silly, though…”

Meteos closed his notebook with a snap, “Ah, I’ll be the judge of that, so just ask away.”

With that reassurance, Nadia nodded slowly. “Your hair… it came from your mother, right? My question is… which one of your grandparents from your mother’s side has silver hair? Your grandfather or your grandmother? T-they must have looked nice too, just like you.”

“Interesting question…”

For Meteos’ part, he found her curiosity and praise endearing, and he was happy with that. There’s a problem with that question, however.

With a small sigh, he continued. “…The truth is… the answer to that question also eludes me.”

“You don’t know…?”

“I don’t know. My parents… they are a unique case since both of them met each other, fell in love, and married… after becoming amnesiac.”

“Eh?”

Nadia involuntarily recoiled in shock. She wasn’t expecting that kind of answer for a trivial question.

“You heard me. Neither of them has any memories about their own parents, or if their own parents are still even alive at all.”

“Their relatives never tried to find them…?”

“Who knows…? Maybe they’ve all already passed away. I did ask them about it before, but they didn’t seem to recall anything about their pasts.”

“I’m so sorry,” Nadia said ruefully. “I didn’t know.”

“Yes, you wouldn’t have known, therefore you don’t have to apologize,” Meteos reached the girl’s hand to comfort her. “Let’s not have my family’s strangeness affect the vacation, okay? Besides you will find my parents to be very nice people.”

“T-thank you.”

“That’s more like it.”

It was callous of him, but the Roguerider family was doing fine being a nuclear family as is, thanks to the support of those around them, who were actually there.

‘The less you people have to know about them, the better. This is the way.’

As the sun began to set, the magic liner was approaching the last leg of their journey to Leiden.

Currently Publicly Available Information

EX10

Eleking’s EX10 is an articulated streamlined train first entering service in 1611 CC in the Holy Milishial Empire. It comprises of a 19 m power car, a baggage car, a diner, four sleeping cars, and a rounded-tail observation car. It is powered by twin large lightning-type magic engines capable of producing 1.200 horsepower.