The train arrived at the station in the city of Schulz, which marks the northern border.
From here, it’s a three-hour journey by train to Engelholm, the “final gateway”. From Engelholm, it’s a six-hour ride on the North Trans-Mountain Train to the northern capital, Lahti.
In terms of time, roughly half of the journey remained.
One had to change trains here.
‘…Hmm.’
Ian felt an inexplicable sense of apprehension as he got off the train.
“It’s so cold!”
Danya, who jumped off the train, shivered.
The weather was emitting a faint chill.
“Should I lend you my scarf?”
“It’s fine! I can easily regulate my body temperature…”
“Is that so.”
Ian nodded.
Indeed, among the beastfolk, there were those who were adept at regulating body temperature. They seemed to have excellent control over their bodies.
However, he didn’t know why Danya’s tone suddenly became unclear.
Danya’s gaze lingered on the scarf with a hint of regret.
Beyond her, Lina and Karen got off the train.
“Karen, you should hurry too!”
“… I’m fine, really.”
“You should eat something!”
Lina seemed to have already become friendly with Karen, who was silent and composed.
‘Her charisma is something else.’
Indeed, should one call a heroine a heroine? Ian clicked his tongue at Lina’s overwhelming charm.
Lina often approached him as they walked.
“Oh, Ian! Here!”
She called out, holding something in her hand.
It looked like a stacked bento.
“I-I packed lunch. Um… remember back then…”
Lina hesitated before closing her eyes and blurting out.
“Back then, I just took it too seriously! I brought enough for everyone to eat!”
“Oh really? Since there aren’t many good restaurants around, that works out. Let’s eat together.”
“Yeah! I’ll set it up in the lounge!”
With a smile on her face, Lina ran towards the VIP lounge of the station.
Regardless, wouldn’t such warmth and generosity be another advantage for the party that’s being assembled now?
Thinking so, as Ian moved his feet, Karen approached him.
“There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”
Karen had a cold expression.
Since the princess ordered her to follow Ian, she had been speaking quite formally. However, it seemed managing her expression was difficult, and she wasn’t in a good mood.
“What is it?”
“We’re not going on a picnic.”
“I’m aware.”
“But the people who brought us seem too relaxed about it…”
“Miss Karen.”
Ian cut Karen’s words firmly.
“We’re not going to fight Duke Pierce.”
“That’s true. But their attitude seems too casual…”
“For example, if Lina becomes friendly with one of the Pierce family’s servants and easily secures evidence…”
Karen closed her mouth like a mute.
“…I hadn’t thought of that.”
“I am determined to fulfill the mission the princess has entrusted to me. That’s what it means.”
Ian stopped walking and addressed Karen.
“It means I won’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”
“…”
“Of course, fighting would be the worst-case scenario.”
Fighting Richard Pierce would undoubtedly be dire. Being the head of the Pierce family meant occupying the highest position in the best knight family. Even so, Ian’s thoughts remained unchanged.
“I’ll count on you when the time comes.”
◇
“It’s not expensive meat, hehe.”
As befitting a space used by nobles, the VIP lounge at the station had private rooms.
Lina found a large room and skillfully laid out the lunchbox and plates on the table.
One could say it was an expression of her vivacity, nurtured from an early age by taking care of her younger siblings.
“I thinly sliced it and marinated it in sweet soy sauce. Then I stir-fried it with green onions and coated it with our family’s special seasoning.”
Saying so, Lina started placing pieces of meat, which she had separately prepared in a warming container, onto each plate.
“Thank you.”
Karen was the first to lightly bow her head.
“Enjoy your meal.”
Then, it was Ian’s turn.
“Thank you.”
“Mmm.”
After receiving the meat, Ian nodded.
‘It feels a bit thick?’
Ian examined the meat.
There was another layer hidden underneath.
– Grin
As Ian passed by, Lina quickly winked with one eye at him.
“…”
Without any reaction, Ian’s gaze fell on Danya.
Danya was looking back and forth between Ian and Lina with a puzzled expression.
Without hesitation, Lina sat between them.
Then, she leaned towards Danya.
“Danya, here’s some meat and this for you.”
“?”
“Since you said you liked this ingredient last time, I made a little for you.”
“Eh… Th-thank you.”
Lina stuck close to Danya and offered her some side dishes she might like.
A faint scent of catnip wafted through the air.
Lina knew very well that she had to build a good relationship with Danya before competing with Ian.
“…”
Ian silently watched Lina’s actions.
‘…I can’t tell who’s the cat and who’s the fox.’
Why did Lina seem to have a red fox-like tail attached to her?
‘It must be an illusion, right?’
Ian blinked and took a bite of the meat dish that Lina offered.
‘Mmm.’
It was definitely delicious.
When he raised his head, he met Karen’s eyes, who also took a bite with widened eyes.
Though she quickly returned to her expressionless state, she couldn’t hide the blush on her cheeks, as if embarrassed.
◆
After finishing their meal, the train to switch onto arrived at the platform.
The last stop, Engelholm.
The train headed there was a short two-car train.
As Ian sat down next to Danya, who had already fallen asleep like a log, a person sitting across the aisle approached them.
“If you’re taking this train at this hour, are you also heading to Lahti, young man?”
Lahti was the capital of the Pierce Duchy and the final destination of Ian’s group. Ian scrutinized the person who had approached him.
He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, with a good impression but traces of the hardships of social life. His impressive attire included a camera-shaped magical device hanging around his neck.
“Oh, excuse me. It’s just my professional habit to pretend to know someone first and see how it goes. Haha. I’m Schwab, a senior editor at the Imperial Gazette.”
The Imperial Gazette was one of the three major newspapers representing the Empire.
‘…A journalist?’
The inexplicable sense of unease Ian had been feeling intensified.
After a brief hesitation, Ian shook the hand Schwab had reached out.
“Ian Blackangers. I’m a student of the Lichten Academy.”
“Ah!”
Schwab’s hand, which Ian had shaken, tightened.
“I heard you made quite a splash at the grade assessment.”
“…How did you hear about that?”
“Ah, you must be surprised. Important events at prestigious academies are usually shared among journalists. It’s only a few lines of news, but you should remember it well. Figures like ‘Promising Mage of the Year’ chosen by the Imperial Gazette aren’t just randomly selected, you know? Haha!”
He chuckled lightly, scratching his head as if embarrassed.
“Oops. This might be interpreted as Ian here being a candidate. Well, some people are interested enough to keep an eye on it. Since I’ve already mentioned it, what can you do? Please keep it a secret. Hahaha!”
Despite his gentlemanly appearance, he seemed to enjoy gossiping. His profession as a journalist seemed to suit him quite well.
However, the information he provided was interesting enough to be worth paying attention to.
“By the way, it seems Ian is attending the social gathering?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Well, as a journalist, I’ll naturally be attending, but what’s Ian’s qualification for attending?”
Ian briefly pondered.
However, since he was officially attending, there was no need to hide it.
“I’m attending on behalf of Her Imperial Highness, the Third Princess.”
Schwab’s eyes widened.
“Huh! How interesting! The Third Princess sends such a diligent young man, hahaha!”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you know? The Third Princess has sent different men as representatives to every social event. At first…”
He whispered, lowering his voice.
“There were some rumors about why a noblewoman would change her companions so frequently, but now it seems they weren’t so bad after all… So, there are high expectations for who will come to each event. Be careful of the paparazzi from the dating magazines. Haha. But I think you can trust our major publication more than them.”
He handed over his business card along with his advice.
Though he seemed to enjoy gossiping, the information he provided would likely spread everywhere.
“Thank you.”
There was no reason not to take it.
It was easy to obtain information, and if he had something to say, he could spread it quickly. It was actually an advantage.
“When the time comes to ask for an interview later, you won’t refuse?”
“Of course not.”
Ian shook his hand.
◆
— Wow!
The train arrived at the last intermediate station, Engelholm.
“We will stop for 30 minutes to recharge mana stones!”
The train conductor personally guided the VIP cabin passengers.
“Danya, wake up.”
“Mmm.”
“Let’s go eat udon.”
“Udon? What’s that, nyah?”
At an altitude of over 1000 meters, it was definitely cold outside, covered in snow.
Danya, still half-asleep, seemed about to fall into a deep slumber. It was for temperature regulation, so it wasn’t a completely inaccurate story.
Leaving Karen, who decided to stay on the train, the rest headed to the makeshift restaurant on the platform.
“…It’s, it’s delicious, nyah.”
“Udon? It’s really, really delicious. How did you know, Ian?”
“The journalist sitting next to us insisted we should try it.”
Regardless of what kind of noodle dish it was, eating it in such a cold and high place would definitely taste good. But the udon here was definitely so delicious that it could be called a specialty.
Actually, there was something more surprising than the udon.
As they stepped out of a simple shop, a majestic sight immediately caught their eyes.
“W-what’s that?”
A railway track cutting through the rugged mountains.
If you followed the track with your eyes, a massive iron gate blocked the view.
A majestic iron gate larger than a 30-story apartment building.
It was one of the 99 gates scattered throughout the Northern Mountains, and the largest and most majestic gate: the Gate of Engelholm.
“Wow…”
Though it was located in the farthest reaches of the north, it was the tallest and most formidable.
The reason behind it was undoubtedly that the north existed solely to prevent harm to the empire.
“The gate is opening for the passage of the train!”
— Clang!
It was quite a spectacle to see the single apartment-sized gate opening.
Looking out of the train window, through the gap of the gate, a white canyon and mountain peaks stretched out.
The train slowly began to move.
“Wow.”
Danya, gazing out with wonder.
Ian was also amazed by the expansive scenery.
The railway track perched precariously on the cliffs.
The view from the train slowly climbing towards the summit was indeed breathtaking.
However.
– Tock
As if mocking their amazement, Danya, who had just admired the view, leaned her head against Ian again as if to fall asleep once more. Perhaps she would adapt to the temperature after sleeping for a day. Truly convenient body, indeed.
However.
The steep cliffs.
The tilting angle of the ground felt noticeable.
‘…’
The inexplicable sense of déjà vu became clearer and clearer.
‘What am I missing?’
An uncomfortable feeling that seemed to grasp at him but couldn’t be grasped.
Schwab, who mistakenly thought Ian was afraid of being lost in his thoughts, approached him.
“There’s no need to worry too much. This train, which runs on both rails and mana, has more than enough safety measures in place.”
“…Mana.”
Right. It must have been something related to mana.
Mana. Mana. Mana.
Certainly, something related to mana was happening.
But the train continued to move on smoothly, as if to deny that feeling of unease.
– Clunk
No.
It wasn’t smooth.
He hadn’t noticed it, but the comfort had disappeared.
The faint vibration felt in his lower body leaning against the seat.
“Huahm.”
Danya, who had been sleeping like a log, woke up to the point where she was now looking out the window with a dazed expression, her head swaying back and forth.
“Isn’t the train slowing down too much?”
“…!”
It came to him.
— Screeeeech!
Far away, the mountain peaks moving outside the window gradually stopped.
No. It would be more accurate to say that the train they were on came to a halt.
Only then did Ian become certain.
Why he had felt such unease.
‘…The moment when Ecomana took off.’
That was undoubtedly it—
The raw flaw in mana stones.
The train crossing the Northern Mountains using mana stones as raw materials…
“Huh…?”
It was because it had crashed in the mountains.
— Clack! Clunk!
With a chilling sound, the scenery outside the window began to flow backward.
