Chapter 223: The Latest Model of Sleeper Train
For the first time in her life, Sarya saw a railway vehicle and boarded it. She was more excited than she had ever been.
“Oh! Amazing, amazing! It’s moving!”
“It’s moving.”
With the sound of the whistle, the locomotive slowly began to move, and the crowd gathered on the station’s farewell platform waved their hands in unison. Sarya leaned out of the window, waving her arms with all her might.
“Do you think I’d stand out if I climbed on the roof?!”
“No! What are you saying?”
Ixia Ayame Zero desperately tried to stop Sarya, who was genuinely attempting to lean out of the window. As a Communicator, a humanoid android based on human design, her physical strength was commensurate with her appearance. Overpowering someone who was physically stronger than her, especially when that person was determined to break free, was an incredibly difficult task, no matter how advanced her computational resources were.
“…I’m sorry.”
“I understand that you’re confident in your physical abilities, but there’s a time and place for that. It’s forbidden to go outside the passenger cars in areas not designated for passengers. Please refrain from reckless behavior. Moreover, it’s utterly unacceptable to go outside a train that has already started moving. If you were to slip, you would be thrown to the ground at a speed of 20 Talfar. You should be able to imagine what would happen if you fell from the roof of a galloping carriage. Even if you don’t fall, there are plenty of obstacles like telegraph poles. If you were to accidentally collide with one, it would be disastrous. Do you understand?”
“…I won’t do it again.”
Ixia never expected she would have to give a lecture on the first day of their journey. With a sigh, she gently patted Sarya’s head, who was now looking downcast.
“Just be careful next time. If you’ve reflected on it, then you just need to avoid repeating it.”
After a while of gentle stroking, Sarya began to tremble and then suddenly hugged Ixia tightly. Ixia, unfazed, naturally returned the embrace and started to pat her back.
“You’re such a good girl, Ixia-chan! Really, you’re the best! I won’t let go!”
“I will let go. You can’t move.”
After such exchanges, Sarya had completely warmed up to Ixia. Is she really okay? Isn’t she a bit too easy to please?
“Meals will be served in the dining car. The time is between 11 AM and 1 PM, and the crew will come to check the time later. Outside of those hours, the dining car will operate as a cafeteria. Most of the café menu consists of new creations made by our dedicated chef. It’s quite intriguing.”
“Does Ixia-chan like to eat?”
While walking hand in hand with Ixia, who was explaining rapidly, Sarya asked.
“…Yes. It’s safe to say I like it. Delicious meals enrich the heart.”
“Well, I like them too. But I was surprised by last night’s dinner. I didn’t expect so many different kinds of dishes!”
Sarya and Ixia walked down the corridor towards the dining car. The dining car was assigned to the first passenger car and the second from the rear. The first one was VIP only. They were currently heading to that car.
“It’s a style called full course, which is popular in the Royal Capital. Dishes are served one by one. It takes time, but the advantage is that you can always enjoy freshly made food. It allows you to savor the dishes themselves, which is why it’s favored in restaurants.”
“I see. The capital really is advanced…”
Though Ixia was petite, her legs were quite strong. This was evident from the fact that Sarya, who was supposed to be a head taller, had been restrained. Ixia walked briskly towards the dining car, matching Sarya’s usual walking speed, which meant she was walking quite fast. Her focus was entirely on the cafeteria.
“Welcome! Are you here to use the cafeteria?”
At the entrance of the dining car, a crew member was stationed, also serving as security.
“Yes. We’re Ixia and Sarya from room 2-12. Can we enter?”
“Yes, please. Your seats are reserved. Please relax and enjoy your time.”
It seemed they were confirming their identities by room number and name. Since they had reserved their seats before boarding, they were allowed in without any issues. Sarya, feeling a bit shy, was pulled along by Ixia into the dining car.
“Wow…”
The interior, including the passenger car where Sarya’s room was located, was well-maintained. The calm-colored carpet was laid out, and each wall decoration was arranged harmoniously. Although Sarya was part of the elite and her family had also invested a fair amount of money, it was nothing compared to the meticulousness of this place.
However, the dining car seemed to have even more effort put into it. The passenger car had a calm atmosphere with darker, chic colors, while the dining car was bright and cheerful, shining with sunlight streaming through the windows.
“Lady Ixia, Lady Sarya. We’ve been waiting for you. Let me show you to your seats. You can place your order at the counter as well.”
“I’ll go to the counter.”
“Understood.”
The current trend was a cafeteria-style ordering system. The act of ordering something at the counter had become popular. Naturally, there were still customers who were unfamiliar with such trends, so traditional table service was still available.
“Hello, lovely ladies. Have a wonderful time.”
“Hello. You too, have a wonderful time.”
“H-Hello.”
When greeted by another customer who had entered before them, Ixia responded calmly while Sarya’s eyes widened in surprise. Normally, it was uncommon to greet other customers in restaurants, especially for men to address women, as it was considered a breach of etiquette.
However, this dining car was a different world.
In this cutting-edge train of the era, all passengers were in high spirits. Moreover, this was the first-class dining car. All users were distinguished guests with clear social standings. By unspoken agreement, they shared the joy of this delightful train journey by exchanging pleasantries.
“It’s amazing… It feels like I’ve come to another country.”
“Enjoy it.”
For Sarya, time passed like a dream. The experience of dining while being rocked by the train was something she could rarely do. The vibrations of the train caused the plates to bounce, and forks that missed their targets clattered. Although it seemed they were slowing down for meal times, dining in the swaying car was still quite challenging. However, such an environment was part of the charm of the journey. The passengers in the dining car enjoyed even those little accidents. Of course, Sarya enjoyed it too. What a gentle world it was, where one could have fun even while failing at table manners.
Thus, after spending two nights on the train, on the third day at noon, the sleeper train arrived at the Capital Moa.
“Oh, it’s not shaking… It feels strange…”
“It takes time for your body to adjust. Be careful; you might trip if you start running.”
With Ixia firmly holding her hand like a guardian, Sarya stepped onto the platform. She needed to collect her luggage and meet up with Rinanel, who should have already arrived.
“The luggage is over there. Sarya. Sarya!”
“Ixia-chan, it’s amazing! So many people! I’ve never seen such a high ceiling before!”
“I know, but let’s go. You can look around later.”
Ixia pulled Sarya along, who kept stopping to marvel at everything. They passed by the luggage car, went through the VIP reception, and checked their luggage that had been prepared for them. Confirming there were no issues, they were then guided to the pickup area.
Though it was noticeable that two young girls were moving alone, there were always station staff nearby, so there were no particular problems. It would only be a minor topic of conversation among the upper class.
Then, they proceeded through the new station building’s corridor, and ahead, in the dedicated pickup area, Rinanel was waiting.
“Welcome back, Sarya. It looks like you had fun. And you must be…”
“Rinanel. It’s a pleasure to meet you; I’m Ixia.”
“…Yes, I’ve heard about you from Amagio-sama. Sarya, you seem to have gotten quite close.”
“Ah, um…”
Sarya and Ixia were still tightly holding hands. Sarya glanced at Ixia, but it seemed she had no intention of letting go. Clearly, she was not trusted at all.
Happy New Year!
I look forward to another year with you all.
Tentenkoko
Thank you for your continued support of “The Hungry Fortress Wants to Build a Battleship in Another World”!
This year is sure to be an eventful one!