Overwhelming Firepower

The train passed by, and people stopped what they were doing to look at it. They had seen many new things over the years because their young lord liked to tinker, but this thing was different.

It was a huge steel object moving while pulling several tons. The train was moving slowly since it was still within the walls of Ironhold, which made it possible for the people to look at it longer.

A hole in the walls were created for the train to pass through. Still, in case of an enemy attack, there were steel gates made to close off the path.

The train continued its slow advance through Ironhold, iron wheels rolling steadily along the rails. The rhythmic clack echoed against stone and steel, foreign yet oddly comforting.

Children ran alongside the train for a short distance, amazement and laughter trailing behind them until the pace became too much and they fell back, breathless and wide-eyed.

Inside the passenger car, the view slipped by through reinforced windows. The train then passed through the tunnel made through the last wall, and they exited Ironhold.

Just outside the tunnel, there were several guards stationed to make sure not a single intruder entered through that way.

Once they were outside of Ironhold, the train started picking up speed. The small adjustable windows were open, making the people inside the train feel the cold northern air, and the smoke that came out of the chimney at the head of the train.

The smoke surprisingly didn’t smell like smoke, and instead smelled like lavender. The view was nice, the smell was great. Ragnor then looked at Lucen, who was sitting in front of him.

”You have created something truly incredible.”

”It’s not just I who created this wonder. Everyone here has done their part to forge the future.” Lucen answered with that usual confident smile of his that makes one thing: everything was going as planned.

Seeing that Ragnor could not help but smile as well. ”Forge the future, is it...” Ragnor murmured under his breath. ”So then, can you tell me what this future you and everyone here is forging?”

Lucen couldn’t help but chuckle in his mind. The conversation actually flowed the way he wanted it to.

’Well, even if it didn’t, I already imagined a few more scenarios, just like my favorite superhero with his contingencies. Of course, I can’t be like that guy, but it’s always nice to have backups.’

While Lucen was thinking about that, Ragnor thought Lucen was actually thinking deeply about what to answer.

”The future I’m trying to forge is one where the people of Norvaegard are always smiling, where our culture is enriched, where our creativity blossoms. I imagine a Norvaegard where everyone is connected. A Norvaegard where we can meet those we want to meet when we want to, without losing much time. This train is one of the steps to achieve that. I want to build tracks all over Norvaegard to connect us all.”

As Lucen was talking, he made a few hand gestures. Lucen was actually using acting adept a little at this moment. The way he spoke actually made those listening imagine such a Norvaegard.

The steady rhythm of steel on steel accompanied Lucen’s words, as if the machine itself agreed with him.

Ragnor did not answer immediately. His gaze drifted back to the window. Snow-covered plains rushed past, familiar landmarks blurring into insignificance.

They had already passed by a village but did not stop since their destination was Dorsen. Despite only briefly seeing the village, Ragnor saw smiling children trying to run beside the train.

”A kingdom where we are all connected, is it?... That sounds like a nice thing to see.” Ragnor finally spoke.

”Yet this thing can’t just connect us to one another. Like most of the things you made, it can also be used in war. Unlike teleportation spells, which need the use of a portal, a ton of mana stone, and a skilled enough mage. This train can be driven by anyone as long as they are taught. With this, when at war, sending reinforcements in certain areas would result in a quick response.”

Lucen was thrilled by Ragnor’s response, since that was one of the top guesses he had Ragnor would say after learning about the train and Lucen’s idea of putting tracks all over Norvaegard.

”That is true,” Lucen admitted calmly. ”Well, anything can be used for war if you think about it. But this is so much more than that. With this, we can make deliveries like food and clothing. With this, healers and clerics from different towns who are more skilled can travel to heal more. With this, craftsmen and other masters of their fields can do the same. As I said, this is something that can help connect us all.”

Hearing Lucen’s immediate response made Ragnor smile wider. It would seem that the young Thornehart has been thinking about this conversation for a long time now.

”I see that you have been looking so far ahead. Very well, what kind of king would I be if I didn’t support such a thing that would make the lives of my people easier? I will hold a meeting among the nobles and tell them to assist you in the making of the tracks.”

Vardon, who was listening beside Lucen, already knew that this would be the King’s answer, as that was simply what kind of King Ragnor was.

”Thank you, your majesty, but will the other lords agree to something like this?”

”What other choice do they have? If I command it, and they don’t follow, it would be treason.” Despite the king being all smiles, the words he said were rather scary.

”I, of course, understand that there are many nobles who dislike the four ducal houses, and many dislike the Thorneharts most of all. They don’t like you for holding so much power that they see could rival that of us royals. Even my eldest cannot accept such a thing, but as the shield of Norvaegard, that is a power you deserve. I know that the Thorneharts would never turn against the Vaelgards, and I hope he will understand that as well.”

Ragnor sighed before continuing. ”Allowing you to build tracks in their territories might seem to others that I’m giving you even more power. There will be a few who might take some drastic action because of that, but based on what I’ve seen from you, you already have a plan for that, don’t you, Lucen Thornehart?”

Lucen’s confident smile grew; if not for acting adept, keeping his facial expression in check, his lips would have looked like they were about to touch his ears.

This conversation was something like in one of the anime he used to like. He could not hold in his excitement.

”It doesn’t matter what they have planned; a Thornehart will stand ready for anything that’s to come.”

Ragnor laughed softly, shaking his head. ”That confidence... It truly does run in your blood.”

He glanced at Vardon with a smile as he leaned back in his seat, fingers interlaced as the countryside continued to blur past outside the window.

”Despite our current statuses, we are, in the end, a kingdom of warriors. We shall see if the Shield of Norvaegard can continue to be unbreakable.”

”It shall remain so,” Lucen answered, and that was how the conversation between the two ended.

The king and his wife then enjoyed looking at the view the train passed by. At some point, they had passed by another village, and the snow was replaced with a sunny sky.

What was supposed to take an entire day had taken just an hour or so. The people in the other passenger cars were excited as they saw the passing scenery.

Especially Robert, the mages, and the other dwarves. They had built the train with their own hands, and they already knew what it could do based on what Lucen said, but being in it was truly something else.

The train began to slow. The steady rhythm of steel on steel softened, the vibrations diminishing as valves hissed and pressure was released in a controlled sigh.

Outside the window, the landscape no longer rushed past in a blur. They then saw the walls similar to Ironhold.

This was surprising, especially for Milos, who lived in Dorsen most of his life. They passed through another tunnel to get into Dorsen, and after the tunnel, they saw what was behind the wall.

The small village of Dorsen had become a city, with many people in it. On the walls of the city were weapons similar to the ones in Ironhold.

The soldiers guarding the city were equipped with Arquebus: Thunderstorms. None of them were aura users or mages; most of them were simple farmers or hunters from their respective villages before they fled to Dorsen.

The roads in the city were also much better than most other cities in Norvaegard. When the train arrived, many people gathered to look. They had already received a message that the train would arrive with royalty onboard.

The former village elder, who was now the elected leader of the city, of course, under Lucen, who actually owns the city. He was the one who had been dealing with the paperwork for Lucen.

He and a few others came to greet the royals, and the others with them. They wore the best clothes they could afford, which was pretty decent. The train then stopped on the platform.

As the steam slowly dissipated and the great machine came to a complete halt, silence briefly fell over the platform, broken only by the collective breath of those who had witnessed history arrive on iron wheels.

The royal guards were the first to step out of the train. Once they had secured the area and identified who the people who came to greet them were, the king stepped out hand in hand with the Queen.

Ragnor looked upon the transformed city of Dorsen, then back at the train behind him, his expression unreadable for a moment.

”So this,” he said at last, a smile forming, ”is a glimpse of what the future you see is like.”