Chapter 170

Protest (2)
The ambassador began explaining the usefulness of the railway, using documents as the basis of his presentation. At first, the king and the nobles couldn't quite grasp what was so advantageous about it, but when he explained the risks of relying solely on airships for transport—such as the danger of losing a vital transportation network if enemy nations used terrorism to interfere with flight magic—they were convinced.

Railways were a superior transportation system. Installation cost was high, but the amount of personnel and goods that could be transported at once was impressive, making it a network that could complement airships.

Furthermore, it would increase travel between regions, which would in turn accelerate the flow of money. And once installed, unlike airships, it could become an easily accessible means of transportation even for commoners.

"Of course, we’ve already begun installation within our royal capital."

"That’s wonderful, but... within the capital? Wouldn’t it make more sense to connect it to other territories?"

"You’re already aware that the royal capital of Arland is currently undergoing expansion. In fact, it’s expanded so much that even getting around within the capital has become a problem. If we build a railway to circle the capital, the citizens will be free to move around as they like. It will also increase employment.

Naturally, by connecting it to the other territories, the transportation of goods will accelerate even more. The documents here contain detailed specifications and performance information."

While there weren’t enough documents for every noble in the audience chamber, many were distributed. The nobles who received them stared intently at the pages, then passed them along to nearby nobles with stunned expressions. The idea of building something like this had never even occurred to them.

The train built by Alicetia was a simple one, using a steam engine. Because of that, even in this world with a relatively low level of technology, it was possible to construct.

Moreover, it was quite eco-friendly. Its fuel wasn't coal, but mana. Fire magic was used to evaporate water, and the resulting steam powered the engine. Fire magic consumed little oxygen and didn't produce soot, making it an environmentally-friendly engine. While it did require magic infusion technology, Arland had already solved that problem.

Currently, the magic engineers under Alicetia’s Technical Development Bureau had a success rate of over 90% in infusing mana. That was extraordinary in this world. Even in the magic-advanced Silvatonia Magic Kingdom, the top first-class magic engineers only had a 40% success rate. Not that this was something to tell Ostland. While Arland wasn’t trying to hide it, the Silvatonia Magic Kingdom was the kind of country that declared all magicians on the continent should be under their control. Letting them know would only bring annoying consequences.

In fact, when Alicetia revived airships, the central nations claimed she had stolen the technology from the Magic Kingdom. The only one unaware of this was Alicetia herself.

"At present, Ostland is unlikely to be able to produce the trains. We’ll manufacture them in our country and transport them via airship. As for laying the tracks, we’re prepared to provide a certain degree of technological assistance. That will also generate employment on your side."

"Hmm..."

The king gave it some thought. The employment and vested interests generated by the railway were appealing. It would also allow Ostland to showcase a good relationship with Arland to other nations. However, the idea of Arland retaining control over train production stung. They likely wouldn’t share the technology. Arland had things it could share, and things it couldn’t.

Railways and airships... in other words, infrastructure development could bring massive profits. The other allied nations would happily purchase them, and then pour efforts into domestic development.

In that regard, the Empire had been the worst, the king thought. Every year, Ostland had to pay a substantial sum just to avoid invasion, but the Empire never gave anything in return. It was purely a relationship of exploitation and the exploited. That was why nations that despised the Empire had joined Arland’s side.

Still, it wasn’t something he could refuse to buy.

The other allied nations would quickly grasp the value of this. The anti-Central Alliance, with Arland as its leader, was still weaker in national power than the Central Nations Alliance. Strengthening domestic development was an urgent task.

Ostland was prosperous. But it couldn’t match Arland’s momentum. The country was voraciously absorbing the technologies Alicetia brought, and being supplied with seemingly infinite wealth from her.

"Your Majesty, if we purchase any more from Arland, the state finances will—"

The chancellor voiced a concern. But he too understood that there was no other choice but to buy. That’s why he wore such a sour expression.

"In that case, how about increasing our exports of ores and the like from Ostland?"

The ambassador proposed an alternative. In return for introducing the railway, Arland would give preferential treatment to imports from Ostland.

"Your country has quite a few mines, doesn’t it? Are you sure that’s fine?"

Arland had plenty of mines as well. Until recently, they had even had a surplus.

"Our princess is consuming a tremendous amount of it, so we’re actually short. We’re fine with buying up any surplus you have."

(She must be using a massive amount of metal for something... If I dig too deeply, they’ll notice.)

From the ambassador’s demeanor, the king sensed that Alicetia was using large quantities of metal to build *something*. But probing further likely wouldn’t yield answers. Which meant she was making something military-related.

It was then that the king remembered Alicetia was also the head of the Air Force.

(A Princess with the technology to float steel airships in the sky... I just hope she’s not trying to bring back magic-powered battleships.)

The king considered the many possibilities. And then—

"In that case, we’ll recover the costs quickly. Let’s proceed with the purchase immediately."

Hearing those words, the ambassador gave a smiling bow. And the audience ended.

“Whew…”

Once the ambassador exited the audience chamber, the king let out a sigh. Then he stood and began issuing instructions to the surrounding nobles.

“We’ll begin railway installation at once. We can’t afford to fall behind other nations.”

The old king gave his nation the order. The nobles bowed their heads, then hurriedly exited the audience chamber.

“First the mines. Then we’ll connect the agricultural areas and the capital.”

“We’ll arrange for transport from the mines to Arland. We’ll also order the nobles who own the mines to increase production. After that... we’ll need to recruit laborers, I suppose?”

The chancellor spread out a map and began contemplating which regions to connect.

“Prioritize hiring from the slums.”

“Ah, I see! If we give them work, we can collect taxes. It’ll also improve public safety, at least a bit.”

The chancellor ordered his subordinates to summon the relevant personnel. The bureaucrats dashed off in a hurry.

“Send reinforcements to the Arland embassy. Arland is already moving as one unified state. Therefore, Ostland must discard its prejudices and learn from them.”

“Many of the nobles still underestimate Arland. Let’s send flexible, capable young people. I’m sure they’ll return having learned much.”

In terms of national unity, Arland was the strongest on the continent. They had to learn from that. The king muttered that things would be busy for a while—but his expression was full of energy.

As he bustled about issuing necessary orders to his subordinates, a knight arrived.

“Your Majesty, a man claiming to be a village chief has come requesting an audience… Under normal circumstances, we would have turned him away, but he’s seeking help for the adventurer in question. It seems he’s the head of the village she saved.”

Even as a village chief, he was still a commoner. Meeting directly with a king was no simple matter. At worst, that alone could be deemed disrespectful and punished. But the chief of the village Alicetia had helped had come, risking his life, to ask for her rescue.

“Hmm... Chancellor, can that chief serve as a witness?”

“Yes. Even if he is a commoner, he governs a village. Baron Uzal and the duke behind him won’t be able to make excuses. We should take him under protection in the royal palace before someone moves to silence him.”

And so the chief was called into the conference room. Upon seeing the king inside, the summoned chief knelt.

“I am truly grateful for granting an audience to someone like myself. I hope Your Majesty is—”

“Enough with the pleasantries. You came to speak about the adventurer Hollow, didn’t you? Rest assured, we’ve already dispatched knights to the Uzal estate.”

Tears welled in the village chief’s eyes upon hearing those words. He had come, prepared to die, to ask for Hollow’s rescue.

“That is… wonderful to hear. Thanks to her and her companions, the damage to our village was kept to a minimum.

We couldn’t have handled that many wyverns on our own. Without them, many of us would have been devoured.

Please! I don’t care what happens to me. Just save them!”

“Rest assured. The adventurer Hollow once helped the royal family as well. We would never treat her carelessly.

And you will not be punished. On the contrary, punishing someone who risked his life for a benefactor would damage my dignity. You shall receive a proper reward.

However, you must appear as a witness at her trial.”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty!”

Relieved by a result better than he had hoped for, the chief collapsed from exhaustion, his legs giving out beneath him.

The king let out a small sigh, thinking, “Even my own people hold her in such regard”. Neither his sons nor many others moved with such determination for him.

“Escort the village chief to a guest room. Tighten his security and don’t let him contact anyone. Also, begin preparations for the trial.”

The king continued issuing instructions.

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