Seeing something called a railway for the first time in her life, and then riding it.
Saarya was more excited than she had ever been in her life.
“Ooh! Amazing, amazing! It moved!”
“It moved.”
With the train whistle, the locomotive began to move slowly, and the crowd packed onto the station’s send-off platform waved all at once. Saarya leaned out the window too, waving with all her might.
“If I climb onto the roof, will I stand out!?”
“No. What are you saying.”
As Saarya truly tried to climb out through the window, Ixia=Ayame Zero desperately stopped her. Because a doll-machine communicator was a robot manufactured with a human as its base, its physical strength matched its appearance.
No matter how many computation resources it had, restraining an opponent who was bigger than herself—someone who seriously tried to shake her off—was extremely difficult.
“...I’m sorry.”
“I understand very well that you’re confident in your physical ability, but you need to choose the time and place to demonstrate it. Passengers are prohibited from leaving the passenger car except from areas where permission is granted. Refrain from rash actions. In the first place, going outside a train that has already started moving is out of the question. If your hand slips, you will be slammed into the ground at 20 tf tarfar. You should be able to imagine what happens if you fall off the roof of a carriage running at full speed. Even if you don’t fall, there are many obstacles like telegraph poles. If you make contact with any of those by mistake, it will become something you can’t take back. Do you understand?”
“...I won’t do it again.”
To think she’d have to start with a scolding right out of the gate.
Ixia sighed and patted the drooping Saarya on the head.
“Be careful next time. If you’ve reflected, then don’t repeat it.”
After she kept patting her for a while, Saarya began trembling, then suddenly threw herself into Ixia.
Without being flustered at all, Ixia hugged her back as if it were the most natural thing in the world and began rubbing her back.
“Ixia, you’re such a good girl! You really are such a good girl! I’m never letting go!”
“Let go. I can’t move.”
...After exchanges like that, Saarya had fully attached herself to Ixia.
Is she going to be okay? Saarya is way too easy.
“Meals are served in the dining car. The time window is from 11:00 to 13:00, and later the crew will come confirm the time. Outside those hours, the dining car becomes a cafeteria. Most of the cafe menu here is new work created by a dedicated chef. Very interesting.”
“Ixia, do you like eating?”
Saarya asked as she walked along holding hands with Ixia, who was explaining at high speed.
“...Yes. It would be accurate to say I like it. Delicious food enriches the heart.”
“Well, I like it too. But yesterday’s dinner surprised me. They bring out that many kinds?”
Saarya and Ixia were walking down the corridor toward the dining car.
For the dining car, the first passenger car and the second car from the back were assigned. Of those, the one in front was for VIPs only. That was the car they were heading to now.
“A style currently popular near the Royal Capital: a full course. Dishes are served one by one. It takes time, but the advantage is that you can always eat it freshly prepared. You can also savor the food itself carefully, so restaurants favor it.”
“So that’s how it is. The capital really is ahead of everything...”
Ixia was small, but her legs and hips were quite strong. That was unquestionable from the fact that she had pinned down Saarya, who should have been a head taller.
She strode toward the dining car at a pace that wasn’t much different from Saarya’s normal walking speed.
In other words, it was quite a fast walk.
Her attention was completely on the cafeteria.
“Welcome. Will you be using the cafeteria?”
At the entrance to the dining car, a crew member stood there, serving as security as well.
“Yes. Ixia and Saarya, 2-12. May we enter?”
“Yes, please. We have also secured your seats. Please relax and enjoy yourselves.”
Identity confirmation by room number and name. Since they had reserved seats before boarding, they were let through smoothly.
Saarya felt apologetic, but Ixia pulled her along and stepped into the dining car.
“Wow...”
Including the passenger car where their room was, the train interior was well maintained. A calm-colored carpet was laid wall-to-wall, and each wall decoration had been arranged so it harmonized with the whole. Saarya was also part of a powerful household, so her family home had money put into it too, but it still wasn’t crafted to this level.
But the dining car seemed even more invested.
The passenger cars had a subdued atmosphere, with colors that leaned darker—more of a chic image.
The dining car was put together in bright tones, and it looked like it was glowing in the sunlight pouring through the windows.
“Lady Ixia, Lady Saarya. We have been waiting for you. We will guide you to your ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ seats. We can also take your order at the counter.”
“I’m going to the counter.”
“Certainly.”
The current trend was the cafeteria-style ordering. The act of going to the counter to order something had become popular in itself. Of course, there were also customers unfamiliar with that trend, so ordering at your seat was still possible as before.
“Hello, lovely young ladies. Have a good time.”
“Hello. You too, have a good time.”
“H-hello.”
A different customer who had entered earlier greeted them. Ixia responded calmly, while Saarya answered with widened eyes.
Normally, in a restaurant, you wouldn’t be greeted by other customers. Especially not a man speaking to a woman—that would be unthinkable from a manners standpoint.
But this dining car was a different world.
In the new world of a cutting-edge train, the passengers were all carried away. And this was Dining Car No. 1. Every user was a clearly identified high-class customer.
By unspoken agreement, to make this fun train journey pleasant, to share the feeling, people spoke to each other like this.
“A-amazing... It feels like I came to a different country.”
“Enjoy it.”
For Saarya, dreamlike time passed by.
Even the experience of eating while swaying along in a train was not something she could normally have. The vibration made plates bounce, and a fork that missed clinked loudly. It seemed they lowered speed during mealtime, but even so, eating in a shaking car was difficult.
But that environment too was part of the joy of travel. The dining car passengers enjoyed those little accidents as well.
Of course, Saarya enjoyed them too. To be able to make mistakes in table manners and still have fun—what a gentle world.
And so, after spending two nights on the train, at midday on the third day, the sleeper train arrived at the capital, Moar.
“Ooh... It doesn’t shake... It feels kind of weird...”
“It takes time for the body to adjust. Be careful. If you run, you might trip.”
With Ixia, who had completely turned into a guardian, gripping her hand tightly, Saarya stepped down onto the platform. Now she had to pick up her luggage and meet up with Linanel, who should already be here.
“Luggage is that way. Saarya. Saarya.”
“Ixia, it’s incredible, it’s incredible! There are so many people! I’ve never seen a ceiling this high!”
“I understand, so go. You can look again later.”
Dragging Saarya, who stopped every few steps, Ixia pushed forward relentlessly. Leaving the freight luggage car swarming with people behind them, they passed through the VIP reception and checked the luggage bundled for them. After confirming there was no problem, they were guided to the pickup area.
It stood out for two girls alone to move like this, but since station staff were always attached to them, it wasn’t an issue. At most, it would become a small topic among the upper class.
Then, continuing down the corridor of the brand-new station building—beyond it, in the dedicated pickup space, Linanel was waiting.
“Good work, Saarya. From the look of you, it seems you had fun. And then, you are...”
“Linanel. A pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Ixia.”
“...Yes, I’ve heard about you from Lord Amajio as well, but... Saarya, you’ve gotten quite close.”
“Ah, uh...”
Saarya and Ixia were still holding hands tightly. Saarya flicked her eyes toward Ixia, but it didn’t look like Ixia had any intention of letting go.
She wasn’t trusted at all.
