Chapter 74: The Finished railway
After leaving the Nightbane capital, I immediately returned to Aldric territory.
And the moment I arrived—
The railway project entered overdrive.
What had originally started as an ambitious infrastructure project slowly transformed into outright industrial obsession over the following months.
Workers flooded into the territory constantly now.
Miners.
Steelworkers.
Woodcutters.
Blacksmiths.
Builders.
Engineers.
Even ordinary laborers from nearby villages started arriving after hearing rumors about the massive rail construction project spreading across multiple territories.
I hired almost all of them.
And as manpower increased—
The industrial district expanded with frightening speed.
New workshops appeared almost monthly beside the growing rail yards while additional foundries and steel casting facilities rose near the main factory complex. Entire forests near Aldric territory were harvested continuously to supply wooden sleepers for the railway while steel production reached levels that would’ve sounded impossible only a year earlier.
Smoke permanently filled parts of the sky near the industrial district now.
The sound of hammers never stopped.
Even at night the district remained alive beneath furnace light and steam.
One evening Finn stood overlooking the growing construction yards while summer winds moved through the smoke-filled air.
"...We’ve created a city."
I looked across the expanding district silently.
He wasn’t wrong anymore.
The original shack now sat near the center of something much larger.
Rail yards stretched outward beside warehouses, workshops, steel mills, machine halls, and worker housing. Steam engines constantly hissed somewhere in the distance while unfinished locomotives rested across side tracks near the main station.
The territory itself no longer resembled normal noble land.
It looked industrial.
Alive.
And it only kept growing.
The railway construction itself became brutal.
Entire teams spent months leveling terrain, building embankments, reinforcing bridges, and laying rails section by section across territories. Explosives blasted through hillsides while steel rails stretched farther and farther outward from Aldric lands.
The first snowfall arrived before we even reached halfway.
And still—
The work continued.
Summer heat vanished beneath freezing winds while snow eventually covered parts of the unfinished rail lines. Workers wrapped themselves in heavier clothing while steam from the locomotives and furnaces became even more visible against the cold winter air.
But despite the weather—
The rails kept expanding.
Month after month.
Steel.
Wood.
Steam.
Labor.
The line slowly crossed the smaller baronies before eventually entering deeper Nightbane territory itself.
And after nearly five months of relentless work—
The final rail section finally reached Blackwater Hollow.
Snow drifted gently downward from the gray winter sky the morning the last track got placed.
Workers lined both sides of the railway while freezing wind swept through the valley surrounding Blackwater. The newly constructed station nearby still smelled of fresh timber and hot steel while smoke drifted upward from several small heating furnaces near the rail yard.
I stood silently watching as several workers lowered the final rail segment into place.
Then—
CLANG.
The last spike got hammered down.
Silence followed briefly afterward.
Then the cheering started.
Workers shouted across the snowy rail line while others threw hats into the air in celebration. Even Garrick looked stunned standing near the completed station.
For the first time—
Blackwater Hollow was fully connected to Aldric territory.
Not by dirt roads.
Not by wagons.
But by rail.
Finn slowly exhaled beside me while snow landed across his coat.
"...We actually did it."
"Yes."
Finn looked down the endless rail line stretching into the distance.
"That’s terrifying."
The stations themselves remained relatively small for now.
Simple structures.
Wooden platforms.
Cargo loading cranes.
Storage warehouses.
Water towers for the locomotives.
But I already knew they would expand later.
Everything would.
A few days later I sent a formal letter directly toward the Nightbane capital.
The message itself remained simple.
The railway was complete.
And exactly one week from now—
The first fully loaded train would arrive in Blackwater Hollow.
Then came the final preparations.
The locomotive underwent nonstop inspections while workers loaded enormous quantities of cargo into the attached rail carriages. Steel beams, machinery parts, tools, chemical barrels, pipes, mining equipment, furnace components, and processing machinery filled the train almost completely.
Everything required for the Blackwater processing facility.
The final train ended up enormous.
Fifteen massive cargo carriages stretched behind the locomotive loaded almost entirely to capacity.
Even Finn looked slightly intimidated standing beside it.
"...That thing is longer than some streets."
The locomotive itself looked dramatically improved compared to the original prototype now.
Larger boiler.
Reinforced wheel systems.
Improved pressure regulators.
Better suspension.
Heavier cargo capacity.
Steam rolled steadily from the pressure vents while workers continuously shoveled coal into the roaring furnace.
The machine looked powerful now.
Not experimental anymore.
Industrial.
The day before departure, Finn and I finally boarded the train alongside several workers.
The cargo cars behind us creaked heavily beneath the massive weight of the loaded materials while snow covered parts of the rail yard outside.
I stood near the main engine controls while pressure steadily climbed higher and higher.
Workers outside stepped away from the tracks.
Steam hissed loudly through the valves.
The boiler rumbled beneath the floor.
Finn looked out one of the side windows nervously.
"...If this explodes we’re taking half the territory with us."
"Probably."
"That was not comforting."
I leaned slightly outward through the engine window before looking back along the massive line of carriages stretching behind us.
Fifteen fully loaded rail cars.
Enough industrial equipment to completely transform Blackwater Hollow.
And this was only the beginning.
I looked forward again.
Then calmly—
"Depart."
The driver immediately pulled the main control lever.
HISSSSSSS.
Steam surged through the cylinders.
The massive drive wheels slowly began turning while the locomotive groaned heavily beneath the enormous weight behind it.
At first the train barely moved.
Then gradually—
The wheels gained traction.
CHUNK-HISS.
CHUNK-HISS.
CHUNK-HISS.
The locomotive slowly pulled the massive cargo line forward through the snowy station while smoke billowed upward into the winter sky.
And then—
The train accelerated.
Faster.
And faster.
The rails thundered beneath the wheels while snow and steam blurred together outside the windows. Entire forests passed by while villages, rivers, hills, and roads vanished behind us at speeds nobody inside the kingdom had likely ever experienced before.
Even Finn eventually stopped complaining.
Mostly because he remained too busy staring outside in shock.
"...We’re moving faster than horses."
"Yes."
"Significantly faster."
"Yes."
Finn slowly looked back toward me.
"...This is going to change everything."
I already knew that.
The journey that would’ve normally taken days by wagon passed unbelievably quickly by comparison.
In less than a single day—
The train crossed deep into Nightbane territory.
I occasionally looked out the windows watching snowy landscapes rush past beneath clouds of steam and smoke. Smaller settlements blurred by while sections of the rail line curved through forests and valleys leading steadily toward Blackwater Hollow.
Then eventually—
The Nightbane capital appeared in the distance.
Even from far away the massive black city looked imposing beneath the snowfall.
And farther beyond it—
Blackwater Hollow.
I narrowed my eyes slightly while looking ahead.
The station slowly became visible near the edge of the territory.
Several figures stood waiting near the platform.
More than expected.
As the locomotive gradually slowed, I could finally make out the individuals clearly.
Duke Rosthwall.
General Kael.
Several Nightbane guards.
And—
I froze slightly.
A much smaller figure stood beside the duke bundled beneath dark winter clothing.
Long black hair.
Bright purple eyes.
Lillith.
And the moment the slowing train came fully into view—
Her entire face lit up instantly.
"LEON!"
I could hear her voice even over the roar of steam and metal.
Lillith started practically jumping in place while waving both arms toward the approaching train with completely undisguised happiness.
Several nearby Nightbane guards looked deeply uncomfortable witnessing it.
The massive locomotive finally rolled into the station beneath clouds of steam and smoke while the wheels screeched softly against the rails.
And standing outside in the falling snow—
Lillith looked happier than I had ever seen her.
The locomotive finally came to a stop beneath clouds of steam and drifting snow.
Metal groaned softly throughout the train while steam hissed from the pressure valves overhead. The fifteen loaded cargo carriages stretched far down the rails behind the engine while workers and Nightbane soldiers alike stared at the machine in open disbelief.
I barely even had time to step down from the locomotive before—
"LEON!"
A blur of black rushed toward me.
Then impact.
"Oof—"
The next thing I knew, I was lying in the snow.
Lillith wrapped herself around me instantly before pressing her face against my cheek and nuzzling against me affectionately like she hadn’t seen me in years rather than months.
"I missed you sooo much..."
Her voice sounded genuinely emotional.
"You have no idea how much I missed you..."
I sighed while snow continued falling around us.
Lillith meanwhile kept rubbing her face against mine while hugging me tightly enough to make breathing difficult.
"I thought about you every single day..."
"I could tell."
"I wanted to visit but father said I had to stay at the academy until winter break..."
She buried her face against my neck happily.
"But now I don’t have to leave your side for around an entire month."
I slowly sat upright in the snow while Lillith remained completely attached to me.
At this point I barely even reacted anymore.
After several moments I finally sighed.
"...I missed you too."
The effect was immediate.
Lillith’s eyes lit up with terrifying happiness.
Meanwhile nearby—
Duke Rosthwall seemed completely focused on the train itself.
The duke slowly walked alongside the massive cargo line while inspecting the endless steel carriages stretching behind the locomotive. Snow drifted across his dark coat while several Nightbane knights followed silently behind him.
Even Kael looked stunned now seeing the full scale of the railway system properly for the first time.
The duke eventually stopped beside one of the larger cargo carriages before placing one hand against the steel exterior thoughtfully.
"...Extraordinary."
I watched quietly from the snow while Lillith remained seated across my lap like she had no intention of moving.
Rosthwall eventually turned back toward me.
"When did this depart from Aldric territory?"
"A bit less than a day ago."
That answer visibly surprised several nearby knights.
Even the duke narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Less than a single day..."
His gaze slowly shifted back toward the train.
The implications were obvious.
A journey that normally required multiple days by wagon—
Completed in less than one.
And not by a small carriage either.
By fifteen massive industrial cargo cars loaded entirely with machinery and materials.
Rosthwall slowly continued walking farther alongside the train while inspecting the wheels, carriage couplings, rail systems, and reinforced steel structures.
Then finally—
He looked back toward me again.
"Would you be capable of expanding this infrastructure throughout Nightbane territory?"
I blinked.
"...What?"
"I want rail systems constructed throughout the duchy."
The duke gestured toward the train.
"And I want locomotives produced for Nightbane use."
Honestly—
That surprised me.
Even Finn looked caught off guard.
I remained seated in the snow while Lillith happily continued holding onto me.
"...That’s not possible right now."
Rosthwall raised one eyebrow.
"Explain."
"We don’t have enough skilled workers."
I gestured toward the train and tracks around us.
"Almost every major component still depends on direct supervision from either me or Finn."
Then toward the cargo line.
"Steel production is expanding rapidly, but railway construction on this scale still consumes enormous manpower."
The duke listened carefully.
"If I start multiple large railway projects simultaneously right now, the entire system would collapse from lack of experienced labor."
Rosthwall slowly nodded.
Reasonable.
I looked back toward the locomotive.
"But eventually..."
My eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Once I train enough workers capable of independently handling large industrial projects..."
Then I looked back toward him.
"I’ll contact you."
That answer seemed to satisfy him.
The duke looked toward the train once more while snow continued falling around the station.
"...Remarkable."
His voice sounded quieter now.
"For centuries kingdoms have depended on horses, roads, and rivers."
Then his crimson eyes shifted toward the locomotive again.
"And now you arrive with a machine capable of moving entire industries across territories in less than a day."
Kael quietly crossed his arms nearby.
"I told you the boy was dangerous."
Rosthwall almost looked impressed.
"No."
His eyes remained fixed on the train.
"He’s changing the kingdom itself."
Honestly, I didn’t know how to respond to that.
The duke eventually gave one final look across the railway station before turning away.
"I’ll await future developments."
Then more calmly—
"And when you’re finally ready to expand further into Nightbane territory..."
The faintest hint of amusement crossed his face.
"I expect priority consideration."
I nodded.
"Understood."
Rosthwall gave one final nod before departing alongside Kael and several accompanying knights.
The remaining guards lingered near the station afterward.
Mostly watching Lillith.
Which was reasonable.
Because the moment the duke disappeared from view—
Lillith finally looked up from my chest toward the remaining guards.
And instantly transformed.
Her entire expression darkened.
Purple mana flickered faintly around her eyes.
"Why are you all still standing there?"
The guards immediately stiffened.
Lillith’s smile vanished.
"You’re ruining my romantic moment with Leon."
Her voice sounded cold enough to freeze the air itself.
"So piss off."
Then sweetly—
"Or I’ll kill all of you."
Silence.
I then witnessed something I genuinely never expected to see.
The elite Nightbane knights—
The same terrifying soldiers who normally stood around like emotionless statues—
Actually panicked.
One visibly stuttered.
Another immediately stepped backward.
Then within seconds all of them rapidly retreated down the station path in the exact same direction the duke and Kael had left.
I stared after them.
Honestly—
That was impressive.
The moment the guards vanished—
Lillith immediately transformed again.
The terrifying murderous expression disappeared completely before being replaced by her usual innocent smile.
Then she happily rubbed her cheek against mine again.
"I missed you so much, my husband."
I immediately frowned.
"What?"
Lillith pouted.
"Our agreement?"
I looked at her seriously.
"You graduate from the academy first."
She softened immediately afterward.
Then quietly—
"You don’t need to worry."
Her arms wrapped around me tighter.
"I’ll graduate no matter what."
I raised an eyebrow.
Lillith smiled sweetly against my shoulder.
"At any cost."
Then softer—
"Because if I graduate..."
Her purple eyes looked up toward me with terrifying affection.
"You’ll belong to me forever."
I immediately felt deeply unsettled again.
Especially because she sounded completely sincere.
