Ch#39
The first-class section was structured with partitions separating each seat.
They weren’t merely partitions to block one’s line of sight.
There were over three spells woven into each of these compartments that Elric recognized.
Soundproofing, visual obstruction, and shock absorption.
It certainly felt like a space designed for the high nobility.
The coziness seemed to settle Tiria’s nerves, if only a little.
Of course, it didn’t last long.
Pwoooooooo—!
The moment the horn blared and the train jolted violently, Tiria froze stiff.
What followed was even more severe.
He had seated Tiria by the window, thinking it would help with motion sickness.
However, as the scenery began to blur past at high speeds, she started to sway unsteadily.
Elric let out a hollow laugh and asked.
「What are you doing?」
「I am not sure what you mean.」
Her shoulders were trembling faintly.
For some reason, her usually straight posture was gradually curling inward.
Her gaze was no longer fixed outside the window but down at her own lap.
Elric had never in his life seen a woman suffering from such a severe phobia of civilization.
Seeing her so terrified actually made a surge of guilt rise within him.
「Would you like something to drink?」
「Yes, please.」
It sounded like a desperate plea.
Elric knocked twice on the partition.
The door opened, and the attendant from before appeared.
「Did you call, sir?」
「Bring us two cups of tea. Anything is fine for me… What would you like, my lady?」
「Daria leaves, please.」
「You heard her.」
Daria leaves were one of the tea varieties cultivated in the East.
They were famous for their calming effects.
「I shall have it ready shortly. Would you like some refreshments as well?」
「Something light, please.」
「Understood.」
The attendant brewed the tea quite quickly, just as requested.
He brought out a few cookies along with it, but Tiria couldn’t even bring herself to touch them.
It was a strange sight for Elric to behold.
Clink, clank.
She, who never even let her cutlery clatter against a plate during meals, was now making the teacup rattle.
Her face looked as though her soul had departed her body.
She sipped the tea, but her movements were purely mechanical.
He was starting to feel truly sorry now.
「…I apologize. I shouldn’t have insisted on taking the train.」
「I do not know what you are talking about.」
「I was just saying.」
「You certainly enjoy your jokes, Head of the family.」
Just how long did she intend to keep pretending to be strong?
Her stubbornness was enough to make him shake his head in disbelief.
Since she clearly didn’t want to show it, there was no need to poke at the wound.
Elric didn’t bring up the subject again.
For about two hours, a strange silence born from Tiria’s tension hung over the seats.
A meal was served midway through, but she couldn’t finish even half of her portion. Afterward, she tried to calm herself by reading a book, but that only resulted in making her motion sickness worse.
She looked like someone being subjected to torture.
However, they couldn’t exactly get off a train that had already departed.
Aimlessly, Elric’s hand began to pat Tiria’s back.
Normally, she wouldn’t have reacted to such an action, but…
「…Please excuse me for a moment.」
Today, Tiria leaned her head directly onto Elric’s shoulder.
「…!」
As her scent grew stronger, Elric’s breath hitched.
For some reason, his breath turned hot, and his gaze wandered aimlessly through the air.
An embarrassing tension tormented Elric, but it didn’t last long.
「…My lady?」
A quick glance revealed that Tiria’s condition was very poor.
Her mouth was hanging slightly open. Her eyes were out of focus.
「When do we arrive?」
The sight of her trembling from a mix of motion sickness and phobia was quite pitiful.
「Well, I believe we have about seven more hours to go.」
「That is…」
Her hand gripped the hem of Elric’s coat as if pleading.
An awkward smile flickered across Elric’s lips.
It was at that moment.
Ding~ Ding~ Ding~!
A bell rang out, piercing through the soundproofing magic.
Elric’s eyes snapped wide open.
There was only one reason a bell would be heard through the soundproofing.
「…What is happening?」
He couldn’t answer Tiria’s question immediately.
Doubt and bewilderment swirled within him.
‘This? Really? Why?’
In the last ten years, despite riding the train so many times, an accident he had never once experienced was happening today, right now, at this very hour.
Click!
The door flew open.
The attendant spoke with a pale face.
「It—it’s a terror attack! Please lock your doors and wait inside!」
A train hijacking.
Elric’s head creaked as he turned toward Tiria.
She was staring blankly at the attendant with a face as devastated as if the world were ending, before shifting her gaze to Elric.
Her eyes were welling up with blatant resentment.
Even without words, her thoughts were written plainly on her face.
You said there wouldn’t be any terror attacks.
That voice seemed to ring in his ears for some reason.
Immediately after.
「Ah…!」
Tiria swayed and eventually fainted.
「M—My lady!」
Elric hastily caught her.
What an absurd coincidence.
Elric let out a deep sigh as he laid Tiria down on the seat.
Then, he turned to the attendant.
「What exactly is going on?」
The attendant spoke with a troubled expression.
「It’s… the coachmen.」
「Coachmen?」
「The long-distance coachmen who lost their jobs because of the train are carrying out an explosives attack. In the second-class carriages…」
「Let’s go.」
「Pardon?」
「My companions are there.」
Of course it had to be second-class.
That was the carriage where Aldio and the maids were.
There was no telling if something might happen to them.
Elric stood up, leaning on his cane, and stepped out of the compartment.
The attendant followed him in a flurry, but Elric had no luxury to worry about him.
「P—Please wait a moment! It will be handled shortly…」
「It’s fine. Even if something happens to me, I won’t blame you.」
For them, there was no disaster greater than a noble getting caught up in an incident.
Elric understood that, but it wasn’t as if he had lived a life where he feared things like explosives.
If necessary, he was even prepared to secretly release his killing intent and slay the terrorists.
The moment he crossed into the next carriage.
「N—No, that’s not it! I meant that we don’t need help!」
Along with the attendant’s words, the scene of the second-class carriage came into view.
In that instant, Elric froze solid.
「Right, situation over! Everyone, let’s clean this up. You there, collect the bombs, and you, move these bodies somewhere out of sight. Now, now, dear passengers! Our train is safe. Let’s… well, let’s call this an event. A sudden crisis to spice up a dull life? How about it?」
There stood a man speaking nonchalantly.
He had a lanky, thin build, with long hair reaching down to his waist, braided and adorned with ornaments. He wore a flashy uniform of gold and black.
「A terror attack by coachmen—news worth a headline. Well, since I’ve handled the situation, that’ll probably be in the news too. I might as well take this opportunity to conduct a general investigation into those with terrorist potential. Yes, good. Everyone can rest easy now. That concludes the announcement from someone who always strives for your convenience…」
He took a deep, exaggerated bow.
「Edward Wight, Chairman of EW.」
「W—Wooooooooh!!!」
Cheers vibrated through the entire space.
His smile deepened beyond measure.
Elric felt a sense of confusion.
Then, he felt a throbbing sensation in his knees.
‘Why?’
Why was that man here?
Elric’s complexion turned icy cold.
What settled in his eyes was wariness, and hostility.
「Hmm?」
Edward Wight turned around and spotted Elric.
Then, he flashed a bright smile and spoke.
「Well, now…」
He looked mischievous.
「…What a staggering coincidence.」
On his chest, a badge embossed with a grand palace shimmered.
「It’s been a while, hasn’t it? About four months?」
「What are you plotting?」
「Plotting? Don’t be like that.」
Edward chuckled.
「Instead of this, why don’t we move to a different spot?」
He brushed past Elric and headed toward the first-class section.
Elric watched him with hostile eyes until then.
He couldn’t help it.
Edward Wight.
The head of the corporation known as EW, the supreme intellect of the continent who changed the era, and the alchemist said to have glimpsed the Truth.
And the name given to him by those who revered him was none other than…
‘Geumgong.’
One of the seven strongest on the continent, Geumgong Edward.
He was the Golden Duke, the true power behind the Armin Kingdom.
Furthermore, he was the very person who had broken Elric’s knees during the Autumn War.
His knees throbbed.
「What are you doing not coming?」
His golden eyes glinted behind his monocle.
「Plan on staying there?」
His grinning face was as whimsical as a clown’s.
Elric glared at him fiercely and headed toward the first-class section.
His seat was in the spacious area at the very end of the first-class carriage.
「Now, have a seat.」
He buried himself in the sofa and pointed to the seat opposite him.
「Our dear Sword Demon-nim!」
Edward spoke with the familiarity of an old friend.
「You’re looking well!」
Elric’s grip tightened on his cane.
Naturally, he began to perceive the space.
The size of a single room, with only the two of them present.
He must have weapons.
But his own draw would be faster.
Why was he here?
Was all of this truly a coincidence?
’No.’
There was no way.
Not when the owner of this train and these tracks was the man before him.
Suddenly, he worried for Tiria’s safety.
‘If it comes down to it…’
He would have to kill this man and make his escape.
Elric’s eyes turned cold.
It was a gaze that bore a striking resemblance to Kasha, the Sword Demon who had roamed the battlefields.
The Wife Waited in the Wheat Field (Serialized)
