Chapter 190: Let’s outsource it

“…phew, we stopped it somehow.”

“Geez, I didn’t think that’d happen.”

We managed to stop the train.

I thought the lever I used earlier was just to accelerate the train, but it turned out it could be used as a brake as well. I simply had to move the lever to the other end.

Had I not figured that out, I might have had to endlessly lay tracks just so the train wouldn’t crash.

“Now, how should we go back?”

If all we wanted was to return, we could simply use teleportation. However, that method would have us leave behind the train in the wasteland.

Can this thing move in reverse? Only one end has a driver’s compartment though… ah, but trains sometimes go just a tiny bit beyond their designated stop points and I don’t think they use the other cockpit for a simple repositioning like that. Maybe this one has that function as well.

“Let’s see…maybe it’s this one?”

When I looked closely, I saw a lever with signs that said ‘forward’ and ‘reverse’.

I shifted the lever toward the sign that said reverse.

When I once again moved the lever for accelerating and stopping the train, it now made the train move backwards.

“You know, if cities have this train thing, going from one city to the other will be so much easier.”

“Yup. Transporting large amounts of cargo will be easier too.”

It might be too late to mention this, but a train was definitely not a facility for a place that’s on the scale of only a village…

“That’s amazing! Alright, let’s go connect them up.”

“Wait, no, we can’t decide that by ourselves. We have to get the permission of each ruler first.”

Plus, we needed to teach some people how to drive the train first.

Moreover, trains should run in a controlled manner in order to avoid accidents and overall slowdowns. We needed people for that too.

“Even then, it might be too much for our village…ah, I get it.”

I thought up of a good idea.

“Let’s outsource it.”

◇　◇　◇

“Ohh, Village Chief Luke, welcome. We’re always so thankful to you and your body double. As you’ve probably already seen, the royal palace and the capital itself has been beautifully rebuilt.”

After we returned to the village with the train, I went to the royal capital through the use of teleportation.

I had already secured an appointment via my body double, so I was able to have an audience with the king without any trouble.

“So, what can I do for you today?”

“Well, I want to set up a railway system in the kingdom and I’d like to ask your help in it.”

“…a railway system?”

Yes, my plan was to entrust the railway system’s management to the kingdom.

After all, a government body would have a considerably easier time overseeing a project of this scale.

Of course, this benefited the kingdom as well.

The kingdom was in the middle of reorganizing itself, and the profits that could be gained from the railway system should definitely help in that endeavor.

“I think it’ll be faster to show you what it is. Is now a good time for it?”

“Hmm, very well.”

“I, I want to see it too!”

The princess interjected like that.

Some civil officials expressed their desires to come along as well after that.

“Alright, first, let’s all join hands.”

“““…join hands?”””

Despite being half in doubt, they formed a large circle and joined hands.

For some reason though, the princess rushed toward my side.

“(*Aaaaaa…I’m holding hands with Luke-samaaaaaaaaaaa! There’s no more doubt about it now: we have to be together!*)”

The princess had the same aura Millia sometimes had. Nah, it must be just my imagination.

I tried to not think about it and focused instead on the matter at hand. Once I calmed myself, I proceeded to teleport everyone with me.

“What!? Where…”

“We’re outside of the capital right now.”

The others were surprised when their field of vision suddenly changed. At the moment, we were near the rebuilt great walls of the royal capital. It was here that I decided to build a railway station.

“Welcome to a railway station. Inside of it, you’ll find what is called a train.”

I guided the group into the station and then into the train.

“Is this enormous box…?”

“Yes. It moves along those metal tracks over there. You’ll get what I mean soon enough. For now, please take a seat and observe.”

While the king’s group was examining the inside of the train—saying stuff like ‘this couch is so comfortable’, ‘what’s this thing hanging here?’—I rang a horn.

*Fuaa~~~n!*

“““!?”””

“Alright, let’s depart!”