Freedom of movement had always been a privilege reserved for nobles.
For commoners, traveling between regions in a continent swarming with monsters and bandits often meant risking their lives.
Most citizens of the Empire lived their entire lives isolated in a single place, never venturing beyond their hometowns.
But with the arrival of ZTX, those isolated dots began to connect.
"Wow! So, this is what a train is!"
"I never thought I'd get to see the Imperial Capital in my lifetime!"
The residents of Amun, who had never once left their hometown, could now take the ZTX and explore the Imperial Capital.
On the other hand, the citizens of the Capital were fascinated by their newfound ability to visit Amun, a place they had barely even known existed.
Amun and the Capital, once two isolated regions, were now connected by a single railway.
That was just the beginning.
"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!"
Leaflets were scattered across the main street.
People picked them up, their eyes widening as they read the content.
"No way, is this real?"
"If this is true, then we're witnessing history in the making!"
[ ZTX Route Expansion Plan ]
The leaflets revealed plans for new ZTX routes.
Not just Amun—but a network that would connect the Capital to all the major cities in the Empire.
"This is exciting."
"Ah, I can't wait to ride it!"
No specific timeline or confirmed locations were announced, but the map alone was enough to fill the citizens with anticipation.
They had already experienced the freedom of movement between Amun and the Capital—and they wanted more.
However, fear still lingered in some.
"But is this really safe?"
"What if we get attacked by monsters? That would be a disaster."
But then, someone laughed and held up another poster:
"You fool, did you forget? They promised one million gold if anyone gets attacked!"
[ If ZTX is attacked by monsters, we will compensate you with one million gold! ]
The bold promise of a one million gold payout eliminated doubt and convinced even the most skeptical citizens.
"With an offer like that, getting attacked doesn't sound so bad!"
"Honestly, I wish we'd get attacked just once. Imagine walking away with one million gold!"
"Keep dreaming. It's been three months without a single accident. Not even a scratch."
"So, the rumors were true—the monsters really can't get near the railway."
"As expected of the Sage of Gluttony. First food, now trains? Incredible!"
The people praised the White Tower and Yuri.
Freedom of movement had brought them joy like never before.
The thrill of visiting places they had never seen before made their hearts race with excitement.
But this newfound freedom wasn't just about travel and adventure.
"Look at this! Nuclear Fire Chicken Noodles!"
"Whoa, they even have an air fryer now!"
"Damn, does this mean we don't have to go to the Capital every month anymore?"
The people of Amun cheered as they saw the massive shipments of goods brought in by ZTX.
For years, workers risked their lives crossing the Misty Plains just to bring supplies from the Capital.
But now, Amun—once a remote and isolated town—was directly connected to the Capital through ZTX.
They no longer had to gamble with their lives to transport goods.
Instead, they could now receive supplies every single day.
"We cannot thank you enough, Sir Yuri. Thanks to you, the people of Amun have been given a new life."
"If you wish to express gratitude, direct it toward Her Highness, the Second Princess. She's the one who provided the funding."
"Hahaha, of course. I intended to thank Her Highness as well."
The Lord of Amun, Baron Henry, smiled warmly at Yuri.
"Did you know? The people of Amun live their entire lives without ever seeing the outside world."
"Didn't they travel to the Capital for supplies?"
"That was only the soldiers and a few workers. The common folk never leave Amun."
"I see…"
"Yes, because the outside world is far too dangerous."
For Yuri, this was a completely foreign concept.
Amun was tiny, a village of only a few hundred people.
You could walk around the entire town in less than an hour.
Spending an entire lifetime in such a small place?
That would drive him insane.
Sure, he spent most of his time locked up in the Tower, but at least he could visit the ocean or travel to foreign lands for a vacation when he wanted to.
Well… not recently, but still.
Amun's isolation wasn't unique—it was common across the Empire.
And ZTX was about to change everything.
Most Imperial citizens lived no differently than the people of Amun.
Trapped in one region, they lived isolated lives.
But they never felt any sense of confinement.
Having never ventured outside their small villages, they simply accepted their isolation as normal.
Generation after generation, children were taught that monsters lurked beyond the village borders, waiting to devour anyone who strayed too far.
When those children grew up, they passed the same fears onto their own offspring.
A cycle of fear, repeating endlessly.
And so, over time, people came to accept that staying within their village was the natural way of life.
This was the reality of a "dot-based society", where each village existed in isolation.
Because of this, there was a lingering concern when we first built the railway—
Would these people, so accustomed to isolation, actually use the trains?
After all, for those who had adapted to confinement, the very idea of travel was foreign.
Of course, that concern turned out to be pointless.
"Thanks to you, Sir Yuri, our people can now travel freely to the Capital."
"So, the train is being well-used?"
"Of course! Visiting the Capital has always been a lifelong dream for the citizens of the Empire."
The citizens embraced their newfound freedom of movement and were ecstatic about their first-ever travels.
"Thanks to you, Sir Yuri, that dream has become reality."
To Baron Henry, I was nothing less than a savior.
Thanks to ZTX, Amun was experiencing an unprecedented golden age.
Every day, new goods and innovations from the Capital were transported to Amun via the railway.
And that wasn't all—
Word had spread that passengers could watch undead creatures from the train windows, turning Amun into an exploding tourist hotspot.
"I never imagined the Misty Plains—once our biggest problem—would become the highlight of our city, ha-ha!"
Just as Baron Henry laughed, ZTX was enjoying an era of unparalleled success.
After all, the idea of safely observing monsters up close was fascinating.
With ZTX's growing reputation, visitors to the White Tower also skyrocketed.
"Sir, Count Swen has arrived."
"Swen? Where is that?"
"Somewhere in the east, but I'd need to check a map to be sure."
Aria shook her head and unfolded a map.
And it wasn't just Swen.
Countless representatives of noble families from all over the Empire had started visiting the White Tower, begging for railway extensions to their territories.
But, as everyone knew, railroads couldn't just be built anywhere on a whim.
We had to consider—
The distance between locations. Potential threats from monsters or bandits. The terrain and whether construction was feasible.
That's why Count Trion, our chief railway consultant, was in charge of planning the expansion.
And now—
"We must connect to Rundel."
Count Trion chose Rundel as the first priority for railway expansion.
"Rundel has long been a key transportation hub. If we build a station there, it will make it much easier to connect other regions."
However, despite Count Trion's recommendation, Rundel was not included in the initial railway expansion plans.
Why?
Because when I had first proposed extending the railway to Rundel, its lord had refused outright.
Now, after witnessing Amun's massive success, his attitude had changed completely.
"What is the Lord of Rundel saying now?"
"He has petitioned the Imperial Court, claiming it is unfair for his territory to be excluded from the railway expansion."
"Then we'll exclude it."
"...Excuse me? But as I mentioned before—"
"Count, how many rail lines can we extend using the current Imperial budget?"
"At most, we can connect three regions. But if we pass through Rundel, we could expand to five regions."
"So, five is the limit for now?"
"Yes, at the moment."
"But if Rundel invests its own money, we could extend even further, correct?"
"…Excuse me?"
"As you said, Rundel is a major transport hub. The lord of such a wealthy region surely has the means to invest."
"Well, that's true, but…"
"Let's see how he responds."
I nodded, smirking at Count Trion, who still looked doubtful.
"Negotiations like these are all about push and pull."
If things went well, we could accelerate railway expansion significantly.
***
Read the fully translated novel now!
Patreon(.)com/SiRoasa