Chapter 011 – The Journey
Several hours later, just as Alwyn had said, they arrived at the station and immediately boarded the private carriage that had been prepared for them. Atthy was stunned by the magnificent sight of the steam train before her. Never in her life had she seen one with her own eyes. Until now, her only knowledge of such machines came from the stories her father and grandfather used to tell, or the newspapers and books she had read.
She couldn't hide her awe and astonishment at the "Iron Serpent" towering before her. Its gleaming black exterior gave it an air of mystery and power that left her momentarily speechless.
Seeing Atthy's reaction, Alwyn, Randy, and the guards exchanged subtle glances, reminiscent of their first impression upon meeting her. Even so, they maintained their composure, careful not to let their surprise show too clearly, and continued to treat her with the utmost respect due to a noble lady—one who now appeared deeply captivated by a marvel of modern technology.
"This way, Lady Galina," Alwyn said politely, gesturing toward the train carriage reserved exclusively for her.
"Ah! Of course, thank you..." Atthy replied, slightly startled as she accepted Randy's offered hand. She had been so entranced by the sight of the iron beast that she had forgotten to move.
Her thoughts raced as she examined the great, heavy machine. How could something this massive travel along two slender metal rails, carrying dozens—perhaps hundreds—of passengers at speeds ten times faster than a horse-drawn carriage? As a blacksmith's granddaughter, she couldn't help but wonder about the size of the furnace required to forge such a creation.
The private carriage had been outfitted with all the comforts befitting a noble guest. Though compact by necessity, it featured a soft bed, plush sofas, and fine furnishings. This carriage was designated solely for Atthy, as an honored guest of Duke Griffith. Her servants rode in a separate carriage, along with the guards. They would only be permitted to enter if summoned.
"Lady Galina, this journey will take ten days by rail. We've prepared everything you might need. We understand it may not be entirely comfortable, but we ask for your patience until we reach our destination. Please, do not hesitate to call for us if you need anything. We are at your service."
Alwyn's tone was both respectful and reassuring as he showed Atthy around the cabin and explained its features.
"Thank you," Atthy replied graciously. Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she asked, "Sir Alwyn, may I call you that?"
"Of course, Lady Galina," Alwyn answered at once, his smile polite and professional.
Atthy returned the smile and said warmly, "Sir Alwyn—thank you," her voice sincere and her expression soft.
There was something in that smile, something so unguarded and genuine, that it caught Alwyn off guard for a moment.
"Please, pass along my thanks to the others as well," Atthy added. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'll do my best not to be a burden."
''Not a burden?'' Alwyn echoed in his thoughts. ''Is she truly capable of that?''
And yet, despite his doubts, something about the sincerity in her voice moved him. With a faint smile, he nodded respectfully in return.
---
It turned out that things didn't go as planned.
Atthy, who had never traveled by train before, found herself struggling to adjust. She hadn't expected her body to reject the experience so strongly.
In the midst of the journey, Atthy, who was not feeling well, found it difficult to finish her meal as she usually did. Raised with a simple lifestyle, she had always been taught to appreciate food, and thus, she would typically make sure to finish whatever was placed before her. Yet, despite her efforts, she couldn't manage it this time. Still, she tried not to show her discomfort to the people she had just met.
She quickly prepared to sleep, hoping that after resting, her body would feel better. Lying in her bed, she muttered to herself, trying to pass the time in the dull stillness of the train. It felt as though there was nothing to do.
"At first, this seemed interesting, but… it's only been a day, and I'm already bored! Ten days stuck on this train… If I had known, I would've brought some books or something to pass the time…"
"What a waste… I'll have to spend ten days here, with no idea what to do. I didn't even bring any money because they arranged everything so suddenly."
"Stupid Atthy! What if something happens, and I have nothing with me… even the clothes they gave me are so uncomfortable…"
"How long will I have to keep enduring this?"
"Should I return all these things?!"
"But… what if he gets offended?! He's a Grand Duke, the ruler of such a vast territory… He has enormous influence, even in the kingdom… Money is no issue for him… He might get offended if I return his things…"
"Is this really the life I'll be living?… Huf…." (Atthy sighed, resigned). "The life of a poor noble like me… Even the three servants he sent to attend to me… They're not sincere… I can see that clearly."
"But wait! Not all of them… Alwyn and Randy… They're so, so different from Billy… Although they do seem a little strange…"
---
That evening, after the knights and servants had finished their dinner, Alwyn and Randy sat across from each other, taking their time to digest the meal they had just eaten. Both of them held the highest ranks among the entourage of the bride-to-be, Lady Atthaleyah Galina, an emissary of Duke Griffith.
"Alwyn, do you feel like something's off?" Randy started the conversation in a hesitant tone.
"About Lady Galina?" Alwyn replied immediately, reminding him of the identical expression they had shared earlier.
Randy nodded slowly, his face serious. From Alwyn's expression and tone, it was clear that Alwyn shared the same suspicion.
"I don't know… I can't form any hypotheses yet," Alwyn answered nonchalantly, his sharp eyes staring out the window as the train slowly moved.
"But... don't you find it strange?" Randy continued, his voice tinged with curiosity that he couldn't hide. "Not a single member of her family showed up to see her off."
Alwyn sighed, thinking for a moment. "I know… But that's none of our business, as mere servants. We'll leave that judgment to His Lordship, the Duke. Although, we did hear from Baron Galina's messenger that they had urgent matters to attend to."
Randy snorted softly, dissatisfied with that response. "But... still, we're emissaries of Duke Griffith, and they're just Barons. Their behavior is incredibly thoughtless," Randy said, his voice growing more frustrated. "Could it be because of the prince? Maybe that's why they're acting so recklessly?"
"Maybe," Alwyn responded, his eyes blinking quickly as he kept staring out the window. "Still, it's strange… I can't make any conclusions yet. There's too little information. But whatever it is, like you, I'm also frustrated by it. But never mind… don't you already know why Duke Griffith agreed to this meeting? My guess is, they've become arrogant because of the support they've received. They don't realize they're being used. Don't worry, when the time comes, we'll make them pay. For now, let them enjoy whatever time they have left," Alwyn replied, his face flat, though his tone sounded as if he was smirking. There was a hint of confusion buried in his mind.
Randy sighed deeply, his eyes briefly flicking toward Alwyn before looking down again. "You might be right… I feel sorry for her," Randy muttered quietly, his words directed at Atthy, though not spoken directly to her.
Alwyn glanced at Randy, his expression puzzled, but he remained silent. A slight shift in his face was visible, though it lasted only a moment. His gaze refocused on the documents before him, but his mind was still unsettled by the strange feeling that lingered about Atthy.
"Yeah... I also feel like something's off," Alwyn murmured softly to himself, his voice growing deeper, almost inaudible to Randy. "Her expression is so sincere. Lady Galina... doesn't seem to be wearing a mask... but still, something's strange."
Alwyn continued to examine the documents in front of him, his hand slowly tracing the pages, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Atthy's figure. Her smile, her gaze—everything about her seemed... not quite what he had expected. But what could he do with this uneasy feeling?
Meanwhile, Randy, although feeling sympathy, could not ignore his dissatisfaction. Was everything truly as it appeared? Or was there something deeper hidden beneath the surface?
---
Five days had passed since Atthy boarded the train, and there were still about five more days before they would reach Alpen. The journey had been exceptionally smooth and comfortable, without any significant conflicts. The knights and servants were satisfied, even happy, as the long journey had not been as difficult as they had initially feared.
However, in the long solitude within the train, boredom began to creep in. With nothing significant happening, the group could only chat about trivial things that crossed their minds.
"Hey, I didn't expect the journey to be this smooth..." one of the guards said flatly, his eyes staring vacantly out the window.
"True, I even prepared myself for all the chaos she might cause," another responded, his voice lighthearted but tinged with a hint of nervousness.
"Hmm!... We're even getting triple the usual pay for this trip," a third guard chimed in, trying to lighten the mood.
"Honestly, I didn't think that girl would be this calm..." another remarked, frowning as though still puzzled by Atthy's behavior.
Suddenly, a sharp voice interrupted their conversation.
"Watch your words!" Randy's voice rang out as he entered the compartment, his steps firm. "Maintain discipline, knights!" His voice carried authority, instantly silencing the room.
"Mind your behavior, you're not just any soldiers, you're Griffith's knights!" Alwyn added in a colder tone, his eyes sharply scanning them one by one.
All the guards and servants quickly saluted, apologizing hastily. "Forgive us, sir."
However, one of the younger guards tried to defend himself. "But Commander, we weren't talking about anything bad..." he said, his voice hesitant.
"It's true, Commander, we were just talking about something good," another guard added, looking confused but trying to explain himself.
"From the start until now, that girl hasn't complained once," another whispered, feeling that this should not be an issue.
"Lady!" Alwyn immediately corrected, his tone sharper. "You should always refer to her as Lady Galina, not 'that girl.'"
They all fell silent, realizing their mistake, and quickly saluted again. "My apologies, Lady Galina, that's what we meant, sir."
"Yes, forgive us, sir. But everything we said is true. Even the servants were getting nervous, afraid of making mistakes. Lady Galina hardly ever calls on them," another guard added, sounding somewhat confused.
Alwyn was taken aback by this, his expression shifting instantly. He had been so busy with his own matters that he hadn't paid attention to such small details. Now, he felt that something was amiss.
"Call Lady Atthaleyah's servants to speak with me!" Alwyn ordered sharply, his voice filled with authority, before hastily making his way toward his private compartment.
Like Atthy, Alwyn had his own private compartment, though not as luxurious as hers. However, luxury was not what he sought—it was comfort and efficiency in carrying out his duties that mattered more. Yet now, his thoughts were disrupted by the growing unease he felt.
---
Knock knock knock
"Come in." Alwyn's voice was flat, yet there was a firmness to it.
The three servants entered, their steps nearly silent as they lined up in front of Alwyn's desk. He sat in his chair, crossing his legs after placing the documents he had been working on.
"Sir Guzev, you called for us?" Stela, the eldest, tried to sound calm, though her voice trembled slightly.
"Yes." Alwyn gave a small nod, then shifted his gaze to the open document on the desk, as if it didn't concern him, yet every movement was deliberate. "I've heard from the guards that you've appeared... uneasy. What's going on?"
The question was simple, but it cut through the room like a sharp blade.
The three servants exchanged glances, seemingly trying to decide who would speak first. No one responded.
"I trust I don't need to repeat myself," Alwyn spoke in a lower voice, but there was an underlying pressure in his tone. His fingers, which had been tapping the desk, stopped, and now his hands were folded neatly over the open document.
Finally, Stela took the first step. "N-nothing, sir. We're fine."
Alwyn raised an eyebrow. "Really?" His voice didn't sound threatening, but the skepticism in it carried more weight than any threat could.
Bela tried to add to that. "We're just... tired, sir. That's all."
"Tired?" Alwyn repeated the word slowly, as though weighing its meaning. His gaze now fixed on Rosa, the servant who seemed most anxious, making the girl immediately lower her head. "Tiredness doesn't make someone avoid eye contact, Rosa."
The three of them fell silent, clearly unsure of what to say. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier, as if the air itself was charged with unspoken tension.
"Stela," Alwyn called in a low but controlled voice, focusing his attention on the eldest servant. "You're the senior here. If something's wrong, now's the time to tell me. I won't repeat myself."
Stela seemed like she wanted to say something, but in the end, she just bit her lip. She slowly shook her head, her eyes remaining downcast. "There's nothing, sir. We're not hiding anything."
Silence hung in the air. Alwyn scrutinized them one by one, his eyes sharp as though trying to pierce the secrets they were keeping. However, he showed no sign of frustration or impatience. On the contrary, he leaned back in his chair, his movements calm and composed, exuding confidence.
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