Chapter 173
Simon gave his newly purchased robe a firm shake and looked back.
From the pile of garbage came a "Puhuh!" sound as Metin raised his head.
Holy power shimmered from the hand covering his face, stopping his nosebleed and quickly mending his crushed nasal bone.
"What the hell did you do?"
Metin stood up, bracing against the wall.
"There's definitely the stench of Darkness, so how did you endure Exorcism?"
"I'm a Priest too, Milord."
Simon shrugged, proudly showing off the blessings draped over his body. Then, he respectfully clasped his hands together and said,
"As I've told you repeatedly, there seems to be a misunderstanding. My name is—"
"I don't even want to hear it!"
Metin invoked his holiness.
Once again, a subspace unfolded around him as various torture instruments began attaching themselves to his body.
"I trust my nose more than the words of an evildoer! You're definitely…!"
Claaang!
Suddenly, a massive hammer made of holiness slammed down on Metin's head.
And far off in the distance, the one holding the end of the hammer was none other than Lete, her expression sullen.
"First day in the Holy Federation, and this is the welcome I get?"
"Lete!"
As she released the hammer, the divine energy forming it scattered into the air and vanished.
Metin, now unconscious, collapsed into the garbage pile, blending perfectly with the scenery.
"I trusted you and let you go, and this is what you do? What did you do to get sniffed out by those leeches?"
"I really didn't do anything."
Simon scratched the side of his head, looking wrongfully accused.
"I was just shopping at the market, and suddenly this guy started going on about smells and attacked me out of nowhere."
"Really? Sharp guy."
Lete frowned as she glanced at Metin.
Beating someone up was one thing, but killing an Inquisitor was out of the question. It would leave traces and escalate the situation a hundredfold.
In this case, slipping away quietly was the best course of action.
"Let's go back."
"Yeah."
The two quickly left the scene.
Just then, a couple was walking arm-in-arm down the alley toward them, so the two pulled their hoods lower over their faces.
Moments later, a scream echoed from behind, but the two of them blended naturally into the crowd of the night market.
"By the way, what's with that outfit?"
"I bought it here. It's for disguise."
She glanced Simon up and down and commented,
"The clothes are quite nice. The clothes, not you."
"No need to emphasize it twice. If you like it, want me to buy you one?"
A hint of surprise flickered across her face before she quickly masked it with a cold expression.
"I'd rather hang myself than wear matching outfits with you."
Simon burst into loud laughter at that.
* * *
The next morning.
Despite last night's chaos, Simon and Lete got a good night's rest at the inn and safely arrived at the station.
'Finally!'
As they waited for the Holy Train, Simon was brimming with excitement. This would be his first time ever riding a train.
Trains weren't a common mode of transportation in the Dark Alliance. Simon had lived his whole life believing he'd never have the chance to ride one.
'And now I get to do it for the first time in a foreign land.'
In contrast, trains were the central means of transportation in the Holy Federation. Though the fare was high for the average citizen, the trains were almost always at full capacity.
'I hope this goes smoothly.'
Meanwhile, Lete was glancing sideways at Simon. Truthfully, she hadn't planned on taking a train to their destination, the Tree of Life.
But Simon had been performing surprisingly well in class, and perhaps influenced by Anna, his understanding of culture had improved too. He was more than capable of pretending to be an apprentice priest, so she decided to let him ride the Holy Train.
By doing this, they could skip countless hardships and trials—camping, navigation, monster battles, and all that—and reach their destination in just five days.
It was a convenient transport method, but she couldn't shake her concern about the Inquisitors infesting the train.
'At least that guy with the good nose isn't assigned to this route.'
She had used a communication crystal to tap into her network, checking the full list of Inquisitors on today's train. The name Metin, that man with the keen nose, wasn't listed.
'Should be fine.'
"Ah, it's here!"
Simon said.
From a distance came the metallic clattering of the approaching train. A deep, resonant horn sounded, reminiscent of a ship's foghorn, and from the smokestacks of the train poured white, holiness infused smoke like clouds.
With a childlike grin, Simon rushed forward.
"It's amazing every time I see it!"
Eyes sparkling, he turned to Lete.
"But isn't it going too fast? Is it really going to stop here?"
"...Your voice is embarrassing me. Lower it. And it's dangerous to stand there. Get back here."
Lete tugged on the hem of Simon's robe. Even as he moved back, Simon's eyes remained locked on the train.
That massive hunk of metal, moving so fast… How many wheels did it have? How many people could it carry? What would the inside look like?
Just as Lete said, the train began to slow down and eventually came to a complete stop. The car doors opened, and people poured out.
The train had a generous 30-minute stop. While luggage was being loaded and unloaded, passengers stretched their legs or went off to buy snacks.
After everyone had disembarked, train attendants emerged and stood ready to assist boarding passengers.
"Alright, let's go."
Simon and Lete held out their tickets and approached the attendants.
* * *
"...What the hell are you planning."
Inquisitor Baccarat, senior officer in charge of the Holy Train No. 1631, stood outside the station with a frown. In front of him stood Metin, at attention.
"You're suddenly asking to work under our jurisdiction?"
"Exactly as I said. I don't care about salary. Just let me work officially. Please."
Metin bowed his head. Baccarat scowled and scratched his hair.
"Kids these days… What about your current assignment?"
"I took a leave of absence."
"...You've got to be kidding me. You took a vacation just to keep working? Why?"
"There's someone I must catch."
His eyes sparked with intensity.
"That man is on this train. In the name of the great Goddess, I must eliminate him."
"What a lunatic."
Baccarat let out a deep sigh.
Metin was reckless, but his father was a high-ranking officer and a former Inquisitor. Baccarat couldn't just ignore him.
In the end, he added Metin's name to the list of Inquisitors on the train.
"You said it, so you'd better stick with it. If you start whining later about quitting mid-route, I won't go easy on you."
Metin bowed respectfully.
"That will never happen."
* * *
'So this is what the inside of a train looks like.'
Simon entered the train after showing his ticket, his eyes darting around in amazement.
The first thing he saw was the general seating area, with rows of tightly packed chairs. Lete explained that these were for people only using the train for a single day.
The place they had reserved was not among these seats, but in a proper cabin with beds. Carefully, they moved to the next carriage.
'...Whoa.'
As soon as the door opened, Simon was taken aback.
A narrow corridor, just wide enough for one person to pass, stretched before him. On both sides of the corridor were beds built into the walls and floor—7-person rooms, with up to seven beds stacked in tiers.
There were beds on the first and second levels, and even third-tier bunks that looked like one's stomach would hit the ceiling when lying down. Simon wondered how anyone could fit in there.
Moreover, the beds were fully exposed, so passing through the corridor meant facing the constant gaze of others.
All around, people were snoring, grinding their teeth, chatting, or chewing food. The smell of sweat and urine assaulted his nose.
"This is third class."
Lete explained. Then she winced as she caught sight of a man scratching his groin with his hand inside his pants, and quickly turned her head.
"It's a bit cramped, but kind of cozy, isn't it?"
Simon said, eyes sparkling as he turned to Lete.
"Are we sleeping here too?"
"...Are you insane? How can anyone sleep in this stink hole?"
Following Lete, they passed through third class and entered second class.
Here, it felt like one could finally breathe. The hallway was fairly spacious, and each room was a four-person cabin. With those suffocating triple bunk beds gone, the whole space felt more vibrant.
Soft lighting was installed on the ceiling, and proper pillows and blankets could be seen. From this section onward, even people's clothing looked different.
"Second class is available to Clerics, exemplary believers, and their families."
"What, the cars are divided by social status?"
"What else did you think it was?"
"I thought it was based on how much you paid. Like, second class costs more than third class, that sort of thing…"
"That's a very your side of the world kind of mindset. Though, I admit, it does make more sense."
The two passed through second class.
And finally, first class.
"Wow...!"
From here, it wasn't just luxurious, it was almost decadent.
It felt more like stepping into a banquet hall than a train car. Soft lights and a red carpet lined the floor.
Looking around, even the double bunk beds were gone. Each cabin was a two-person room, with two spacious, plush beds and wine-colored curtains on the windows.
On the desk sat various complimentary snacks, fruits, and wine. The wall held a mirror, a clock, some storage space, and a few books.
This first-class cabin was where the two would be spending the next five days.
"A2. We're here."
The two entered the cabin.
Simon sat down on the soft bed in amazement, while Lete frowned disapprovingly at the entrance.
"What's wrong?"
"First class used to have doors for privacy, but they've completely removed them. Probably because of the Inquisitions."
Simon crossed his arms.
"Are the Inquisitions always this strict here? What happened at the night market yesterday was kind of shocking."
"Of course it wasn't always this bad."
She sighed.
"Like I said before, the Heretics, those Blood Heaven Cult lunatics, have been killing and kidnapping civilians, so security's been ramped up to the max. They usually disguise themselves as ordinary people."
"Ah, I see."
The two sat down, and shortly after, the train's horn sounded. Looking out the window, they saw people who had been stretching outside now rushing back into the station.
Even in first class, the passengers who had gone out returned noisily. A few glanced toward their cabin with curiosity as they passed through the corridor.
Clunk!
At that moment, the train shook. Simon's eyes sparkled as he felt the vibration through his feet.
"Lete! I think we're about to leave!"
"Ugh, keep your voice down, you country bumpkin! So embarrassing."
Despite Lete's scolding, Simon was glued to the window, staring at the outside scenery.
A few people sitting near the platform smiled and waved at Simon. Excited, Simon waved back enthusiastically.
The Holy Train gradually picked up speed. The car shook, and a resonant hum echoed from the friction between the wheels and the track. The scenery outside rapidly began to blur and fade into the distance.
Then came a voice over the speaker.
—The train will soon ascend, so we ask all passengers to fasten their seat belts while seated.
"Ascend?"
"We're entering an aerial track. Here, put this on."
They sat on the bed and fastened the safety belts attached to its corners. Moments later, with a metallic clatter, the train began to lift upward.
"...!"
Feeling a strange sensation through both legs, Simon looked out the window. The tracks were floating midair.
The train climbed onto them, forging a path through the sky. The surroundings rapidly dropped away, houses shrinking to tiny dots.
The train even soared over a tall mountain in one smooth ascent.
"Wooooah!"
Hearing Simon's continuous exclamations of wonder, Lete couldn't help but puff up with a bit of pride. In a good mood, she wiggled her finger as she explained.
"One of the properties of Holiness is 'levitation'. By maximizing this, it's possible to float railroads or fortresses into the air."
"Is that why the famous Heaven Island of Efnelle floats too?"
"Most likely, yes."
Simon gently bit his thumb.
"I want to visit it someday."
"...Crazy talk. You'd die if you went there."
Even as she said that, a faint smile crept across her face.
"Unless war breaks out~ I doubt you'll ever get to go to Heaven Island, but who knows? Maybe one day, I'll plant the Goddess' flag on Roke Mountain myself."
It was a subtle provocation, but Simon didn't even notice, still mesmerized by the scenery outside. He kept gasping in awe, and Lete leaned back in her seat and let out a snort of laughter.
Soon after, the Holy Train descended back onto ground-level tracks. Passengers in other seats began unfastening their seat belts and chatting. Simon unbuckled his belt and asked,
"This might be a dumb question, but… there's a bathroom on the train, right?"
"There is. Just head out into the corridor and keep going straight."
Simon let out a sound of wonder and went off toward the restroom. Lete chuckled to herself and was just about to open a bottle of wine from the table when—
Loud giggles and cheerful chatter echoed from the hallway.
"Sis, sis! We got new passengers in our car!"
"They didn't even come say hi to their big sister! How rude!"
Oh great, here we go.
Crossing her legs, Lete poured herself a glass of wine.
A moment later, a girl in a white uniform was practically shoved into their cabin.
Peeking out from behind her were several girls, giggling as if to say, You're dead now.
"Ahem, hello, sister! Do you have a moment?"
So that's the one they kept calling 'sis', huh.
Lete quickly gave the girl a once-over.
'An Efnelle school uniform? But...'
Lete smirked.
'That's such an obvious fake. Does she really think I'd fall for that?'
The girl in the Efnelle uniform entered the cabin and elegantly swept her hair back.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ellen Zile, second year at the Holy University of Efnelle."