#385 Let’s Build a Train

It’s me.

It seems our expo has been well received.

More importantly, it reached the craftsmen of the capital, which was the main purpose of this event.

Pandemonium invited them, and people came from the first day, but for some reason, they kept coming back.

The number of people increased with each passing day, too.

When we asked the attendees, they said all the craftsmen in their guild wanted to visit, but they couldn’t all come at once.

That’s why they decided to implement a turn system amongst their members so that everyone gets a chance.

However, those who have already visited once told themselves they still have more to learn. So, instead of the numbers decreasing, each of our pavilions was kept packed.

Not only the craftsmen but also the general public heard the rumors and attended.

The expo was crowded as the days went by.

“They exceeded even our expectations, sir...!” 

After the fifth day, Mr. Shax has come to report, restlessly wiping off his sweat.

“I was confident in our preparations regarding the attendees, but now it’s just chaotic! It looks like we’ll have to increase our staff significantly.”

I don’t know, I haven’t really given much thought about how we’d receive them, honestly...

“By the way, Lord Saint. How long did you say this expo will be held?”

“Well, according to the original agreement, about a month.”

I myself don’t know how long expos are supposed to last, so I just went along with Mr. Shax’s suggestion. 

“Can’t we extend it? At this rate, we can’t satisfy all the attendees no matter what! Can we perhaps make it three months? Maybe even six!”

That’s... one heck of an extension.

But we have our own lives on the farm, and we don’t want to be tied down to the expo for too long.

By the way, the only way for us to go to and from the expo site is through teleportation.

We created a waypoint in a secret space within the expo.

During closing time, we could teleport back to the farm and go to sleep, but to ask us to do that for six months is a little too much...

“There’s still Orkubo’s Castle at the end of winter, and our farming activities will resume in spring. We have no other time to do it than in winter.”

“U-Understood! Then, can we please make it two months? Please...!” 

It was hard for me to decline Mr. Shax’s proposal, seeing him beg on his knees, so I gave in and said yes.

“I understand I’m being selfish right now, but there’s one more thing I’d like to discuss with you,” he adds. “It’s about the transportation.”

As you know, the venue for the expo is located in a flatland a bit far from the developed areas.

It was a desperate measure to get enough construction space, but now it seems to be becoming a problem.

“Initially, we planned to solve the problem by escorting attendees to and from the event by carriage. But the current number is beyond our control...!”

Mr. Shax was very generous to provide free carriage rides, but it still wasn’t good enough.

“I think I’m forced to rely on your wisdom once more, Lord Saint... Please, sir!”

“Hmm...”

Does this mean there’s a traffic problem between the capital and the expo venue?

If so, maybe it would’ve been better to set up within the capital. Then again, that in itself would’ve been a problem, too, since we’d have less space but still the same number of visitors... 

“I wonder...”

So, we want a quick and safe way to transport a large number of visitors to the expo a short distance from the capital, right?

“...What about a train?”

It’s been a while since I remembered a scene from my world.

The most powerful public transportation—the train.

If we could recreate that here, we could solve the traffic problem in one fell swoop.

“If we can, that is...”

Maybe it’s too much.

There are too many problems in the way.

But I wonder if it would be possible to use something like a big box with a lot of people on it?

Now all we have to do is how to get it to move.

Guess I’ll go ask Orkubo’s team...

***

And just after few hours I told them, it’s complete: Otherworldly carriage (incomplete prototype with no wheels and power).

If anything, isn’t this a simple container?

It’s just a box to carry people with no special mechanism.

It’s a tool to experiment how we can make it move...

...

I’m really impressed with the god-like construction skills of Orkubo’s team lately.

How were they able to assemble this in a matter of hours?

Even though it’s made of wood, it’s comparable in size to a carriage from my world.

There are no seats inside, but that doesn’t mean it’s anywhere near constructible in hours...

“Oh, well. What’s done is done, I suppose!” 

Let’s accept the reality.

“Do you have any ideas on how to get this to move with people inside?”

“Pardon?! Erm... magic, perhaps?”

Typical answer of a demon familiar with magic.

“But... even that would require a considerable amount of magic to move something of this magnitude. It’d be impossible without someone with a caliber equivalent to the Heavenly Four. It’s not like we can mobilize them for this purpose, either!”

I’m sure they’d do it if I asked...

But the Heavenly Four has their own life, too. I don’t want to be overbearing.

“My Lord,” says Orkubo, hand raised.

It’s natural he’s also here since he made this impromptu “vehicle,” but what’s the matter?

“I have an idea. Why don’t you let him pull it?”

Who’s him?

What Orkubo showed was a beast that looked like a quadrupedal rock.

But really, it’s a horse.

Orkubo’s beloved horse, Gigantirock.

This homunculus horse was created by crossing the genes of a horse and some kind of powerful monster. He can gallop at high speed with Orkubo on his back, much like a heavy tank.

He’s one of our most powerful homunculus horses.

But still...

“Can he really pull a vehicle without straining himself?”

“Let’s see, my lord.”

He ties the carriage to Gigantirock with a rope.

The carriage doesn’t even have wheels yet. But the giant horse proud of its strength easily...

“Oh! It moved!”

...pulled it.

He also left a big drag mark on the ground, though...

“We’ll just have to put the wheels on later, and we’re good to go! Gigantirock’s amazing!”

He’s capable, hardworking, and takes after his owner.

“Well, let’s get this carriage on wheels! Prepare the mana metal!”

“Please wait,” interrupts Mr. Shax. “I have but a humble request to make. Please refrain from using mana metal.”

“Pardon?”

“We will prepare the highest quality steel to replace it. Therefore, please refrain from using mana metal. The market could crumble!!!”

“O-Oh...”

I simply nod my head, overwhelmed by Mr. Shax’s appeal.

But if a vehicle is pulled by a horse, it’s not a train, it’s a carriage.

Does horse-train count?

The road to the realization of an otherworldly train is going to be a long one.