Chapter 119 - Blitzkrieg on a Train (1)
anwhile, the passengers on board cars 8 through 20 were in a state of chaos. It was understandable, given that they had suddenly been detached from the engine car and brought to a halt.
-What in the world is going on!!
-The conductor, where is the conductor?
-How are you going to take responsibility for this!
So were looking for soone to take responsibility for the situation, while others wanted to know how things were unfolding.
Even though it was obvious they would never get the answers they wanted.
It was as if a painting depicted a flock of ignorant commoners thrown into chaos, or so Robelia il Enlight, the young lady of the Enlight family, inwardly thought.
“How bustling.”
Robelia muttered playfully, as if she had no connection to this chaos, and poured tea into a teacup with a refined hand.
And there was another person tilting a teacup with Robelia; he was her older brother and the legitimate heir of the Enlight family, Kirios il Enlight.
“I have no complaints about His Highness the Crown Prince’s foresight, but it’s quite an ordeal to just stand by and watch the pathetic antics of these morons.”
Kirios muttered as if spitting out the words. Indeed, for Kirios, whose hatred for the ‘unqualified’ had reached its peak, just being in this place must have been quite grating.
“Fufu, but it was a sche worth enduring, wasn’t it?”
“……”
As Kirios’s silent affirmation proved, the sche devised by Robelia and Crown Prince Claudio was certainly effective.
If the Princess and Rain’s aim was to draw people’s attention to the artifact and interfere with its use, they just had to use it when the artifact was not in their hands.
That way, the misuse of the artifact could be treated as a lapse in the train’s managent, and the Enlight family would not have to bear any responsibility.
The result of that idea was the current situation.
Due to the 『Death Without Cost』, which was probably made to rampage by so thod, cars 1 through 7 connected to the engine car would soon be plunged into a pandemonium…… and the Princess, who would be there, would not be able to escape unscathed.
Especially since they had laid a double trap of the artifact’s rampage and a terrorist attack by the rebel hardliners.
‘That sly woman, snatching Rain away while I was looking away for a mont.’
For that woman—Regina, who had always been a thorn in her side for such reasons—to be facing death.
It was a factor that made Robelia smile.
“Is there…… a way out, I wonder?”
Fufut, Robelia let out a delighted laugh. To those who didn’t know the situation, it was a laugh that would appear endlessly innocent and benevolent.
“It’s safe to say there isn’t. I noticed on the way, but one of the Princess’s guard knights is over here.”
“Oh my~”
“He’s probably just wringing his hands, unable to do anything.”
The corners of Robelia’s mouth drew a steeper arc. One of the Princess’s two top assets was absent.
Well, not that anything would have changed even if he had been there.
A trap filled with malice, from which no excellent knight could ever escape alive.
Overcoming it was in the realm of impossibility. Robelia thought so, and that thought was infinitely close to the truth.
***
After finishing her tea ti with Kirios, Robelia strolled down the corridor with light, nimble steps.
She had no particular destination. However, there was soone she was looking for.
Robelia’s humming soliloquy clearly revealed who she was looking for.
“Our Rain, where could he be~?”
Yes, Robelia was looking for Rain. As if certain that he wouldn't be in cars 1 through 7, which should be in a state of pandemonium.
It was because she had a mory of seeing Rain with her own two eyes in the training ground of Car 10, just before the train was separated.
It was nothing new, but Robelia liked Rain.
Though that ‘like’ was a like that differed considerably from the aning accepted by the world.
‘He’s so cute.’
The way Rain had lived his life so far…… fit Robelia’s tastes perfectly.
‘Knowing it’s impossible, how can he cling on so desperately.’
And that taste was about Rain’s spirit, which would not break no matter how much it was trampled.
The ti in middle school when he struggled so much even though he must have known that his own body could not grasp martial arts, and his appearance in the mansion where his will did not break despite the cold treatnt from Kirios and the servants.
Because she liked that unbreakable appearance, Robelia enjoyed pushing Rain to the limit.
Rain did not suffer from direct, face-to-face attacks.
Therefore, Robelia used the people around him. She created an environnt that would make him suffer.
That face, pushed to the extre and suffering, yet refusing to give up.
The expression that showed he was in pain and wanted to give up, but couldn't.
She wanted to see them, to engrave them in her eyes. It was for that simple reason.
‘That face is so cute.’
Yet, Robelia sotis thought.
What if, after enduring the crushing pain sohow, he finally couldn't overco it and was crushed, broken down?
‘How sweet that expression would be.’
That was her thought.
Yes, it was a thought that could only be described by the word ‘bad taste.’
“Where could he be……?”
But Rain was nowhere to be seen.
‘Don't tell , did he sense sothing was wrong and head towards the front cars?’
It wasn't an impossible story, but Robelia inwardly shook her head.
Certainly, Rain had a strong sense of justice and a reasonably good head on his shoulders, but…… he had a habit of being overly cautious and missing the right mont.
Robelia, who prided herself on understanding Rain better than anyone else in the world, could be certain.
‘But, I can’t see him.’
Well, in any case, the fact that Rain was nowhere to be seen was an obvious fact.
Anyway, Robelia's stroll down the corridor ended in vain.
However, there was one thing that caught her eye.
Tap-tap-tap-
“Oh my, Serene-ssi?”
Yes, it was about Serene. That annoying girl, a forr friend of Rain's, was hurrying sowhere with an urgent look.
“……Young Lady, it’s a pleasure to see you, but…… I don’t have ti to talk right now.”
Robelia reacted upon seeing her, but the usually polite Serene was blatantly trying to cut the conversation short.
She was clearly showing a great deal of impatience and haste.
‘Where is she trying to go?’
The train was isolated right now. Could it be that she didn't even know the current situation of the train? Such a thought crossed Robelia's mind.
“Well…… it doesn't matter anyway.”
Yes, it really didn't matter. Whether Serene was impatient, or foolishly unaware of the situation…… there was not the slightest chance that Serene’s existence would interfere with the plan.
After all, the train where the incident was taking place had long since departed, and this train was standing still, wasn't it?
It was an extrely common-sense and reasonable thought.
But there was one thing Robelia had overlooked, and that was that common sense did not apply to a person nad Serene El Stellia.
***
Our policy was as such. Since the door from our location in Car 6 to Car 5 was no longer usable, we decided to advance to Car 1 by traveling along the roof of the train.
‘It’s highly likely that they were the ones who made the artifact rampage as well…….’
For an artifact that would have ended up in the hands of 『Ad Astra』 to rampage at such an exquisite timing.
It was exceedingly suspicious, but for now, there were more important things, so I decided to set it aside for a mont.
Clatter, clatter-
“Tsk.”
Whoooosh-!
The fierce wind that blew as if to strike my whole body, the rattling train car.
The sensation I felt on the roof of the train, which I had climbed out of through a window, was unfamiliar in many ways.
Naturally, it was because I had never had the experience of climbing onto the roof of a train before, and also…… because it was very difficult to keep my balance.
‘This is troubleso.’
It wasn't to the point where I thought I might fall off, but…… I thought it would be difficult to display my swordsmanship as freely as usual.
“Elwin-ssi, are you alright?”
“What do you an?”
Elwin, who had co up with , on the other hand, showed no signs of discomfort at all.
“……In terms of difficulty keeping your balance, or things like that.”
“Ah, if it’s about that…… I think I’m fine. I’m getting used to it quickly.”
Heh.
This monster.
‘Is he a monster of adaptability?’
As expected of a genius among geniuses, his physical adaptation seed to be quite fast.
It was sothing impossible for , who had only repeated countless battles and possessed the skills of an ordinary person.
‘……It also seems like I’m having more trouble adapting because I have too much experience.’
Well, such idle thoughts ca to mind, but…… in truth, there was no ti to enjoy such leisurely conversations or thoughts.
Thump, thump.
The sound of footsteps approaching, kicking off the roof of the train.
Let’s recall what happened before. There were intruders on the roof of Car 7, and when we were fighting in Car 6, the ones on the roof also charged in.
In that case, what did that an?
“……We must prepare for battle.”
As Elwin, who was tensing up as he drew his sword, said, a considerable number of enemies were positioned on the roof of the train.
The rather spacious body of the Railroad Mysterium, which housed facilities like an auction house and a large number of private rooms, made that possible.
Click.
This ti, instead of drawing the 『Spellbinder』, I held the 『Outlaw』 in my hand.
‘Honestly, considering the durability of the 『Outlaw』, I’d rather not do this, but…….’
『Outlaw 』
Grade: Epic
Durability: 39/72 (Unrepairable)
Attack Power: 450
: A masterpiece firearm that can bring overwhelming superiority in close/mid-range engagents with top-class single-shot firepower at the cost of durability.
Since I still hadn't adapted to this shaking train roof, there was a high possibility that I wouldn't be able to use my sword to its full potential.
In that case, the only remaining option was this.
“Elwin-ssi, I will provide cover from the rear. Please hold the enemies at the front.”
“Understood……!”
As I calmly conveyed the strategy for this battle, Elwin nodded.
Thump, thump, thump-!
And a short while later, as the footsteps got considerably closer and the silhouettes of those running from afar beca clear.
Baaang-!
Once again, the gunshot of the 『Outlaw』, heralding the start of the battle, echoed across the roof of the train.
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