Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 438

438.

The sky had threatened rain the night before, and as soon as dawn broke, it unleashed its downpour. It was a miserable, icy sleet that bit at any exposed skin. The city, shrouded in dreary gray, fell silent, its usual vibrancy forgotten. Only the train station bustled with activity from early morning. People were eager to board the Roham-bound train, which ran only once or twice a week. Some struggled with travel bags bigger than themselves, their faces set with determination. Others were caught up in tearful goodbyes, surrounded by well-wishers. Still others excitedly boarded, their faces alight with anticipation. Each person carried their own story onto the train in their own way. The station attendant, already looking weary, moved back and forth, checking tickets.

“The train will be departing soon! Everyone, please step away from the tracks!”

The engineer’s voice boomed, making the farewells even more poignant. Unable to bear the scene any longer, the station attendants intervened, gently but firmly separating those clinging to the train.

With a lurch and a rattle, the train began to slide forward. The familiar scenery outside the window blurred and then vanished. The crowds and ever-present soldiers were left behind. I, who had been standing tensely near the compartment door [客室 – kyakushitsu, Japanese for passenger cabin], finally sighed in relief and sank into my seat.

A night of anxiety had finally paid off.

Escape was finally at hand.

“Weren’t there an awful lot of soldiers at the station today?”

“Apparently, there was a murder yesterday. They say they’re looking for the escaped killer.”

“Oh my, a murder?”

“How dreadful.”

I must have dozed off. The sound of voices nearby startled me awake. The steady vibrations told me the train was still moving. Unfamiliar landscapes streamed past the window. But shadows flickered near the door. They weren’t just passing by; they seemed to be approaching with purpose. Cautiously, I watched as a knock came, followed by a deep voice.

“Excuse me, sir/madam, it’s lunchtime. Would you like me to prepare your meal?”

Ah, so that’s how much time had passed. The tension eased from my shoulders. There was no separate dining car, so they must bring the meals directly to the compartments. “Come in,” I said. The door opened, and the attendant wheeled in a small table laden with food. He paused, noticing the empty seat opposite me, a puzzled look on his face.

“Where is the other guest?”

“Huh? Oh, they’ve just gone to the restroom. They’ll be back soon. Don’t worry about it.”

“Yes, I understand. Please leave the table outside when you’re finished. I hope you enjoy your meal.”

With a polite bow, the attendant left. My acting must have been convincing, as he didn’t seem to suspect a thing. As I watched the door close, relief washed over me, but then fragments of the attendants’ conversation drifted back through the gap.

“So, did they catch the murderer?”

“They wouldn’t be wandering around like that if they had.”

“Could they be hiding on our train?”

“Nah, no way.”

Well, that ‘no way’ was, in fact, the case. Or rather, I wasn’t exactly hiding, but traveling openly, and I wasn’t a murderer, but an accomplice on the run with one.

Of course, the attendants, blissfully unaware, continued their chatter and moved on to the next compartment. I listened to the rhythmic clatter of the wheels and picked up the bowl of warm, steaming soup. The sweet and salty broth soothed my parched tongue, and I felt a little more alert. I tore off a piece of bread and chewed. As my empty stomach began to fill, the events of yesterday flashed through my mind.

I guess this is what they mean by inviting trouble.

Even though I was prepared for it, running away with Trowel in plain sight was a terrible idea. A brazen murder in the plaza in broad daylight, complete with evidence of a serial killer. I know he’s a Spirit King and why he killed, but to everyone else, he’s just a dangerous criminal. It was only natural that guards swarmed the streets, searching for both Trowel and me. Fortunately, blonde hair is common enough that the investigation didn’t immediately focus on me. The guards seemed more intent on finding Trowel. Still, I had no idea what the future held, so I had to pack my bags and leave the inn sooner than planned.

Since I needed to catch the train the next day, I went straight to the station. A crowded place like a train station was sure to be within the search area, but I trusted the old saying that the darkest place is under the lamp [a common idiom meaning the best place to hide is in plain sight]. Luckily, since this was both the starting and ending station, many trains were parked and unattended on the tracks. I chose a suitable train and hid inside, and as expected, no one noticed. I spent the night there, and as soon as morning came, I checked for the train with the Roham sign and quickly switched trains. It felt like something out of a spy movie.

‘I’m glad I bought the ticket in advance.’

Of course, the guards weren’t pushovers. The soldiers who had taken over the station from early morning didn’t let up their search, even in the sleet. They scrutinized everyone passing by and even searched inside the train cars. If I had been in the general seating car, I might have been caught.

The reason I avoided the search was that my compartment was in second class. The train’s compartments were divided into four classes, with first and second class reserved for nobles and the wealthy. The biggest advantage of these compartments was their private layout, consisting of single and double rooms. Since it was a space for nobles, security was tight, and they couldn’t enter or search without permission after the initial ticket check. I had originally planned to travel in the general car, but I bought an expensive ticket in case Elyuen returned, and that turned out to be a stroke of luck.

However, the only downside was the assumption that second class was naturally for two people. Since the ticket price itself was based on a two-person occupancy, it was understandable. I didn’t feel the need to announce that I was traveling alone, so I let them assume what they would. Honestly, it was more of an advantage. For one thing, two meals were provided.

“Anyway, now that we’ve come this far, can I finally relax?”

The scenery rushing past the window was beautiful. The sleet had turned into heavy snow before I fell asleep, but now the sky was clear, without a single cloud. The landscape had clearly changed, even if I didn’t know exactly where I was. I felt a sense of peace, thinking that things would be smooth sailing, at least until I reached my destination.

But the world rarely cooperates with my plans. It didn’t take long to realize how naive that thought was.

* * *

The scenery that had been speeding by gradually slowed and then stopped completely. I figured we had arrived at the next station. Lifting the window curtain, I saw a station building with a roof. People getting off and boarding mingled on the gravel path in a chaotic dance.

I’ll rest for a while. Based on my observations over the past two days, I could predict what would happen next. The Roham-bound train stopped every two or three hours, except at night. Perhaps because many passengers were traveling long distances, the stops were quite lengthy. Some passengers often used this time to stretch their legs or run errands.

I considered going out too, but since my goal was to remain as inconspicuous as possible, I quietly took a book out of my backpack. I had almost memorized the basic monster encyclopedia with its simple illustrations, but there was no other way to pass the time. A train journey with nothing to do was more boring than I had imagined. I should have bought more books. I mentally scolded my past self for only choosing one.

But for some reason, this stop was unusually long. The starting whistle that should have sounded remained silent. Just as I began to suspect a problem with the train, I felt a strange vibration from above. I opened the window and looked out, immediately spotting the source of the vibration. A huge bird resembling a phoenix was floating in the sky. It was a Bijo [a mythical bird, often associated with royalty or divine beings]. And not just one or two, but a flock of a dozen.

‘What is it?’

The Bijo flock circled for a moment and then landed inside the station. People dismounted one by one. Most were armed knights. A few at the front wore distinctive uniforms, marking them as leaders. The engineer and all the station staff rushed to greet them. They spoke for a while, and then the knights boarded the train.

‘Is a high-ranking official getting on the train?’

At first, I assumed that was the case. But then I heard a commotion from the other compartments. Sounds of arguing, then silence, then the hurried footsteps of people moving about. The noise grew closer. The group that had boarded was systematically visiting each compartment.

‘What is it? Could it be the police who are after me?’

Their clothes were different from the guards, but perhaps another agency had taken over the case. I couldn’t think of any other reason why armed knights would be searching the compartments. I had been relieved that two days had passed, but this was a complete shock. As I frantically considered my options, my turn arrived. Without knocking, the compartment door burst open, and the knights strode in, their faces grim. I tried to appear as calm as possible.

“…What is it?”

Two men stepped forward from the group. They were the ones in uniforms who had been at the front. Both were of similar height, but one was a powerfully built warrior, while the other was of a more slender build. The warrior wore a black uniform, and the other wore a navy blue uniform adorned with patterns and decorations, giving him a more distinguished appearance. His features were also more striking. Unlike the warrior with brown hair and eyes, the man in navy blue had silver-gray hair and yellowish eyes, making him stand out. His innate air of cold authority suggested a higher status.

“I apologize for the sudden intrusion. We are the Royal Guards of the Epen Kingdom. I am Miolio, commander of the Second Order. And this is His Royal Highness Prince Luciel. Show respect to His Royal Highness.”

“…Pardon?”

I never expected this. A crown prince. Why was a crown prince here? As I stared in bewilderment, the man with silver-gray hair, the crown prince, gave me a strange look. At the same time, the commander of the Knights frowned, clearly displeased by my lack of reaction to the revelation of his superior’s identity. They were arrogant enough to expect a polite greeting even after barging in unannounced. Of course, I had never learned the proper etiquette for addressing royalty in this world, so I decided to imitate the nobles I had observed in the Swalt Empire. “I greet the kingdom’s honorable one, the one who will continue the sun.” I extended one hand and bowed slightly. The commander of the Knights finally relaxed his expression. Fortunately, this greeting wasn’t unacceptable here either. Despite this small victory, my anxiety deepened. No wonder they were searching the compartment without hesitation; the royal family was directly involved, which explained everything.

“But what’s going on…?”

“We received a report that a subversive individual has infiltrated this train. We need to search the interior, so please cooperate.”

“A subversive individual?”

“You don’t need to know the details.”

At the commander of the Knights’ signal, the Royal Guard knights began to search the compartment thoroughly, examining every corner, including the chairs and beds. They even searched my person and emptied my backpack, taking out all the contents. It happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to protest. As I stood there, dumbfounded, I felt a piercing gaze. The crown prince was watching me with an intense curiosity. Why was he looking at me like that? As I frowned slightly, I heard a knight shout, “There’s nothing!”

I didn’t know what they were looking for, but fortunately, they hadn’t found it. I looked at them, silently urging them to leave if they were finished, but the crown prince smiled with an amused expression.

“Did you say your name was El?”

“Yes, why?”

As if remembering something, the commander of the Knights turned his attention to me.

“Are you a citizen of the kingdom?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your greeting was a little unusual, so I asked. When greeting His Highness, it’s customary to state your name and place of origin, but you didn’t mention anything. Would you please tell us your place of origin, including your family name and given name?”

“Why do I have to tell you that?”

“If you don’t cooperate, I will arrest you for obstructing the performance of official duties.”

I just learned that obstructing the performance of official duties is a crime in this world. Shouldn’t they have a search warrant? Why were they doing whatever they wanted? This is what happens with autocratic royal power! Deep annoyance welled up, but I tried to suppress it, reminding myself that I was dealing with the crown prince. For now, it seemed they weren’t investigating yesterday’s murder, which was a small mercy. After calming myself, I made up a story.

“My place of origin is Ebas Eden, and my name is El. My last name is Elyuen.”

“Ebas Eden? I’ve never heard of it.”

“That’s probably right. It’s in a very remote location.”

Of course, it’s too far for humans to even reach. I conveniently omitted that it wasn’t in the kingdom. Let them imagine the rest.

I thought I had controlled myself, but a hint of sarcasm must have slipped through. The commander of the Knights frowned, clearly displeased. He opened his mouth to speak, but the crown prince, who had been casually looking around, interrupted in a dismissive tone.

“It’s second class, but why are you alone? Where is your companion?”

“Ah, my companion is in the restroom…”

“There’s only one backpack.”

“I’m keeping all the luggage.”

“Bring them in.”

The crown prince’s order wasn’t directed at me but at the door behind me. The knights standing there brought forward the frozen-stiff attendants who were in charge of my compartment. My face fell in despair.

“Have you ever seen this person’s companion?”

The attendants seemed to consider the question for a moment, then exchanged puzzled glances. They realized they had never met my supposed companion. Their natural reaction brought a bitter sigh to my lips.

Damn it, I should have just said I was traveling alone from the start. I was preparing for Elyuen’s return (definitely not because of the two meals), but it seems that my foresight is about to backfire.