—Thank you, Niutou, for becoming an Alliance Leader. Thank you for your continued support.
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The spacious, brightly lit carriage in pale yellow, the soft and spotless brownish-red seats, the transparent arcane glass, and the two beautiful young women in matching light blue uniforms standing before them—all of it left Lucian with a very favorable impression of the arcane steam train.
"Welcome aboard the 'Klaus' arcane steam train. This train will make seven stops and arrive in Alinor in three hours." The two young women bowed in unison with impeccable etiquette. "Honored guests, if there is anything you need, please press the arcane button on your table."
As a guest, Lucian merely smiled and gestured, leaving the arrangements to Lazar.
Lazar pulled a pocket watch from the inner breast pocket of his black double-breasted formal coat and glanced at the time. "It's one o'clock in the afternoon—plenty of time to arrive before the Parliament headquarters staff go on break. Oh, you haven't had lunch yet, have you? The arcane steam train is equipped with chefs who are proficient in cuisines from all nations. Please don't be shy—this trip is paid for by the Parliament. Of course, in the future you'll have to pay yourselves. The fare is one Gold Thaler."
"One Gold Thaler?" Not just the apprentices—even Lucian was somewhat surprised. A commoner with a middle income earned only seven or eight Gold Thalers a year. This was many times more expensive than flying on an airplane in his previous life.
Seeing the expressions on these "country bumpkins'" faces, Lazar couldn't help but smile. "Actually, the idea for arcane steam trains was proposed by Archanists long ago—they drew inspiration from devices used in mines. But being driven entirely by Magic Circles and alchemical life would be extremely expensive in materials and energy provision, and mid-tier magicians and above can basically fly on their own. So the arcane steam train was shelved under the label of 'grand but impractical,' until the legendary alchemist Klaus combined magic with mechanics to produce the steam engine, which drastically reduced the cost of running the trains."
"In this way, the arcane steam train is not only several times faster than a mid-tier magician flying on their own or relying on a magic broom, but it can also carry nearly a hundred times more passengers and cargo than an airship—and at a lower cost. That's why the planning of arcane railways and arcane steam trains was placed back on the Parliament's agenda. Four routes have already been laid, and this one from Padre Port to Alinor was the original line."
As he explained, Lazar also had Lucian and the apprentices place their orders.
"Mr. Lazar, if the costs have been reduced so much, why is the fare so expensive?" Sprint asked curiously—of all the apprentices, he was the boldest and the most willing to speak up.
Lazar and Lucian each took a seat in the cushioned chairs on either side of the table. "You should all sit down too—the train is about to depart."
"The reason it's so expensive is that the 'Klaus' is a luxury train, letting you reach Alinor quickly while enjoying fine-dining-level service. Other arcane trains charge around thirty Silver Nalers. Of course, that's still quite expensive—after all, the construction of the other routes is funded jointly by Parliament headquarters and fare revenue. In matters like these, we wouldn't dare trust those greedy bankers."
Having satisfied the apprentices' curiosity, Lazar turned to Lucian with a smile. "Once this mode of transport is rolled out more widely, the cost should come down. Evans, the Magic Parliament is in a phase of rapid development—all sorts of ingenious ideas and unbelievable innovations are springing up left and right. You could say you've arrived at the very best era. Don't waste the opportunity. Seize the chance to shift your thinking, study the Arcane, and become a *true* magician!"
The fact that he'd been assigned the task of welcoming arriving magicians and apprentices spoke volumes about Lazar—he was clearly an outgoing, kind-hearted, and enthusiastic young man.
"As a matter of fact, I've already started studying the fundamentals of Arcane under Mr. Asta. Heh, studying while simultaneously instructing three apprentices." Lucian placed the "Anbula Staff" and his vigilance longsword into the special holders by his seat, designed for magicians' gear.
Over the past month of study, Anik and Reillia had already become formal Magic Apprentices. Heidi was close but not quite there yet. This matter would be reported to the Parliament shortly as a partially completed task, so Lucian didn't keep it hidden.
Lazar nodded gently. "That's excellent. I hope we'll see you receive an official Archanist ranking soon, Evans." The unspoken part—joining the Elemental Will afterward—was tacitly left aside by everyone.
At that moment, the whistle let out a long, piercing blast. A rumbling roar filled the air, followed by the clattering of wheels against the rails.
"Whoa—the arcane steam train is actually moving!" Sprint half-rose from his seat, staring out the window, unable to believe that such a massive thing could move on its own.
Affected by his excitement, even the composed Ormos and Anik couldn't help but look out the windows, watching the platform slowly recede.
Then they began discussing it with a mixture of surprise and excitement.
"You've got quite the composure, Evans," Lazar remarked, noting that Lucian was pouring himself a glass of plain water from the transparent carafe without the slightest concern for the train's motion. He raised his golden eyebrows in a touch of admiration.
Of course, Lucian couldn't very well say he'd seen it all before. He gave a soft laugh. "It's because I'm more curious about the operating principles of the arcane steam engine. Lazar, could I go take a look at it?"