The three of us had a harder ti than expected grabbing train tickets to the front lines. At first, I tried to go for an airship ticket instead. However, they were even more overloaded than the trains. With how desperate the situation was, trying to get to the front lines was difficult.
Eventually, I managed to secure a ticket for myself by volunteering as a healer. I was well known in town for my healing abilities. Once I signed an agreent to heal soldiers who were injured, the trains were more than happy to give a ticket. It proved to be impossible to get two more tickets, unfortunately. With how strained supply lines were, everyone needed to get their own ticket.
Anise had a harder ti securing a ticket than I did. Her abilities weren't quite as useful. Anise had to claim that her force manipulation ability could hurt the worldstriders before she got a ticket. That wasn't a lie, but it was dependent on bringing us to the worldstrider layer of space first.
Felix got the strangest response when he showed up to get a ticket. Unlike Anise and I, Felix was pretty well-known now. The researchers in the railroad team had all been featured in various newspapers and academic papers. While they weren't household nas, they were still public figures. And Felix, as the youngest 'expert researcher,' was unusually well-known among the team. When he showed up and asked to buy a ticket, the soldier gave Felix a wide-eyed look that reminded of a deer looking at a car's headlights.
“Umm… Felix?” asked the soldier, giving Felix a surprised look.
“Yes?” asked Felix.
"Are you the one who helped create railroads?"
"I am. Why do you ask?"
“Why do you want to go to the front lines of a warzone? I assud you were working on so sort of new invention. Even if you aren't, the front lines aren't a good place for a researcher and inventor. It would be a loss for the whole country to lose a bright mind like you. You could be accomplishing much greater things in a research lab.”
Felix laughed, and held up his hand. Unlike before, several chunks of his hand were now made of tal. His knuckles, as well as the front of his palms, looked as if they steel instead of skin. Felix's quick prosthetic additions looked nacing and natural. If I didn't know the truth, I might have believed he had been born with part-tal hands.
“I’m not joining the front lines on a lark. I’m here to test out a new invention.”
“Testing a new invention?” The soldier frowned. “Shouldn’t you leave battlefield testing to soldiers? You’re too valuable to do risk losing in a fight. I can't approve of letting you buy a ticket. My superiors would have my head once they go over the ticket list.”
“So things need field testing to work. I need to do so fine-tuning for the prosthetics if they’re going to be of any use. Besides, I have Miria and Anise to keep safe. There's nobody in the world I would trust more with my safety." Felix's lips quirked up in a small, amused grin as he said that. "I don't intend to return from the front lines in a body bag. I just need to do a bit of testing."
The soldier gave Felix a hesitant look… before he sighed. “Fine. I’m not entirely sure if this is a good idea, but... you can also buy a ticket. But you two better keep him safe," he said, as he glared at Anise and I. "If he gets hurt during this expedition, I'll make sure you two suffer the consequences. Our country needs extraordinary researchers and inventors." I gave the soldier a solemn nod, which seed to satisfy him. With that, all three of us had tickets for the train. Two hours later, the train arrived, and we got on board.
Unlike the prototype Felix and his team had developed, this train looked sleeker and more refined. It was obvious that other teams of inventors had streamlined and improved the previous model. There was a thick layer of armor on the outside of the train - possibly to ward off worldstrider attacks. There were also several carriages of supplies on the train, carrying a variety of things. Everything from eerie black swords, to stones, to dical supplies and food was present.
The insides of the train were spartan, and packed with people. I felt like a sardine in a can as I squished into my seat between a few other soldiers. Anise and Felix squeezed in behind . My seat was hard and uncomfortable, and unlike the airship, there were no windows in the train. There were a few artificial lights, but they weren't enough to dispel the gloomy darkness.
said Anise.
comnted Felix.
He lapsed into thought as our surroundings continued to clear out.
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