My Wife Waited in the Wheat Fields

PR: Cursed

In first class, each seat was divided by a partition.

Not just any regular partition, of course.

There were no less than three magical functions for each of the seats.

Soundproofing, view blocking, and cushioning.

It was clear that these were seats for nobility.

The coziness eased Tyria’s nerves a bit.

This didn’t last long, of course.

Choo-Choo–!

Tyria stiffened as the train rattled loudly with the sound of a blaring horn.

What followed was even worse.

Considering her motion sickness, it was a challenge to have Tyria sitting by the window.

And, it seemed like the speed at which the scenery whizzed by was beginning to make her wobble.

Elric wore a wry smile and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Her shoulders were shaking slightly.

And for some reason, her upright posture was slowly crumbling.

Her gaze was no longer on the scenery outside the window, but on her lap.

Elric had never seen a woman with such a severe case of technophobia before in his life.

He felt a surge of pity for her, as she was so frightened.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“Yes, please.”

It sounded more like a plea than a request.

Elric knocked twice on the cubicle.

The door opened and a polite employee appeared.

“Sir, you called for me?”

“Please bring us two cups of tea. I’m not particular about the type… and what would you like, Milady?”

“Darya Leaf tea, please.”

“I see.”

Darya Leaf was a common tea leaf grown in the East.

And it was famous for its calming effects.

“I’ll have it ready in a moment. Would you like some snacks as well?”

“Just something simple, please.”

“Alright.”

True to his word, the employee brewed the tea at a fairly quick pace.

And a few cookies were brought out with the tea, but Tyria didn’t even touch them.

What Elric saw afterwards was a curious sight.

Clatter, Clatter–

The woman who never made a clinking sound, not even when she was eating, was now rattling her teacup.

And her face was completely lost.

She sipped her tea, but it was a completely mechanical motion.

He started to feel a bit sorry for her.

“…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to take the train.”

“Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I was just saying.”

“You sure like to joke, Milord.”

For how long was she going to play the tough guy?

Her stubbornness was enough to make him stick out his tongue at her.

But, she didn’t seem to want to be cajoled, so there was no need for him to make a scene.

Elric doesn’t bring up the subject anymore.

For the next two hours, there was a strange silence in the room, a silence created by Tyria’s nervousness.

A meal was served halfway through, but Tyria barely managed to finish her portion, and afterward, she tried to calm herself down by reading a book, which only made her motion sickness worse.

She looked like she was being tortured.

But they couldn’t get off a train that they’d already boarded.

Elric’s hand was silently and gently patting Tyria’s back.

Normally, she would not have reacted to such a gesture,

“…Please, excuse me for a moment.”

Tyria leaned her head on Elric’s shoulder.

“…!”

Elric’s breath caught in his throat as the scent of her body became stronger.

For some reason, his breath became hot and his gaze darted away.

An unfamiliar tension plagued him, but not for long.

“…Milady?”

He glanced over and saw that Tyria was suddenly in a very bad shape.

Her mouth was wide open.

Her eyes had lost focus.

“When will we arrive?”

The combination of nausea and fear made her trembling appearance quite pitiable.

“Uhm, I’m guessing that it’s another seven hours away.”

“So long…”

Her hand clutched pleadingly at the hem of Elric’s coat.

An awkward smile tugged at Elric’s mouth.

It was at that moment.

Ding~ Ding~ Ding~!

A bell rang through the soundproofing enchantment.

Elric’s eyes widened.

After all, there was only one bell that could transmit beyond the soundproofing magic.

“…What’s going on?”

He couldn’t answer Tyria’s question right away.

Puzzlement and bewilderment washed over him.

‘This? Really? Why?’

Because, in the last ten years, in all of his train rides, he had never experienced an accident. Yet here, today, at this hour, it had happened, an attack.

Ding!

The door opened.

An attendant was standing there stiffly.

“I-It’s a terrorist attack! Lock your cabin door and stay put, please!”

Train terrorism.

Creakily, Elric’s head snapped toward Tyria.

She was staring blankly at the attendant, as if her world had fallen apart, before she shifted her gaze to Elric.

There was blatant resentment in her eyes.

She didn’t say a word, but the intention behind her gaze was clear.

‘You said there would be no attacks.’

For some reason, those words stuck in his ears.

Then, in the next moment.

“Ah…!”

Tyria staggered, then fainted.

“M-Milady!”

Elric hastily grabbed her.

It was an unfunny coincidence.

Elric sighed heavily as he laid Tyria down on their seat.

Then, he turned to the attendant.

“What’s going on?”

The attendant’s face was clouded with embarrassment.

“Uh, it’s the train attendants.”

“The train attendants?”

“Train attendants who used to work on long-haul routes have lost their jobs due to the train company and are carrying out a dynamite attack by blowing themselves up. They’re in the second-class car…”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes?”

“My people are there.”

Of all places, it had to be the second-class car.

It was the car where Aldio and the maids were.

And they were probably in trouble now.

Elric stood up with his cane and left the compartment.

The clerk scrambled after him, but Elric had no time for him.

“Okay, just give me a second! I’ll be right back…”

“It’s okay. If something happens to me, I won’t blame you.”

To the clerk, no accident would be as big as accidentally involving a nobleman.

Elric understood that, but he hadn’t lived a life where he was afraid of explosives.

He was even willing to sneak out and kill the terrorists if he had to.

And he had already crossed the line.

“T-That’s not what I meant! I was just saying that we don’t need help!”

As the employee spoke, a view of the second class carriage unfolded before them.

In that moment, Elick froze in place, visibly shaken.

“Alright, the situation is over! Let’s all help in the clean up. You there, collect the bombs, and you, hide these bodies somewhere where they’re less visible. Come on, passengers, the train is now safe. This is… well, let’s just call it a momentary crisis. A sudden quandary in your otherwise carefree lives? How about that?”

There was a man there, speaking eloquently whilst giving out orders.

He was thin and elongated, had hair that flowed down to his waist in a braid with ornaments attached all throughout, and his attire was an ornate masterpiece of gold and black.

“A terrorist attack done by former train attendants, news only worthy of a small corner of the newspaper. Well, since I’ve taken care of the incident, I suppose that’ll put it on the front page, and this might be a good time to go through a process of investigating those who have a potential for terrorism overall. Hmm, yes. You can all rest assured now. That concludes my dedication to your convenience. Always at your service…”

He took a long, exaggerated bow.

“Edward White, chairman of EW.”

“Woohoo!!!”

Cheers vibrated through the train carriage.

The man’s grin widened beyond description.

Elick felt confusion wash over him.

Then he felt a tingling sensation in his knee.

‘Why?’

Was that man here?

Elric’s complexion turned cold.

His eyes narrowed with wariness and hostility.

“Hmm?”

Edward Wight spun around and faced Elric.

He grinned and said,

“Oh dear….”

There was a mischievous expression on his face.

“…What an astonishing stroke of luck.”

His badge, embossed with the image of a huge palace, glowed on his chest.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Four months?”

“What’s the big occasion?”

“A big occasion? There’s none at all.”

Edward laughed through gritted teeth.

“Come on, let’s move to our seats.”

He brushed past Elric and headed for the first class carriages.

Elick continued to gaze at him with eyes that were used for his enemies.

He couldn’t help it.

Edward Wight.

The head of a corporation called EW, the greatest mind the continent had ever seen, and the alchemist who was said to have seen the truth of the world itself.

And, in honor of such a man, a moniker was bestowed upon him.

The Goldsmith.

He was Edward the Goldsmith, one of the Seven Powerhouses of the Continent.

He was the Duke of Gold, the real ruler of the Kingdom of Armin.

And he was the one who had shattered Elric’s knee in the Autumn War.

Elric’s knee ached.

“Are you going to move?”

His golden eyes glinted beyond his monocle.

“Or are you just going to continue standing there?”

He grinned a grin that was almost comical, like a clown’s.

Elric glared at him harshly and started heading for the first class cars.

They arrived at Edward’s seat, which had the widest legroom among all the first class seats.

“Here, have a seat.”

Edward sank into the couch and gestured to the seat across from him.

“Oh esteemed swordsman!”

Edward said, in a friendly tone, as if he were meeting an old friend.

“You appear to be well!”

Elric’s hand that was on his cane filled with power.

His perception of the space around him naturally expanded.

It filled the size of the room, which only contained the two men in it.

Edward definitely had a weapon.

But Elric’s reflexes would probably be faster than it.

And so, Elric started pondering.

Why was he here?

Was this all truly a coincidence?

‘No.’

It couldn’t be.

The man before him was the owner of the train they were one and the entirety of the railroad system.

Suddenly, he became worried about Tyria’s safety.

‘If necessary…’

He would have to kill him and make an escape.

Elric’s eyes grew cold.

And became reminiscent of the look that the Sword Demon Kasha would have on the battlefield.