My Engagement was Cancelled so I will stop Pretending to be a Fool

The Dorua territory, the first-ever rail station of Brior, the Tempol station is filled with people.

In the summer, which is a season for vacation, many people are going back to their hometown for the holidays. The northeastern part of the Zackfil territory which is connected by the rail from the Dorua territory also holds summer resorts that boast cool climates even in summer due to being geographically high in altitude. This is why a lot of people are gathering here.

The train’s cabin ranges from first to third-class and Olivia’s party will be traveling in the first-class cabin. The first-class section is completely exclusive to its passengers with its own private restaurant.

Due to the fact that this is a four-hour trip and that they have to board the train before noon, it was scheduled for them to have their lunch on the train.

Immediately after they got on board, Olivia’s party put away their luggage in their own rooms before heading to the restaurant compartment. It was about 10 minutes after that that the train started warming its engine.

Perhaps because the entire place is reserved for first-class guests, the floor was shiny and polished. The aisle is put in the middle with chaise lounges lined up on both sides facing each other and tables between them. The chaise lounge’s seat and backrest seem fluffy and the wooden table is decorated with sunflowers.

While Cyrus sat on the window seat, Olivia seated herself on the aisle side because she is too scared to sit by the window, and Alan and Princess Florencia are sitting face to face with them respectively. Also, Legion, the princess’s escort was just a little distance away from them.

While Olivia and the others took their seats, the caterer came to receive their order. Olivia and Princess Florencia order herbal tea while Alan and Cyrus order red wine. By the time the flower-shaped sugar confectionery and cheese were served as side dishes to the tea and red wine respectively, Olivia already seemed quite tense. After all, it is about time for the train to depart.

Cyrus gently clasped Olivia’s hand under the table. Even if they are on a trip, she’s accompanying Princess Florencia so she still needs to act appropriately in public. Feeling the temperature of Cyrus’s hand through her silk gloves, Olivia’s shoulders relaxed a little.

(Nothing happened at the opening ceremony and I have His Highness Cyrus with me too. I will be okay.)

When Olivia raised her face, she was met with his smile. Olivia was about to smile back but suddenly, the train slightly shakes so she let out a small scream.

Seeing that, Cyrus took his hand off hers and pulled her close by the shoulder.

It was only shaking in the beginning and although it still makes rattling noises, the train moves forward with a smooth movement.

The scenery outside the window started to move faster and faster.

Olivia managed to regain her composure because of Cyrus’s warmth. Since this is already her second time on a train, it seems that she may have developed a kind of tolerance for it. It’s not that she’s completely calm but she’s now less tense than before.

Looking at Princess Florencia who’s leisurely drinking her herbal tea, it appears that she doesn’t find the ride particularly scary. On the other hand, Alan worriedly looks at Olivia.

Seeing that, Olivia covered her face with both hands from embarrassment because even though she told him that she would be fine, she still screamed when the train started moving.

“Good thing it’s not raining isn’t it. Here, you like blue cheese right?”

After putting honey on the blue cheese, Cyrus offered it to Olivia. Seeing that, she nodded and took the cheese from him. She was truly glad that it didn’t rain since it would be way scarier for her that way.

Shortly after the train departed, the caterer brought them the menu for lunch. At the opening ceremony, she didn’t have any meal on board since she was only traveling one station. That’s why it was unexpected for her to see that the dishes listed here are very solid. The course meal has 5 dishes ranging from appetizers to desserts. It seems that they can choose what they want for the main dish and dessert and the caterer is explaining each dish one by one. Olivia and Cyrus asked for fish dishes while Alan and Florencia asked for meat. For the dessert, they can choose between cheesecake, chocolate cake, and pudding. In the end, Olivia and the princess chose chocolate cake with a pudding for Cyrus and a cheesecake for Alan.

The appetizer consisted of small spinach quiches and salad served with tomato, basil, and cottage cheese with light white wine for the drink.

After the meal started, Olivia got used to the slight shaking of the train and her anxiety gradually subsided. Once she got used to it, she was able to enjoy the scenery outside which flowed by at a speed incomparable to what she used to on a carriage.

When they finished their lunch, everyone returned to their own room and Olivia decided to read a book until they arrived at their destination.

Since the first-class guest room is completely private, there’s almost no noise except for the noise of the wheels rattling underneath and some voices that echo from the corridor from time to time.

The book Olivia’s reading is about King Adrian, a king whose reign was in the middle era of the ancient dynasty. King Adrian was the one who built the royal palace located in the present Zackfil territory.

According to his biography, this royal palace was nicknamed the [Palace of White Rose]from its intricate layers of white walls. It was designed to keep enemy forces from reaching the King as the palace itself felt like a maze to those not used to its structure. Judging from this, it appears that King Adrian was both cautious and paranoid at the same time.

Other than its maze-like structure, it seems that there were various gimmicks installed in this palace as there seem to be secret passages that serve as escape routes for the royal family hidden everywhere inside as well.

(I wonder what kind of traps and secret passages it has…….)

While slowly flipping through the pages, Olivia started imagining what it was like in the time of King Adrian which is said to be one of the most glorious eras of the ancient dynasty’s long history.

TLN: I smell secret passages shenanigans with Tiana already……