Chapter 12:
'It's been a month and a half since the start of the project. It went quite slow at first, but now we are advancing very fast. The smithing of William has worked wonders, and he works faster than other smiths, maybe he has a divine protection and is unaware? Anyway, today is the planting festival and the first edition of "The First Great Exhibition" I hope Emilia-tan convinced him to come here.' Subaru was occupied in his thoughts while sowing together the book mean for Emilia.
'Roswaal will also bring with him the new members of the new security force. I am happy that they are all volunteers from both Irlam Village and Sanctuary. To think that I am already forming a royal guard for Emilia to eventually use…They should arrive any moment now.' Subaru looked at the magic clock and saw it was 9:00 AM.
Subaru finished the book for Emilia. Meanwhile Beatrice was helping Ivan to plan a machine that was not detailed enough in the book Subaru got, it was supposed to machine metal and save time for manufacturing. William was working hard in the mill making more carts for the train. They had finished the locomotive a few days ago and had made 2 carts for it, one for transport of people and another for transport of cargo.
At 9:48 AM the Emilia camp finally arrived at the house, Subaru and Beatrice received them and finished whatever they were doing to take them to the rooms they reserved in the town's inn. Once they unpacked everything and installed themselves in the town, they started to go through the planting festival.
They noticed that most stands are oriented towards showing the different ways farmers tended to the cotton plants in the different terrains the farms had, one had games about drying out a swamp and preparing the soil for planting. Also present where the ways the highest quality textiles of the town where made, the ones that Subaru's machines couldn't make yet and where only sold to nobles. But unlike previous years they also had a few stands made by the miners from the White Walers Company and a few stands had hunting oriented games made by people from Elior Forest who made an unexpected appearance.
All of the group was having a fun time, but every time Subaru saw Rem, he looked away flooded with negative emotions and so started to avoid her.
Emilia: "Did you do anything to Subaru to get him this upset?"
Rem: "Not that I am aware, his behavior bothers me to."
Emilia: "Maybe I should ask him? What do you think?"
Rem: "Do as you wish princess but if he keeps on like this, I will solve any problem he has with me."
Emilia: "I don't think you should do something so…reckless, besides you can't quite fix the problem anyways."
Rem: "What do you mean?"
Emilia: "Beatrice already told you how he feels guilty for not saving you."
Rem: "But he saved me in Vollachia, do you really think he still has hope of regaining the old me?"
Emilia: "I haven't asked him, but it would be foolish of him to have such hope, the last gluttony already told us that only one think can be given back, in your case, it was the name."
Rem: "I hate the high bar the old me left. But are we even sure it's that?"
Emilia: "What else could it be? I'll here you out."
Rem: "…"
Emilia: "In that case its decided, I will take Subaru on a date today and we will address the issue you…created?...are?"
Rem: "I am containing myself because we are in public but stop addressing me as if I was a liability."
Emilia: "Unreliable then?"
Rem stomps on Emilia's foot getting a small "Ek!" out of Emilia and the conversation died with her foot.
At midafternoon Emilia and Subaru were enjoying their date until she asked him the question.
Emilia: "Subaru, why are you so upset with Rem? Did she do anything?"
Subaru: "What do you mean upset? I was only nervous since I haven't seen her in a while."
Emilia: "Is it really like that? You did seem very sad looking at her."
Subaru: "Y-yes Emilia-tan" Subaru had a metaphorical box in his head where he would put all negative emotions into, in time he had learned how to make it bigger, but the emotions from seeing Rem where almost too much and Emilia's words suddenly made that box smaller.
Emilia: "Subaru why are you crying?"
Subaru: "B-because…" He cut his sentence and made the mental box bigger. "Do you think we failed to rescue Rem?"
Emilia: "I have to say that saving the old Rem was probably impossible from the start…"
Subaru: "Don't say that! Maybe if I had tried another way…"
Emilia: "Geez. Subaru let's stop talking about such a depressing thing in public alright?"
Subaru: "Y-yes Emilia-tan" He suddenly noticed that he had gotten slightly mad at Emilia and that people where now looking weirdly at them.
Emilia: "Once we are in private, we can talk about this. For now, just try your hardest not to be so obviously sad about Rem. Are you capable of doing so?"
Subaru: "Just give me a few minutes to prepare myself and I will do so. Anyways, how about we go play that game over there?"
The date went on with both having a wonderful time. Soon night stuck the world and the couple headed to the Inn where the rest of the camp was waiting for them to eat dinner. All went fine and Subaru managed to keep his guilt and sadness in the box. After dinner Emilia invited Subaru to her room.
Subaru: "Now, why would a beautiful woman invite me to her room after dinner?"
Emilia: "To help out a handsome hero maybe?"
Subaru: "What? Did you just…?"
Emilia: "No!" Emilia was red like a tomato realizing her one response. "Well…maybe…regardless I invited you here to help you." She had regained composure and the red on her faced died out.
Subaru: "Is it about what we talked earlier?" Subaru had a grim expression and was ready to expand his box.
Emilia: "You feel guilty, don't you?" Subaru's plan was shot down by Emilia on her first move. "In reality all in the camp who got to meet her feel guilty. But we couldn't have avoided what happened could we?" Subaru's box had shrunk incredibly and now all the emotions within came out.
Subaru: "W-what do you k-know?" Subaru was starting to cry. "I-it was m-my f-fault…"
Emilia: "Why Subaru? Why was her encounter with Gluttony and Geed your fault? Why do you insist it's your fault?"
Subaru: "B-because…I sent her back to the capitol with Crusch!"
Emilia: "How could you have known she was to encounter the 2 archbishops?"
Subaru: "I should have known! I should have kept her by my side!"
Emilia: "But why? Why should you have known?"
Subaru: "How else could I be Rem's hero if I didn't save her?!"
Emilia: "But you saved what you could. You still kept the new Rem safe."
Subaru: "But I don't want the new Rem!"
Emilia: "…" She was shocked with what she just heard.
Subaru: "I-I didn't mean to…" Subaru covered his mouth and now broke down crying into incoherent sobs.
Emilia: "Its ok. Its normal to feel sad when a loved one dies just let it out." A single tear found its way down her cheek while she briefly remembered her mother.
Subaru eventually cried himself to sleep and Emilia took him and Beatrice all the way to the House and tugged him into his bed.
The next day in the town on a brand-new building constructed by the Whalers Company. There was a crowd and Subaru was addressing the crowd
Subaru: "I Subaru Natsuki, Emilia's only knight am here to officially announce the inauguration of 'The First Great Exhibition' unlike other exhibitions this one will have two locations, here and at the new industrial center of the White Whalers Company!"
William pulled a lever and the white blanket that covered half of the station was lifted revealing the train with 3 carts. "Chuuuuu!". "Starting, the train!" Subaru yelled. The crowed was stunned by the big metal beast behind the hero but soon recuperated their senses. Then the train station staff revealed all the stands for the people to see.
(Note: I am not sure as to what exact power Russell wields within Lugnica's government, so here he is something like a "Economic Minister" from our world government.)
Russell: "Hello Sir Subaru, Lady Emilia told me your message."
Subaru: "Hello Russell. I'm glad Emilia-tan convinced you to come."
Russell: "So Sir Subaru, why exactly did you want me here?"
Subaru: "You see this don't you?"
Russell: "Indeed, I hope you didn't bring me here just to show of a new toy of yours."
Subaru: "What are you saying? Now come aboard we have to talk business."
Russell: "On that thing?"
Subaru: "Yes I have seats for us, and other members of the camp reserved on the first cart. We will be at the industrial center in no time."
Russell: "But what about all the stuff here? I know its valuable."
Subaru: "It is, but this here is the boring part of the Exhibition, its oriented to the general populace of the town hence the agricultural machinery and methods of planting and fertilizing."
Russell: "Lead the way then."
They got in the train and Subaru told him about the technical capabilities of trains, max cargo, top speeds and distances. Once the train stated to move Russell and the other passengers where left dumbfounded, they would go to the industrial center to see other creations Subaru was willing to show Russell and other civilians. But Subaru managed to secure his primary objective halfway to the destination.
Russell: "So you are saying that your company is willing to make and manage a fleet of these iron snakes to move goods and people across the kingdom?"
Subaru: "And also build the roads these things use."
Russell: "What you want in return?"
Subaru: "To get a tax exemption and to not have to buy the terrains the roads would go on."
Russell: "No one is evading taxes, ok? But I can give you grants to cover the cost of constructing the roads and give your company the terrains needed to expand the roads outside the Mathers domain."
Subaru: "You seem a bit to onboard with this, what are you planning?"
Russell: "Do you have any idea how helpful such infrastructure would be? The building of roads will hire so many people you could singlehandedly get the economy of the nation going again. Not even considering the reduced cost of transporting goods if this 'Train' is as good as you say."
Subaru: "In that case we have a deal. Here, this paper has the details of what we plan to construct, the price is for you and your staff to calculate." Russel receives the paper.
Russell: "Fair enough."
They shake hands sealing the deal. The company will get grants covering 100% of the construction cost of the railways to connect the 6 great cities of Lugnica and the industrial center near the town to the capitol. Subaru then went towards Roswaal's seat to ask a question.
Subaru: "Hey Ros-chi, is it too hard for mages to fly?"
Roswaal: "What an interesting question you have. For the most part is takes fire affinity to heat air bellow you and simultaneously cool air in above you, one can also use wind affinity to achieve an initial lift and have more precise movement along with better speeds."
Subaru: "So one needs 2 affinities?"
Roswaal: "Not exactly, fire affinity is enough to fly, while wind is more of an auxiliary force."
Subaru: "Then why don't we see everyone with fire affinity flying if it's so easy?"
Roswaal: "Because one has to know exactly where and how much to cool and heat the air, considering the conditions of wind, humidity and pressure change constantly during flight its overwhelming for almost everyone."
Subaru: "How do you not get overwhelmed then?"
Roswaal: "You see, my family teaches its newborns with fire affinity how to fly ever since they are conscious, so for any Roswaal with fire affinity the calculations and variations are more of an afterthought. It also burns a lot of mana in the long run, so a large mana pool is also necessary."
Subaru: "Do you think you could make a metia to make the calculation part of the flying?"
Roswaal: "Hm…Maybe, but what for?"
Subaru: "If we are to defy Vollachia in the battlefield we have to deal with the dragon riders somehow, so I want a way to get a few flying soldiers."
Roswaal: "Making just one would be expensive and time consuming, not to mention is would probably be large and unwieldy…"
Subaru: "Even if that is the case, I want to ask you to please make a functioning one. We here will keep on developing it to make more useful and battle worthy."
Roswaal: "Well I can't dedicate all my time to the metia but in 6 months it could be ready."
Subaru: "Works for me we still have a bit more than a year for the selection to be over and for hostilities to start."
The train arrived at the Industrial station and all the passengers got off to wave the train as it went away making a "CHUUU!". The exhibition here was to demonstrate and show off the machines that Subaru's Dev. Division had made, very few games and food stand where present unlike in the town.
They all started to look at the different machines. First seen was a stand with a few models of steam engines showing the progress from the most basic one to a sudden giant leap to the high pressure one, William was in charge of explaining the basics of how they worked omitting a few crucial details. They then saw a few machines with engines hooked on them, they did many things, one made cotton threads, another fabric, one spined very fast and cut wood as if it was paper, the last spined fast and it cut metal blocks into different shapes. All machines were explained by Subaru, Beatrice and Ivan to the visitors in very simple ways and omitting most of the details that would make replicating them possible.
Russell was impressed by the machines Subaru's division had made and also found the source of cheap cloth that had been a mystery in the capitol so far. He was glad that someone else would get the economy rolling for him, but worried about what the merchant lords and a particular candidate would do once they had to compete with him.
Roswaal was also impressed his money wasn't just dumped into a burning fire like he initially thought. He was happy to here that Subaru had also managed to turn a profit, but the expenses so far still outweighed the gains.
The rest of the camp where mostly impressed by the train and the cutting machines. They were now just having fun learning about Subaru's work here. But everyone still noticed Subaru's stiff interactions and reactions towards Rem. Emilia just dismissed it as having to give Subaru more time to accept the facts, but Subaru's attitude was infecting Ram too. So, the group decide to separate into two separating Subaru and Rem.
(Sorry for the long delay between this chapter and the previous one, I am quite occupied with university and will be for the next week, so don't expect any new updates within this week.)