I had been planning the magic train project with Mr. Lotson for a while now. It had been suspended due to insufficient manpower and material but the turning point has finally come.

I mobilized my people the other day to dig through the large amount of magic stones we found the other day and that has been proceeding at a fast pace. I told them to be careful of accidents and I also set up a facility there for that purpose, so we can expect a good stable collection rate after some time pa.s.ses.

While it is obvious that magic stones will be needed for the magic train itself, it will also be spread at regular intervals over the rail. The pilot will pour their mana into the train and the magic stone will convert that into energy and turn the wheels. As the train keeps moving forward, it will slowly lose the energy. That's where the magic stones, spread over the rail in intervals, come in. Just when the energy is dying out, the next magic stone will amplify it.

By having the magic stone in the train perform the role of preserving the mana and the magic stone on the rail perform the role of amplifying it, the train will be able to keep moving for a long period of time.

The capital is now in a state of confusion after Rahsa returned with information regarding the new weapon. I feel sorry for him because I sent a letter detailing the train on top of that. It was in order to receive the king's permission. Although I could have gone ahead with it if I had gotten permission from all the landlords, I want the king's permission since the train will be going through the country. If Helan, which is at the very east of Kudan, is connected to the capital, which is towards the west, this country will experience distribution of goods like never before. If the train track starts and ends at Helan, a countryside territory, we can expect a huge amount of profit.

Prosperity like never before awaits Helan. I can't help but feel excited.

I felt it would be a waste to not do anything while waiting for response to come from the capital, so I decided to start building the departure station in Helan territory. In the worst case scenario where the capital doesn't approve of it, I could just have the train go around Helan territory. There's no reason to stay idle.

I entrusted everything about the financing and personnel management of the first station to Mr. Lotson. There are many people here who are good at construction so there's no need to worry. He will probably come back with a good report after a month if I leave it to him.

Leaving that aside, I need to start making the magic train.

It might turn out to be the iron foot which runs around the whole country. I need to put all my skills and techniques as a blacksmith into it.

I gathered people who specialize in different fields and are involved in manufacturing in the craftsmen street. A total of 100 people were gathered in the huge warehouse where the manufacturing will take place. I confirmed each and every one of them. We will be performing the fundamental manufacturing with these members. Of course, I will have their apprentices also work in the actual thing but the members here right now will be the core team.

"We will be taking a legendary step forward starting now. Let's build up the train like our lives depend on it!

They all agreed heartily.

And like this, the manufacturing of the magic train began.

Without knowing how harsh and long that path is and that even our wish of progressing a little wouldn't come true…

Just kidding—we had almost completed a practical model in about a week!

Naturally, not everything was done yet. We would need to make a much larger one for actual use and the ma.s.s would also differ. We will be making a big chunk of iron run, it would naturally be troublesome…

However, we were able to get an idea of how much energy is needed to move the body of the train with people and baggage. I am still not sure if the actual thing will run, considering its ma.s.s. We just succeeded with a small scale version. It's all just theoretically possible at this stage. The fact that we were able to produce this much energy and still have energy left after making the train move gives us firm confidence.

This explosive energy can probably move the magic train and with the help of the magic stones set up on the track at regular intervals, the speed will also be maintained. Just by imagining it, I could feel more strength flowing into my clenched fist.

We started off by a.s.suming the ma.s.s of the magic train precisely and calculating exactly how much energy we need to move it and what kind of system we need to produce that kind of energy.

At first, I was too caught up with the thought of using the energy from the magic stone to directly move the wheels but later came to the conclusion that that can't properly move the heavy train. It would take immense amount of mana from the pilot and a large number of magic stones. On top of that, the magic train's weight cost and personnel expenses couldn't be maintained.

The energy wasn't efficient enough to go through all of Kudan kingdom. It was so ridiculous that someone even said that travelling by horses would be far easier and better than that.

Anguis.h.i.+ng times went by and it was just when I had thought that the development won't move forward—when I was listening to everyone's discussion while leaning on that thing- that it popped up in my head.

The thing I was leaning on was the Watering Machine 3.

This is it! It was the moment when something had descended onto my mind.

However, right after, Eli brought lunch with all the married ladies of Craftsmen Street. We were all hungry, and eating together with everyone makes the food more delicious too and so we were in high spirits and started eating right there in the warehouse.

We all got a bit too excited talking about Helan territory's future and ended up drinking a bit and fell asleep there.

The following day, the idea had flown away from my mind….

Ehhh, what was I thinking about again?!

Ahhh!! It feels like it's right there on the tip of my mind!!

AAAAHHHHH!!!

I needed two days to remember it. Now when I look back on it, that was the most useless and bitter time I spent then.

That was the trigger again. While I was dazedly walking, all tired, I hit my little toe on the Watering Machine.

After the sharp pain went away, it came again.

I don't really feel like remembering the workers' face as they looked at me with a frightened expression as I was happy while in agony.

"Everyone, attention!! I have come up with a great idea."

I stood on the stage in the middle and said in a loud voice which reverberated throughout the warehouse.

This was my idea–

Up till now, we had been directly sending the energy to the wheels.

But in that case, we needed an immense amount of energy to move the magic train.

However, if we were to use the Watering Machine to jet out wind magic at the opposite direction of movement of the magic train, won't that strength be enough to make the wheels move?