(One month later)
It was time. A large crowd gathered in front of a special podium. Ceremonial decorations were present. It wasn't a festival, but it was an occasion. They were gathered at a train station, the first of many. On the train track, a massive locomotive stood. 16 feet high, 75 feet long, and weighing more than 200 tons. It was a beast of steel. It made everyone look small. Connected was also a long train of cars, some specialized for different products, like food, raw materials, magic items, weapons, and more.
On the podium were Artoria and Gazel, along with their small entourage. It was a classic ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the train connection between Tempest and Dwargon, and also to show the strong relations between their countries. Not only is it an opening ceremony, but it is also the maiden voyage for the train. It would carry food, timber, finished products, various raw materials, and more to Dwargon.
Not only would it be a sight to see as it starts up, but it was also a test to see if everything would work as the theory was put forth. It should, considering Raphael also checked on the plans, but theory and reality are always different. But everything would be alright.
It was a short ceremony. Few words were spoken by Artoria and Gazel, since the main thing was to witness the train moving. Artists were painting and drawing the scene for future reference, and since this would be an important part of history. After the pleasantries, various train workers started loading everything into the carts. The heavy lifting was done by orcs and by pulley systems when things were too high to stack or move. Food was moved into refrigerated cars, timber was strapped onto flat cars, items and weapons were put in crates, and then on flat cars. It was a massive coordinated effort.
At the same time, the engineer and conductor were running their last checks. They've read the manual over and over again on how to operate it. The good thing was that Vesta, Kaijin, and mostly Raphael were thoughtful enough to make the controls simple. Most of the work would be done by using the power of magicules, but they needed the knowledge just in case. They've trained as best they could in simulated environments, but now it was time for real experience. If they did well, they would go on to mentor new workers for the many other train networks that were under construction in the present and in the future.
Throughout the cargo train were also guards. Though some magic wards were built into the train, it was better to have them just in case. They would handle any wildlife that attacked the train or anyone bold, or stupid, enough to try to rob the train. It was an official agency put in place by Artoria called the "Railroad Security Agency," which was a bit generic, but it got the points across. They were fully authorized to kill and had arresting powers, as well as having some protections and immunity from the law, as long as it related to their job in guarding the railroads. This was in case they had to do something beyond the borders of the Empire. If that were the case, they would be extradited, the situation investigated, and then set free to return to their job or be punished depending on what happened. With the amount of money involved, Atoria saw it as beyond serious to do this.
When everything was finally loaded onto the various cars, it was time to see to start.
"Here it is, Rimuru, the first step of many in the empire's global dominance. We're on the verge of being a superpower, Rimuru. Military dominance, diplomatic influence, our population size, our vast geography and size, technology, and now, our economic strength, is going to skyrocket with these trains." Artoria whispered to Rimuru as they prepared to see the train start its voyage.
Rimuru looked at Artoria weirdly. This obsession with global power was a little concerning. "When did you become so aggressive with this? I know we need the best, but is such power necessary?"
"Yes, it is, Rimuru. As for why I'm doing this? It's simple, I want to leave my children a place they can be proud of. It may not seem like it from what I've said or my actions, but it's the truth. Or at least, it's my truth. People definitely won't see it like that in the future when they study this point in history."
"You're looking that far into the future already?"
"You kind of need to when you're the empress of such a large empire."
"Will you ever pass it down?"
"Probably. I'll leave it to one of my kids."
"What about succession? It'll be weird to pass it down when all your children have a claim to the throne."
Artoria stayed quiet for a while, staring at the train as the wheels and tracks started to glow from the magic that started to power it. "Damn it, you're right. Whatever, I'll deal with it soon. And it's not like all of them will want to be empress or emperor. I'll raise them well. I definitely won't spoil them or bend to their whim, that's for sure."
Rimuru looked a little doubtful at Artoria's statement. "Yeah, right. Sure."
"Pay attention, Rimuru, it's about to start."
In the next moment, two short and powerful blasts of the train whistle sounded around the area to everyone watching.
"Oh, yeah, now that's what I'm talking about."
"Does it have to have that whistle?"
"Of course, it does, Rimuru. It sounds way better than an air horn, and the sound of a train whistle is so cool, so there's that, but wait, the best part is to come."
Just then, large puffs and blasts of white smoke appeared from the top of the train and from its side.
"Is that steam? I thought it was powered by magicules."
"That's just for aesthetics, and to make it look cool."
"You serious?"
"Yeah, of course. Rule of cool, you know."
The train wheels started moving, and the train began to make the distinct chugging sound as it started to move. It started slowly before it started to pick up speed. The chugging got faster and louder, and when it went fast enough, the ground vibrated slightly from the weight of the cargo train as it moved. Eventually, it left the station and was on its way to Dwargon.
"I consider that a success, Rimuru. Well, now we wait for it to return and then do a report on how it went."
/\\//\\//\
After the ceremony, Artoria and Gazel exchanged a few more pleasantries before leaving, taking with him his pegasus that had fully recovered from giving birth. With the train connection to Dwargon established, she could focus on diverting more resources to domestic construction. With the workers who had experience in building railroads now going to the workforce in the domestic side, they can pass on the knowledge and techniques to the less experienced ones, further increasing construction speed.
And after that, those workers will build the connection to Lubellious across Northern Ingrassia.
And speaking of that.
"Lady Pendragon, the Northern Army is making significant progress. Supplies sent by us and Lubellious are achieving higher than expected results. The military advisors sent by Lubellious have transformed the Northern Army into a proper army instead of a disorganized militia. Medical supplies have cut down casualties of the Northern Army, and the weapons and technology being sent are causing the South to sustain massive casualties, bordering on unsustainable."
Soeui gave his report to Artoria as she was in a private room.
"Why hasn't the South surrendered yet? If they don't surrender, the North might as well just conquer everything."
"From what I've gathered, the Western States are secretly supplying the South, at least so they don't get fully overrun. Messages I've also intercepted seem to suggest that the Western States are helping them draft surrender agreements, trying to salvage anything they can."
"They're still bold enough to supply them after all the pressure we put on them in this past month? Well, let them. They're only doing this to have a bulwark against the North, since they don't seem to be friendly toward the Western States. They want to use the South as little cushion just in case anything happens. Well, the war is basically won at this point, and the South will be a pseudo-puppet state of the Western States. Dismissed, Souei."
Soeui disappeared in a blur again.
Artoria pulled out a mini-calendar and marked off another month.
"Five. Just five more months. Five more months, and this world will shine in brightness."