Book 3: Chapter 2: First Arrival in Asura
The train sped along the tracks, cutting through level, perfectly even plains. The view outside the windows was especially grand, fields laid out in neat squares, pale yellow and green alternating.
A day had passed since departure, and the new students in the carriage had gone through the initial excitement. Except for a few still chatting with companions, the car had quieted down.
Some leaned on the tables and slept, some took out the books they had brought and opened them on their seats to pass the time.
Sylutia had expected other new students to take the seat beside her, but after a day of travel the spot remained empty, as if the ticket for that seat belonged only to her.
She leaned against the window, covered her body with a thin blanket, then tilted sideways a little, closed her eyes, and slowly drifted into a nap.
The carriage rocked as it sped, occasionally emitting a clanking sound, but this environment helped many new students adapt; many were able to fall asleep and rest as they would in normal surroundings.
Two days later, the train stopped at a mid-route town to resupply fuel and food, and the new students could disembark to stretch their legs. This station was built on a hillside outside the town, offering a view of the distant scenery.
Wrapped in a warm knitted shawl, Sylutia put on her small leather shoes and stepped down from the train onto the stone-bricked station platform. A few paces ahead, she could see various wildflowers growing along the steps.
“Finally out. I almost went crazy these past two days,” a new student shouted at the edge of the steps, releasing pent-up energy, then jumped down. That action drew a crowd of onlookers.