Eating Well

The train was packed with people, all heading to the kingdom's capital, Lunengard. Lunengard and its surroundings were home to the vast majority of magic academies. There were a few other famous magic academies scattered throughout the kingdom, like the Snow-Eye Magic Academy, perched atop a frozen mountain, and many others. 

These more isolated academies were more mysterious and unknown to most people, so an Arcanist who graduated from one of these schools didn't have as many job opportunities as one who graduated from Brainheart, for example. 

Kai sat by the window, watching the scenery change constantly. They left the city and passed through plains, forests, mountains, and rivers. The train's speed was surprising, and he couldn't help but ask, "What powers this train?" 

Jane quickly answered his question, "The fuel for this train is mana stones, and it runs on both the tracks and a propulsion spell placed on the train. The person driving this train is an Arcanist, by the way. Probably a student from some institution who got this job after graduating." 

The use of magic was much more prevalent in these larger cities. In the village of Silka, Arcanists only used magic for small things. Jane, for example, healed the people of the village, who usually didn't come to her with serious injuries. A severe injury was rare, and it was usually the hunters who had been bitten by the wolves in the region. 

But in other cities, magic was everywhere, and Kai could see the positive impact on people's lives and how it had brought them technologies they had never dreamed of before. 

It was at that moment that the door of the train cabin they were in opened, and a friendly young woman was standing with a cart of sweets, "Would you like anything? We can also provide food," she said. 

Kai felt like eating sweets, but his hunger for food was greater. It had been a few hours since he had eaten, and his stomach was growling. 

"Do you have a food menu?" Kai asked. 

The young woman smiled and said, "Of course, here it is." She handed him a menu with various types of food and prices listed on the side. 

The kingdom of Aakanan used a currency called Aaknans, which were basically coins made of a material Kai wasn't familiar with. But that didn't mean that the only currency was Aaknans. Most of the population used it, but it was common for Arcanists to use other things like mana stones, artifacts, and even old coins that were no longer in circulation. 

Kai read the prices and saw that they were a bit steep, but Jane said, "You can get whatever you want. I have a good amount of money, and I'm also going to start teaching again." 

After hearing that, Kai looked for some familiar items on the menu. He was starving, so he didn't want to experiment with too many things and instead wanted to play it safe and fill his stomach so he wouldn't starve. He chose a dish that consisted of a type of pasta with tomato sauce and some ground meat.

"What will you have?" Kai asked Nila, turning towards her with a warm smile.

Nila hesitated, her gaze dropping to her lap. "You've already been so generous with the transportation," she murmured, "I couldn't possibly ask for more. I'll be fine without food until we arrive."

Kai chuckled, a playful glint in his eyes. "What? We're going to be on this train for seven hours! You can't go that long without eating. Order something, please. Jane won't mind, and you can pay her back later when you've found a job."

Reassured by Kai's words, Nila finally gave in and ordered two dishes. The sight of the steaming plates brought a shy smile to her face, causing both Kai and Jane to laugh good-naturedly.

"It's just been a while since I've had a proper meal," Nila explained, her cheeks flushing with a touch of embarrassment.

Kai exchanged a knowing look with Jane before responding, "No need to explain yourself. We've all been there."

The aroma of their food filled the air, a tantalizing mix of spices and savory ingredients. Kai, having finished his own dish, couldn't help but inquire, "What are you having, Jane?"

Jane offered him a spoonful of her soup, a rich broth with vibrant colors. "Try this. I think you'll like it."

Kai accepted the spoon, eager to try something new. However, as soon as the soup touched his tongue, a fiery sensation erupted in his mouth.

"S-Spicy!" he sputtered, eyes watering. "Why didn't you warn me?"

This time, it was Nila and Jane's turn to laugh as Kai frantically searched for water to quell the flames on his tongue. He was no stranger to spicy food, but this soup packed a punch unlike anything he had experienced before. He made a mental note to be more cautious when sampling local cuisine in the future.

"Is there a restroom around here?" Kai asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Jane, the most seasoned traveler among them, nodded. "Yes, I believe it's at the end of this car."

Kai rose from his comfortable seat and made his way towards the restroom. As he walked, he noticed some peculiar movements within the train. It was the same hooded figures he had seen earlier.

A mischievous impulse overtook him, something he knew he probably shouldn't do. He leaned close to the door of a compartment where a group of four hooded figures were gathered and pressed his ear against it, straining to hear their conversation.

"We're almost at the capital," a male voice said. "I think it will take a few months for everything to be ready there."

"Excellent, excellent. We need not rush."

"And you believe we will find it there?" the man asked.

Before a response could be given, one of the hooded figures stood up abruptly and moved towards the door. Kai, sensing the movement, quickly continued walking towards the restroom without looking back. The hooded figure peered out into the corridor, then closed the door and returned to their seat.

"A teenager was passing by," the figure reported.

Upon entering the restroom, Kai let out a sigh of relief.

'That was close. They sensed my presence. But what were they talking about?'

The conversation hadn't seemed particularly suspicious, at least the part Kai had overheard, but he decided to remain vigilant while in the capital. There was something about those hooded figures that piqued his curiosity.