[Machel’s POV]
The sound of a steam whistle jolted the conductor from his slumber.
Groggily, Machel rubbed his bleary eyes and stumbled onto his feet in a panic.
‘Crap, how long did I fall asleep?!’
He instinctively patted his coat. Feeling the contours of his pass key and pocket watch inside the pocket, he breathed a relieved sigh and calmed his nerves.
‘Phew, thankfully no one noticed that I’d been dozing off on the job…’
The Orient Express soon shuddered to a halt, its rhythmic chugging and hissing echoing through the damp, frigid air. In the hushed embrace of the chilly night, Strasbourg Station emerged from the thick fog with an air of ethereal grandeur, its frosted gaslit windows casting a warm, ghostly glow against the inky black city.
Wrapped in a long, dark overcoat, the stationmaster approached the fourgon with a flickering lamp, his breath clouding around him like a tiny cloud.
They exchanged a gesture of salute before Machel spoke.
“Seems a little quiet tonight, are you the only staff on duty?”
“Ah, that is indeed the case,” the stationmaster replied with a German accent. “Most of the boys went on strike today.”
“A strike?” he asked in a concerned voice.
“Some kind of local elections took place recently, and the youngsters aren’t too happy about the results. Say they’re rigged or something, I dunno.” The German gave a snort. “I’m not one to be very involved in politics.”
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Machel let out a small chuckle in response. “Likewise, I guess we’re both too old to meddle with such troublesome things.”
The stationmaster shrugged nonchalantly. “I’d like to go back and rest by the fire, so if you can hurry up, that’d be much appreciated.”
“Alright, alright, take this.”
The stationmaster grabbed the file from his hands and flipped through the documents lazily. “Looks like everything’s in order. I have to sign on the cover, right?”
He nodded, and the man sighed.
“Give me a minute, I have to go back to take my pen.”
Machel made an ‘okay’ gesture and lingered on the platform in the meantime. Stretching his arms momentarily, he suddenly noticed that the door of the adjacent carriage was ajar, as though someone had swung it open and forgot to latch it back.
‘That’s weird, why is it left open?’
Feeling the urge to investigate, he cautiously approached the sleeping car and peered into the dark vestibule.
“Hello? Is there someone looking for the conductor…?”
His voice trailed off when he realised that there was nobody present in the vestibule.
After waiting a while for a reply, he climbed up the steps and took a look at the quiet aisle. The dim glow of the gas lamps revealed that all the compartment doors were tightly shut.
Frowning, Machel took one last glance at the empty vestibule before closing the carriage door. The stationmaster soon returned with the signed file and passed it to him.
“Here you go, you’re hereby authorised to cross into German territory.”
“Thank you. Then, if that’s all…”
He grunted and waved his lantern. “One more thing—it just rained heavily a couple of hours ago, so the tracks ahead may be a little slippery. I won’t be able to send a rescue down if anything happens until the boys come back to work, so do be careful.”
“Got it,” Machel said, feeling that his words sounded a little ominous. “Have a good night, Stationmaster.”
With a final, melancholic whistle, the Orient Express signalled its readiness to depart. The locomotive stirred to life with a series of chugs and hisses, a haunting symphony that echoed through the station. The stationmaster, his lantern's glow casting long, wavering shadows, watched in silence as the train receded into the mist.
『Level 1 Complete』
『Start of Level 2』