Road to the Crown

14th September 1574

"Let's start with the obvious question that I know everyone wants to ask. Will this train be available to use for everyone, or just the chosen few?"

Still standing on the threshold of the first train cart, I spoke to the crowd. Even though it was given that my voice could at best make it to the first few fronts row only, I openly hoped that the people would pass my words further down the line for now. After all, the official announcement would still take a long time to appear, as the train would be aimed to be initially an exclusively military object, rather than a civilian means of transport.

"Sadly, for now, it is still in the experimental phase, so it will take a long time before anyone will be able to use it outside of the designated few… But as soon as the war with the muscovites will end, I will do my absolute best to launch enough train for everyone to cheaply use!"

Pep-talking the locals was nothing but an obstruction for me. Only when the train tracks would connect several important points in the country, would this mean of transportation get popular. For the low-class citizens, the cost of the ticket would be equal to like a half of what they would otherwise have to pay for traveling with a caravan, with all the costs of protection, food and shelter they would have to normally add up to just the transporting fee included.

On the other hand, I could already tell who would be using this train the most. And surprisingly enough, it would not be the nobles!

At first, yeah. Being able to flex that one took a journey with this metal monster might be incentives enough for some to pay the initially huge price for the tickets, but that was not a means that could provide enough money to ever pay for the costs of the locomotive itself, not to speak about the tracks, carriage or the personnel that had to run it all.

The only way in which this train could turn profitable, was either for me to use it in order to spread my products even further at a much smaller cost, opening new markets that I could dump my old and outdated products on or…

"But while what I said holds true, there will be a way for the craftsmen and merchants to strike a deal, allowing them to use the train to transport their wares! From today on, any city that will become the host of the train will be forced to lift their private taxes, allowing for the quick and fast exchange of goods across the entire country!"

This was the only way, outside of my own usage, for this train to ever pay its down costs down. Use the middle class that could actually make a huge profit by using the train to transport their wares. Just like it was the case with every single of my projects so far, I could earn from it only if the entire situation would turn out to be a win-win for both me and the parties that would be interested in using it!

Additionally, creating transport train carts was far cheaper and simpler than doing the same for the proper passenger ones. Outside of allowing the train to reach greater speeds without the delicate nobles and damsels abroad, just the amount of space that could be used would make the entire project far more profitable in terms of cost-to-profit ratio!

"Anyway, this will be all for today. As I was summoned to the castle, I will have to ask you guys to make way for me!"

Gesturing at some of the folks in the cart with my hand that was still hidden behind the cart's wall, I ordered the few people that served as my escorts to descend from the train along with me. 

"That won't be necessary."

To my surprise, just as my feet touched the bricks that were used as the floor for the train station, a huge commotion appeared nearby, before the entire crowd parted aside, making way for a huge military detachment of the city guards. 

Considering how I was invited to the city, I didn't need to worry about being imprisoned. Not after being falsely accused and treated as a traitor once. And that could only mean that someone in the senatorial hall was smart enough to understand what kind of crowd my train would gather, making it nearly impossible for me to actually get to the city!

"Welcome back in Krakow, sir Mike."

Coming up to greet me, Rafael finally showed himself, explaining how could this greeting party be both so grand and so late at the same time. 

"It's good to be here, even if I arrived only for a single day."

Before, moving between any of my lands and Krakow, required at the very least, an entire day dedicated to travelling alone. But that would not be the case from now on. While only Krakow and Tarnow had their stations finished, thanks to the early finish of the open-hearth furnace, the number of rails that was produced for the train-tracks allowed my workers to reach the point where the city of Sandomir would be added to the list!

With how I was currently its official governor, establishing another trading hub that would be well-connected both to the governor's seat of power and New Tarnow, would be a piece of the cake. In fact, the place that was suitable for this effort was already picked, and the materials were slowly stockpiled in the area for the sake of construction!

"While it's a pity that your visit will be so short, it is still good that you managed to show up. There are some rumours that reached the senate, so the rest of the old folks wanted to have a… rather unpleasant talk with you."

Hearing Rafael words, I couldn't help but grin while cursing in my mind. There was only one thing that they could be angry about, and it was my military plans leaking out. And as good as it was in a tactical sense as it was an opportunity for me to reinforce the fake news that we passed to the spy we 'accidentally' allowed to run away, at the same time it meant that Ostros still had someone backing them up in the senate!

But no matter how much I racked my brains about it, I was unable to find even a single powerful noble family that stood to gain anything from siding with the traitors!

Given all my investments in the military, both in terms of constantly recruiting more and more people and in terms of the equipment that every single soldier of mine carried, it was given that sooner or later, Ostros would lose the conflict. With how they had the foundation of their power clearly defined, as soon as I would either gather force big and strong enough to deal with them or find a way to uproot their strength with some other, less typical means, then the era of their household would come to an end.

But what worried me, was how that didn't mean that all of my enemies would be finally dealt with!

"Don't worry, I didn't expect the road to the Castle to be layered with flowers. And with that said, can you lead the way? As comfortable as this train is, moving around is still quite bothersome for me."

Despite how Rafael was slowly turning out to be one of my supporters, I wasn't really in the mood of talking with him right now. Rather than this matter being another piece of a political game which I had to partake in by becoming a huge figure in the country, I simply preferred to enjoy the time in the capital with my wife!

"Sure, but I will tell that again. Be prepared for what is about to come."

Once again teasing something that was about to come, Rafael didn't bother me any longer, moving to the front of the column formed by the city guards.

"Let's go."

Finally free to move freely around, I turned my head to Elia, before grabbing her arm under mine and following the steps of that friendly senator. 

In just a few, quick moments, we moved from the place that wasn't even within the city walls towards the castle itself. Recalling the future times that I spent in this place, I could even remember which number of the tram I would have to take to cover this distance within just a few minutes. But even despite Rafael's warnings, I didn't expect the atmosphere at the castle to be so solemn!

Just by crossing the gate I knew that something was wrong. At least, with my people still accompanying me, I didn't need to worry about some kind of plot aimed at stealing either my life, health or property, as even the small number of ten of them would be far more than enough to cut open a way of escape for my group.

With this strange atmosphere still bothering me as I moved through the corridors of the place, I finally reached the senatorial hall, where to my surprise, every single seat was already taken. But as if that wasn't enough, there were four more people already gathered in the main hall of the place!

"Welcome, sir Mike."

With the group nodding their heads with respect, I realised that something was really wrong. If they were willing to show their respect to me just like that, I realised that something huge had to happen!

"To keep the matters short, we decided that our former king failed to fulfil the promises he made, as such, failing to respect the contract that he signed the moment he was given the throne. As such, new elections will be formed. And besides the candidates that you can see in front of you, you were chosen to take part in the incoming fight for the crown!"