Chapter 1 (light novel 5)

Timetable
Chapter 1 Episode 17: The Crossing Point
Japanese Name	時刻表
Romanized Name	Jigokuhyō
Volume	5
Release Date	December, 2009 (The Sneaker)
Pages	68
Adaptation	Chapter 10 (manga)

"Timetable" is the 1st chapter of The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, volume 5. It's divided into eight parts and contains two illustrations. The chapter is labeled as Episode 17 in the story line.

Kamilla got Hugh and Dalian out of bed so they could investigate the rumors about a ghost train running on the Highland Railway, a line that hasn't received passenger cars for twelve years.

Summary

He's hit in the head with a coal shovel. Blood drips on the floor, flowing out from his forehead. It's dark outside, so he can't see the surrounding mountains. However, by noticing the vibration and the noise, he knows that the train is accelerating. The air and smoke coming out from the firebox makes the narrow driver’s compartment breathtakingly hot. Light from the fire reveals the tall engineer standing nearby, holding a bloodied shovel. The assailant was supposed to be his superior, the man in charge of the train, a gloomy man who entered the cabin in the first station at the capital.

They haven’t talked to each other since then. The engineer’s attitude had suddenly changed after a short conversation with a conductor through a speaking tube. After that, the engineer began destroying the brake system and the regulating valve of the vehicle. The other man was only trying to stop him, but he was knocked down. Now, there's no way to stop the train. They were approaching a dangerous downhill. The regulating valve is fully opened, resulting in steam continuously powering the locomotive. The train will certainly derail and cause a huge tragedy due to the overspeed in such a steep section. The engineer smiles and jumps off of the train as soon as he sees a safe spot to land. The wounded man is the only person left in the cabin. He lacks the means to save the passengers. If he also jumps off, he can at least save himself. The sound of a safety valve indicates that the speed limit was exceeded. Struggling against fear, he proceeds to leave the driver’s cabin.

Part 1

The rusted track built over a rocky surface cut the mountains of the northern part of the kingdom. The poor station and the small town are deserted. The dark place has the atmosphere of ruins. Hugh is sat on a bench, holding a lamp so Dalian can read a large book. The little girl complains when he moves. She's also in a bad mood due to hunger. The station has no dining room or open shops. Dalian is the one who decided to visit the station. They wish to witness the ghost train that Kamilla mentioned. The latter isn't present because her father prevented her from riding a train. Hugh also feels that Kamilla should stay away. After all, Kamilla lost her mother in a railway accident.

Part 2

That morning, Kamilla pulled Hugh’s blanket off to wake him up. They have thoroughly investigated that mansion a long time ago, so the cheerful young woman knows how to let herself in. A sleepy Dalian had been dragged by her. The Biblioprincess asks if Kamilla showed up for breakfast. Kamilla, however, is holding a lunch basket with a fragrant smell. She prepared everything so they could go to the station together. It seems that a ghost passed through the Highland Railway last night at a tremendous speed. Dalian teases her by referring to her as the ghost of an old woman that moves at 100 mph, chasing cars to curse the happy couples inside it. Dalian affirms that Kamilla will have the same fate if she fails to marry someone. But Kamilla believes that she will become a ghost that tempts man with her beautiful face and hypnotic voice. Back to the subject, Kamilla explains that a luxury train was witnessed after the last service time.

Trains for special passengers like that, with private rooms and a dining car, weren’t operating in that route for twelve years. Due to a tragedy in the past, only freight trains use the Highland Railway nowadays. A rich person can run a luxurious train on a route where only cargo is transported, but Hugh can't think why someone would do that. Kamilla adds that the appearance of the ghost train is the same as the one involved in the incident more than a decade ago. Although Hugh seems interested, he covers himself, going back to sleep. Kamilla pulls his blanket once again, showing the three tickets she arranged. Meanwhile, Dalian was looking for the fried breads inside Kamilla’s baggage. Dalian finds an unfamiliar magazine amongst the possessions.

Suddenly, the maids from Kamilla’s mansion barge in Hugh’s bedroom. Kamilla had left the mansion without her father’s permission. The man will have difficulties to do business that day, since he couldn’t sleep, worried about his daughter. Kamilla has no choice but to be carried away by the maids. Hugh had just closed his eyes when Dalian urged him to get up. While eating a piece of fried bread, she shows him the magazine taken from Kamilla’s baggage. It contains blurred and shaky photos of the ghost train. Hugh notices a man reading a book at the end of the platform.

Part 3

Dalian is frustrated and bored at the Granholm Station, waiting for the ghost train while trying to read a book in the dark. It's past midnight and the temperature is dropping, causing the little girl to sneeze. Hugh just mentioned how the ghost train would attract a crowd if it appeared every night, when Dalian noticed the presence of a man in his thirties in the distance. He does not appear to be a railroad official. It's impossible to take a passenger train in that station. That man can only be waiting for the ghost train.

Hugh begins to walk towards him after noticing a thick book in his left hand. Dalian talks about the Timetable, but her voice is covered by the sound of a steam engine. Bursting out from the darkness, Hugh sees a large black locomotive carrying luxurious passenger cars. The mysterious man shivers and cries at the sight. He was expecting that train at that exactly moment. Hugh tries to interrogate him, only to see the man running towards the vehicle as it passed by the station. Dalian also wants to board the train. Hugh picks up the little girl and jumps out of the platform.

Part 4

It's difficult to breathe due to the smoke coming from the front of the train. The acceleration and the vibration feel terrible. Dalian, hanging under Hugh’s armpit, wants to go inside the passenger car. However, the door in front of them is locked and cannot be kicked open. The young man can't use his revolver, since he's already carrying the little girl and holding the handrail. He affirms that they should wait the train stop at the next station. Unfortunately, the ghost vehicle seems to be getting faster and faster. Dalian decides to use the revolver herself to get out of that windy spot. She’s convinced that she will be able to use the gun. The Biblioprincess tickles Hugh while searching the revolver in his coat. Both collapse inside the passenger car when the door suddenly opens.

Hugh and Dalian meets KK.

Dalian is struggling, trapped under Hugh’s body while he examines the gorgeous interior. In the middle of the aisle, he sees a pretty young girl seven or eight years old. Using a key, she had opened the door from the inside, showing no fear of the strangers, only curiosity. Hugh helps Dalian up, but she falls down on her face. The blonde girl laughs when Dalian calls her a child. Hugh watch as the girls stand on their tiptoes to decide who’s taller. The young girl doesn’t reveal her identity, following her mother’s instructions to never say her real name to an unknown person. However, she introduces herself as KK. She informs that the train will reach West Highland tomorrow morning. The destination is a mountainous area in the north region of the kingdom, a scenic spot filled with noble and wealthy villas.

KK’s parents fought each other and now the child would live in her aunt’s villa with her mother. KK left the capital last night, which is strange since the train should have covered the distance already. Bored, the blonde girl was looking for something interesting to do, like investigating a case. In fact, she heard that the suspect of a murder has boarded the train. A detective was looking for Jiryis, a violent man who broke prison. It’s something hard to believe coming from a child, but Hugh and Dalian’s situation was far from normal. They were inside a special train that shouldn’t be operating for twelve years. Dalian walks down the aisle to search the owner of the Timetable. KK follows her, interested. Hugh loses balance with the sudden shock that causes the passenger car to shake. The little girls roll together on the floor, stopping at a wall. Hugh was helping them when he heard an anguished cry from the lounge. KK runs by herself to check it, followed by Dalian. Hugh sighs before running after them.

Part 5

The lounge is a spacious car equipped with leather sofas and a bar. Glasses had fallen and rolled on the floor after a brawl. A middle-aged woman informs Hugh that a conductor and the passengers are holding a suspicious man down, the same one seen with the Timetable in hands at the Granholm Station. This mysterious person tried to stop the train, affirming that everyone will die otherwise. Now, it’s thought that he is the jailbreaker who escaped from the capital. The detective mentioned by KK is pressing the suspect roughly against the floor. Dalian approaches them to ask about the location of the Timetable. The constrained man's eyes linger on a spot under the leather sofa. The Biblioprincess means to pick up the book, but the detective stretches his hand first, regarding the item as evidence of a crime. Dalian becomes so angry that she can't say a word. After having a difficult night, her target was taken right in front of her.

Hugh walks forward, asking them to release the man, affirming that he is no criminal. KK said that the murderer boarded the train in the capital, while the suspect they are holding only appeared a few minutes ago, at the Granholm Station. The detective is still skeptic, forcing the unknown man against the floor. The latter affirms to be called Heizer Hayling, the assistant engineer of that train, one of the responsible for the engine operation. The detective, however, answers that Hayling should be many years younger. The suspect keeps fighting, asking them to stop the vehicle. Hugh concludes that he’s aboard the train involved in the Highland Railway twelve years ago. The Timetable allows someone to get on any train in the past or future. The passengers there may already be dead.

KK is confused, but Hugh explains that they want to see Hayling's book. This is impossible because they can't approach Hayling, since people think he’s a criminal. KK suggests that they find the real jailbreaker. According to the detective, there are no other suspects in the passenger cars. The blonde girl deduces where the criminal might be hiding. After all, the detective hasn’t interrogated the engineer and the fireman of the locomotive. The detective affirms that Gloucester Jiryis worked in a small mountain railway before. The detective releases Hayling, who keeps agonizing on the floor, yelling that the events of twelve years ago will be repeated.

Predicting a tragedy, Hugh looks around the lounge, unable to find the conductor. The Timetable creates a perfect reproduction of the past, including people’s appearance and attitude. The conductor will try to use the speaking tube to confirm the engineer’s identity, inciting the murderer to act. Hugh finds the conductor in the foremost part of the passenger car. The entire train shakes once again before Hugh can stop the conductor. The locomotive gains speed when it was almost reaching a long downhill.

Part 6

Hayling is desperate, pounding the floor with his fists. After all, the events of twelve years ago are happening once again. The fake engineer had knocked down the fireman, destroyed the brake system of the locomotive and increased the engine power to the maximum. The train is about to derail, taking many lives with it. Jiryis will jumped off of the train and disappear while people are distracted with the upcoming tragedy. They hear a scream coming from the railroad side. Hayling from the past, unable to stop the train, had just left the passengers behind.

Hugh witnesses Hayling's sacrifice.

The older Hayling, regretting this decision for twelve years, planned to use the Timetable to change the events of that day. However, the locomotive had accelerated so much that even the emergency brakes can't reduce its speed. Nonetheless, Hayling stands up, decided to do something. Hugh follows him to the exterior part of the train. It's a dangerous situation since the vehicle is shaking so much. Hayling almost falls from the coal-car when the train entered a curve, but Hugh pulled him to safety. The fireman recognizes the driver’s compartment from twelve years ago. He apologizes before hitting Hugh’s head with the coal shovel.

Hayling plans to decouple the locomotive from the passenger cars. The emergency brakes will eventually stop the rest of the train. Hugh watches as the coupler is disconnected, releasing countless sparks. Hayling accepts his fate aboard the out-of-control locomotive, which reached a curve and tilted due to the centrifugal force. It finally derails, rolls down a cliff and explodes.

Part 7

Hugh wipes the blood from his forehead. Dalian and KK had also climbed outside, looking for him. The girls soon understand what Hayling had done. Dalian holds a book tightly in her hands. KK notices that the passenger cars are not stopping. It seems like the brakes have overheated. That region had only downhills, so the train will continue to accelerate. However, Dalian won't let Hayling’s sacrifice be in vain. The Timetable in her hands reveals that, while in the past there is only a railroad going downhill, in the future a bifurcation will be used by freight trains carrying slate from the top of the mountain. Hugh uses his lighter to examine the Phantom Book. He applies its power to orient the vehicle uphill. Although the cars shake violently, they escape the derailment.

Hugh breathes in relief, KK smiles gorgeously and Dalian rolls around due to the swaying. The blonde child introduces herself as Kamilla Sauer Keynes. Hugh’s childhood friend was involved in the Highland Railway tragedy that took her mother’s life. Rescue will come soon and the jailbreaker will be caught. Worried about her mother, Kamilla returns to the passenger car. She wishes to see Hugh and Dalian again later. The surroundings begin to shake like an illusion, as if magic is going out of control. Hugh and Dalian return to their original era.

Part 8

Kamilla forces Hugh and Dalian awake in the next morning. He doesn't recognize the crowded train station he's in. According to Kamilla, she had just arrived Granholm Station when she saw them. The place was dirty and deserted last night, but now it's prospering. Kamilla was heading to her aunt’s villa with her mother. Although Kamilla knows about an incident that occurred on this line twelve years ago, the Phantom Book in Dalian’s hands greatly changed the fate of the Highland Railway and its passengers.

The blonde young woman has ambiguous memories about the event. Her parents were still fighting each other, but they are both alive and well. Hugh notices an article displayed on the wall inside a glass case. It shows the photograph of an engineer assistant that sacrificed himself to save the passengers from a derailment. He's smiling satisfactorily as if he had overcome his fate.

Trivia

• As soon as she lands on the train, Dalian complains about the cold outside, telling Hugh that she isn't a sea roach like him. She's referring to the Ligia exotica isopod species.
• When Kamilla suggests that Jiryis is hiding in the driver’s compartment, she quotes from the Sherlock Holmes stories by saying "elementary".